Ufomba Uzuegbu — Face-off between the management of Wema Bank and Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) may soon be resolved following the intervention of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity. The rift was over the severance of 150 staff of Wema Bank in the wake of its rationalization exercise. ASSBIFI is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

General Secretary of ASSBIFI, Mr. Jarvis Erhomosele told newsmen that Minister of Labour and Productuctivity, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode had last Friday summouned both parties to a meeting in Abuja in a bid to resolve their differences.

Erhomosele remarked that though the ministry acknowledged that employers have the right to downsize or rationalize its workforce but noted that when such need arises the law of collective bargaining and its provisions as indicated in section 20 of the labour act should be strictly adhered to.

He said that the labour ministry had urged employers in the financial subsectorto ensure that union officers are not the target of such exercise noting that any attempt by employers to sack union officers would amount to disintegrating the labour movement.

Erhomosele said: "At last Friday's meeting both parties informed the labour ministry that a window of dialogue has already been initiated to look into the issues on ground. The labour ministry commended the initiative and advised us to report to the ministry as soon as the matters were resolved and whereby we are unable to settle amicably, we should not hesitate to let them know."

"The ministry also advised employers to desist from entering into any form of agreement with inhouse unions stating that it is a wrong procedure to do so, but rather advised that any issue relating to workers welfare should be discussed with the national sectretariate of ASSBIFI in Ikeja as this will help reduce the conflicts in the industry."

Meanwhile, the ongoing mass sack of workers in First Bank has been put on hold following the intervention by ASSBIFI. Sources close to the bank revealed to Daily Champion gathered that workers who were served letters two weeks ago have been recalled by management of First Bank.

In line with its restructuring exercise the management of First Bank had sacked over 450 staff. The bank however claimed that it had provided an exit window for staff to retire voluntary.

ASSBIFI recently raised another alarm over the sack of 150 staff of Wema Bank adding that more staff would be affected in the exercise.

The association expressed regret that management of Wema Bank did not follow due process in its action adding that it was surprised that despite the number of correspondences exchanged to resolve the issue of redundancy through negotiations, the bank still went ahead with the exercise.

It said in a statement that it was set to close down the operation of Wema Bank while calling on both customers and depositors to round up their outstanding transactions with the bank before the institution is finally closed down.