High tension wage bargaining in French Banks!

WAGE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FRENCH BANKERS ASSOCIATION
THE INDECENCY OF THE BANKING EMPLOYERS
The 2011 Mandatory Annual Negotiations were opened yesterday at the AFB.
Although the talks were starting in a difficult economic environment, FO BANKS considered that the banks’ financial results (that morning, BNPP had announced a profit of over 700 million euros) should make it possible to raise the issue of wages as "grist to the mill!".
It was not to be!
Once again, under the pretext of the crisis and oblivious to their profits, banking employers don’t want any general, industry-wide increase and are just offering a “PRINCELY” 1.5% increase in minimum pay... and that's it!
That is simply outrageous, says FO!
While bank executives are awarding themselves two-digit percentage increases, bonuses, allowances, stock options and colossal supplementary pension plans, they are leaving only a few crumbs for bank employees.
FO is demanding:
a No more job cuts in our sector.
a The activation of Article 42.3 of the collective agreement with a general wage increase of 3% to compensate for inflation.
a A 5% increase in the sector’s minimum wage scale.
a A minimum salary of 23,000 euros for technicians.
a A minimum salary of 36,372 euros for managers, which is the 2012 social security ceiling.
a A permanent increase of the individual wage guarantee (GSI) provided by the collective agreement to 5%.
a The introduction of the transport cheque system in all the sector’s banks for all employees who do not benefit from the 50% refund of their public transport expenses.
a The implementation of urgent gender equality measures, as the statistics show that this year again, in our sector women are still earning less than men in equivalent jobs! For example, a female agency director: -12.5% on her fixed salary, and - 17.5% on her variable pay!
FO urges the AFB to reconsider its position. The second and last round of negotiations will take place on 12 December.
(Source: FEC-FO, France)