BoSI staff vote for strike action

A ballot for Industrial and possible strike action has received the overwhelming backing of Bank of Scotland (Ireland) workers who are members of the trade union Unite.

Last month the bank announced that it was to close its 44 Halifax branches in Ireland with the loss of 750 jobs.

Unite has asked the company to engage in "realistic negotiations to save jobs and improve redundancy terms", Unite regional officer Brian Gallagher said. The form of action will depend on the bank’s willingness to negotiate, he said.

But Mr Gallagher emphasised that "time is of the essence" as any action would need to take place before Halifax workers are let go in June.

The response so far from management has been "unsatisfactory" Mr Gallagher said.

The union wants a substantial minimum lump sum payment for redundant workers because of their short service rather than eight weeks per year of service.

The retail bank opened in Ireland  four years ago.

However, there was a “considerable gap” between the union and management, Mr Gallagher said.

Unite hopes to meet the company this week and has given it a statutory seven days notice. Some 85 per cent of some 600 votes cast were in favour of industrial action in the ballot which was counted today.

Workers not directly affected by the job losses voted by “a substantial majority” for their colleagues, Mr Gallagher said.

The union was also critical of the Government's lack of response to its proposal to include BoSI in the so-called third banking force.