Tripartite council calls for dialogue between bank owners, workers

The Banking Industry Tripartite Council (BITC) has passed a resolution calling for dialogues to resolve issues and mitigate the impact of bank mergers and acquisitions on displaced workers.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the BITC, composed of labor, management and government representatives, also issued guiding principles to ensure industrial peace and harmony in case of bank mergers and acquisitions.

The labor secretary met with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Rafael Buenaventura and BITC representatives to address the impact of mergers and acquisitions on bank workers.

Laguesma said the BITC was organized following the continued displacement of bank workers, with the highest number of layoffs and retrenchments – totalling 4,729 – recorded from January to September 2000.

Alarmed by the retrenchments, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) called on its partners in the banking sector – labor and management – to work together not only in maintaining industrial peace but also in addressing displacements, Laguesma said.

This led to the launching of the BITC last Labor Day when an agreement was forged among the social partners, including National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE), the Associated Labor Unions – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and the National Association of Trade Unions (NATU).

The Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) represents the employers’ sector in the BITC, with DOLE, Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) representing the government.

Laguesma said the BITC adopted resolutions providing for joint programs that would enhance labor management relations and resolve displacement and other issues affecting displaced bank workers.

He assured the council of the DOLE’s support especially in preserving jobs and facilitating the employment of workers in line with the DOE’s comprehensive employment plan.

He said the DOLE would support the BITC’s move to tap the computerized PhilJobnet skills matching system, adding the system would be utilized by expanding BAP-member banks for their future manpower requirements.

Member banks experiencing difficulties can also enroll their employees for possible placement.

Laguesma encouraged BITC member-unions to avail of the existing programs of DOLE for displaced workers particularly the workers organization development program (WODP) and the promotion of rural employment through employment and entrepreneurship development program (PRESEED).

Both programs provides skills training and livelihood assistance to help displaced workers, while the other DOLE program will help them find alternative jobs.– Sandy Araneta