PB’s intervention sought to settle State banking sector salary dispute

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amarapala Gamage (third from left) CBEU (People’s Bank) addressing the press at CBEU headquarters, Temple Road, Colombo yesterday (12). (L-R) R. M. Abeyratne (Treasurer, CBEU), Wimal Chandrasena (Senior Vice President, CBEU - Branch Chairman, Regional Development Bank Branch), Amarapala Gamage, Channa Dissanayake (Acting General Secretary, CBEU – Representative from BOC), T. G. W. Gunawardane (Branch Chairman, BOC), Senaviratne Bandu (Branch Secretary, BOC), Mahinda Jayaweera (Vice Secretary, CBEU and Branch Chairman Seylan Bank Branch) and Kesara Kottegoda (Vice President, CBEU and Branch Chairman HDFC Bank Branch).

The CBEU leadership yesterday alleged that an attempt was being made to sabotage the signing of collective agreements between respective branch unions and banks in spite of the Treasury Chief approving them. .

Addressing the media, at the CBEU head office in Colombo People’s Bank representative, Amarapala Gamage said that the union had expected to finalise the agreement in January, 2012.

Eight State sector banks are part of the proposed collective agreement. Of them, four major banks, namely the Bank of Ceylon, the People’s Bank, the National Savings Bank and the State Mortgage and Investment Bank have contributed a staggering Rs. 43 bn to the Treasury.

Gamage emphasised that the proposed increment wouldn’t hurt State banks. The bank workers had launched trade union action in Colombo and it would be gradually spread to all districts with a planned one-day strike on July 27 being the highlight of the campaign, he said.

Gamage said that unless the government addressed their grievances at least after the one-day strike the membership would gather in Colombo on August 5 to decide on further action.

Asked by The Island whether the CBEU had raised the issue with the Treasury Chief before calling a media briefing, Chandrasena said that they had apprised Dr. Jayasundera of the situation. "We are hopeful of an opportunity to discuss the issue with the Treasury Secretary soon."

The CBEU alleged that the ‘collective agreement’ had been put on hold after some interested party warned the Treasury that the proposed increment would cost each State bank approximately Rs. 300 mn annually. Chandrasena said that a study undertaken by them had revealed that it would cost the BoC and the People’s Bank Rs. 40 mn each, whereas the NSB and the State Mortgage and Investment Bank would have to pay less as they had smaller staff.