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"We are skeptical when new systems are to be tested in Malaysia, NUBE will carefully analyze the impact, consult the members and decide to support any initiatives by HSBC" said J Solomon General Secretary of NUBE [National Union of Bank Employees] Malaysia, at a special meeting convened for the employees of HSBC Malaysia on 1st June 2010 in Kuala Lumpur. Solomon thanked the members joining the meeting after hard days work at short notice. Large numbers attending the meeting itself indicates the degree of uncertainty amongst the members about their job security; when bank plans to introduce new systems, said Solomon. He said this is quite natural when 251 dedicated employees were made jobless in 2009, when HSBC decided to outsourcing and off-shoring in spite of the collective protest of the unions. HSBC informed NUBE that they need to 'Re-Deploy' 26 staff following the introduction of ONEHSBC phase one. Bank has plans to automate many other operations in time to come. We are concerned about our members losing jobs, specially at a time when Malaysia is aiming to become a high income society. Over the years bank has made good profits in Malaysia, hence as the World's local bank HSBC should be socially responsible to create decent jobs. Outsourcing and Off-shoring to other destinations to achieve cost advantageous is not a good option. Such measures will only help the banks to pay millions of bonuses to its CEO's at the expense of employees losing jobs and their careers. He said that NUBE has decided to help those employees in Call Centers and Global Resource Centers to secure decent jobs and solicited the support of all members to unionize the employees in the Call Centers.





Simple Account opening process is better for the bank and customers, Is it better for the workers? asked Karuna Anantharasa Assistant General Secretary of NUBE explaining the ONEHSBC system to the members. She said with ONEHSBC when permanent staff are to be re-deployed; operations that are currently outsourced to Kodak and Buecken will continue. HSBC branch union members expressed their concerns and brought up numerous grievances faced at present in the bank at the meeting. Amongst them their comments and opinions given in the Global People Survey [GPS] has not received the banks attention. NUBE General Secretary responded stating that HSBC did not listen to mass opinions expressed collectively by the unions, the bank will spend millions to ensure the results look good irrespective of members singular opinion. No honesty by the bank ! No participation in the GPS the members unanimously decided at the meeting.



"One for all and all for One" that is the inspiring motto of NUBE as such NUBE should remain strong ONE said Mohammed Shafie B P Mamal President of UNI Malaysian Liaison Council. He welcomed the move to organize and unionize the Call Center employees by NUBE. Shafie assured UNI global unions solidarity to NUBE as one of UNI's longstanding affilite in Malaysia to secure rights and decent jobs for employees working for multinational bank such as HSBC at the meeting.



Destroying jobs and converting them as work through outsourcing and off-shoring has heavily contributed to the current economic crisis, said Jayasri Priyalal UNI Apro Director for Finance Sector activities addressing the members. He congratulated and appreciated the support extended by the HSBC employees in Malaysia on the "Banking on Workers Rights in HSBC" campaign. UNI Finance global union has called HSBC to sign a Global Framework Agreement with them. Priyalal said a GFA will certainly support HSBC to become a socially responsible world's local bank working in partnership with trade unions and employees committing for best standards and ethical practices. He said UNI Apro welcomes the NUBE's decision to unionise the call center employees and assured solidarity support of the UNI Finance global union.