A federation of trade unions representing RBC Royal Bank employees across the region has been formed in an effort to better meet the needs of workers in the financial group, David Massiah, a spokesman for the new group said yesterday.
"We have listened to the concerns raised by the workers of RBC Bank and we feel this is important for us as a trade union alliance throughout the entire region. Also, it is important where the bank operates to recognise us as unions and to respect the rights of workers," he said.
Massiah and officials of other regional trade unions spoke at a press conference at the offices of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers' Union (BIGWU) in Barataria held to announce the formation of the RBC Trade Union Alliance.
The new trade union federation brings together trade unions representing RBC workers across the region to work on common issues. Member unions are from T&T, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Antigua, Jamaica and the Bahamas and have support from the UNI Finance International Trade Union which is based in Switzerland. Officials of the federation yesterday urged the management of Royal Bank of Canada to commit to a relationship devoid of anti-union practices and to hold open dialogue with employees.
Massiah called for new strategies to deal with potential job losses in the middle of an economic downturn.
"You know about the merger between RBC and RBTT and of course there was contraction of employment in the region. With the trend in the financial sector we know it is one of the things that will continue to happen and that is one of the major reasons for this alliance," he said.
In a statement yesterday, the new labour body said: "The RBC Trade Union Alliance, with the support of UNI Finance, repudiates the strategy adopted by Royal Bank of Canada. In particular, the use of anti-union practices, and not allowing workers to raise their standards of living and working conditions. When workers in The Bahamas, St Lucia and Barbados amongst others, exercised their right to take collective action they faced different anti-union tactics, including bonuses given to dissuade people from joining the union, removal of people from a bargaining unit, intimidating emails to staff, stalling of unionisation/recognition process, and refusal to cooperate and meet with the union. In the Bahamas, several workers have identified anti-union behavior, intimidation and victimisation from management in many RBC branches; resulting in a total lack of membership in the country.
"The RBC Trade Union Alliance demands Royal Bank of Canada to change this behaviour of anti-union practices throughout the Caribbean region. We call upon RBC management to engage in an open dialogue with its workers' chosen representatives, by meeting with our unions as a united group. There will always be issues, but we can only solve problems through social dialogue that can anticipate and avoid situations of conflict; we must all work towards the strengthening of the company and good benefits for its employees. The CIBC/FCIB Partnership Agreement, is a positive example of collaboration between unions and corporations.
"RBC workers throughout the Caribbean are united in an alliance and will be meeting and acting together to ensure that the rights of workers are respected and protected. The RBC Trade Union Alliance is fully supported by UNI Finance and its affiliates in its call upon Royal Bank of Canada to take responsibility for its actions and change its anti-union behaviour."