Scores of aggrieved workers of Polaris bank across the country, on Tuesday, disrupted business operations to protest failure of the management to increase their salaries.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the workers who were contract employees were demanding salary increase.
Some of the workers who spoke with
PLATFORM TIMES on Tuesday, on condition of anonymity, said they decided to embark on the protest when the bank decided to grant a substantial salary increase of 100 per cent to full-time employees due to inflation and rising fuel prices.
A video shared by some of the aggrieved showed that they felt sidelined and voiced their frustration over the glaring disparity in compensation and the lack of growth opportunities within the organisation.
They argued that despite performing the same duties as their full-time counterparts, they have continued to receive insufficient compensation.
Considering the socio-economic challenges they were also faced with, they demanded a salary increase of 100 per cent, in line with the raise given to full-time staff in recognition of their contributions and dedication to the bank.
When asked about his take on disruption of activities, the National President of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), Anthony Abakpa, kicked against the move, describing the act as unprofessional.
He said they should have called the attention of the union to engage the lender constructively.
He said: “That is not the way to go. The law does not support that idea, they erred on their part by going on a rampage.
“We are already talking with the bank to find out what steps they will take given the hardship on the ground. What the workers have done is not professional because there are better ways to approach it rather than taking laws into their hands. It is not healthy.
“At the point of entry, everybody signed a code of conduct and if violated, it will not be too healthy, except if we intervene quickly.
” We are trying to pacify the bank to put a human face to it and see how they can intervene. The increment was done yesterday (Monday) and those people who were not affected were saying why should it be for only full staff.”
Attempts to speak to the management of the bank failed as the spokesperson could not be reached .
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