In late March 2002, after a month of difficult and confrontational bargaining, talks over a new collective agreement for the Greek banking sector reached an impasse, and trade unions started to plan industrial action.
Download article in original language : GR0204107NEL.DOC
In late March 2002, after a month of difficult and confrontational bargaining, talks over a new collective agreement for the Greek banking sector reached an impasse, and trade unions started to plan industrial action.
Bargaining over a new collective agreement for the banking sector between the Greek Federation of Bank Employee Unions (OTOE) and representatives of banking employers began on 22 February 2002. On 27 March, during the fourth round of talks, bargaining broke down without any agreement being reached. According to a statement released by the OTOE executive secretariat on 29 March, the negotiations reached an impasse due to an uncompromising stand and unacceptable proposals on the part of the employers. In particular, the representatives of the banks proposed:
a two-year collective agreement providing for a 2% annual pay increase;
an extension of weekly bank-opening hours to 35 from the current 29.5; and
a reduction in the working week for all employees to 37.5 hours from the present 38.3 hours.
In OTOE's view, the banks' proposals are too distant from the framework of demands decided upon and submitted by its executive council on 22 January (GR0202102F). The proposals, claims OTOE, are contrary to trade union objectives of wage convergence with other EU countries and of reducing the working week to 35 hours. The OTOE bargaining team thus rejected the banks' proposals in their entirety, stating that their acceptance would reduce bank employees' purchasing power and have a negative effect on their terms and conditions of employment.
As a result of the failure of the two sides to agree and the breakdown of negotiations, and on the basis of decisions and guidelines communicated to OTOE by its member unions, the OTOE executive council was due to meet on 5 April 2002 in order to take decisions regarding strikes and other forms of industrial action. In the meantime, OTOE called on the banks to assume their responsibilities and re-examine their attitude immediately.
Molann Eurofound an foilsiúchán seo a lua ar an mbealach seo a leanas.
Eurofound (2002), Bargaining deadlocked in banking, article.
