A PAY deficit placing Londonderry bank staff on a lower wage bracket than their colleagues in Britain must be addressed by new arrangements introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Thus claimed the Foyle MP Mark Durkan who has called on Alastair Darling to instruct the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Group to ensure that lower paid staff in its Irish subsidiary - Ulster Bank - are treated fairly regarding the introduction of a new
bonus and cost-of-living award.
The call comes after the Chancellor of the Exchequer sanctioned a contractual 10 per cent bonus and an average annual cost-of-living award of 2.6 per cent to RBS staff in Britain who are earning between £11,000 and £21,000.
Mr Durkan, who has also tabled an Early Day Motion at Westminster on the issue, said: "I am calling on the RBS Group to ensure that the same payments are made to lower-paid staff in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as will be awarded to their counterparts in Britain.
"I am also calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer and UK Financial Investments to instruct the RBS Group to ensure that its staff across the UK and Ireland are treated properly and equitably.
"Important pay discussions are continuing between the RBS Group and the union representing its staff in Britain.
"However, Ulster Bank has withdrawn from an agreed mediation process with the staff trade union in Northern Ireland, IBOA The Finance Union.
"I would therefore urge Ulster Bank to return immediately to meaningful dialogue with the IBOA union.
"Indeed, Ulster Bank's current pension offer communicated to staff without union agreement may be in breach of pension regulations in respect of both staff consultation requirements and active employer persuasion.
"I strongly disapprove of the Bank's attempt to induce lower-paid employees to accept less favourable pension terms in return for receipt of withheld remunerations.
"They should abandon those proposals and recommence negotiations with IBOA."
