News

On January 19, BIGWU, the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union from Trinidad and Tobago, received a notification that they had won recognition to become the Recognised Majority Union for RBC workers in Trinidad and Tobago after 6 years. The decision by the Recognition, Registration and Certification Board was unanimous and this is clearly big news for the union. 

Here are the summary highlights of RBC Royal Bank Recognition Process. Congratulations to all the Brothers and Sisters at BIGWU for their excellent job and perseverance!

Presented by BIGWU T&T

Concerns of Union

When we applied for recognition in 2011 the number of workers in the Bargaining Unit then was 1,999. Yesterday in our first meeting with the Bank they advised that this number is now 1360. This means that during the 6 years that this recognition claim took to be approved for BIGWU the Bank was able to layoff/retrench almost 700 workers who would not have had the benefit of Union representation in this process. Even at the time of preparing this summary the Bank is going through another phase of layoffs which was initiated just prior to the approved recognition certificate being issued.

BIGWU has warned the Bank to stop this unnecessary spate of layoffs and to begin immediate discussions with the Union on all issues like this.

Length of time for Recognition of Workers in Trinidad and Tobago

This remains a significant concern of BIGWU and the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM to which we are affiliated) and indeed we believe to the entire Trade Union Movement. The average time it takes to get Union recognition in the rest of the Caribbean is 3 months. In Trinidad this claim has taken one month short of 6 years!

This therefore seems to be a major systemic flaw supported which the Union has campaigned against many times both locally, regionally and internationally. We cannot be happy as a nation and society if the right to Trade Union recognition which flows into the process of collective bargaining and protection for workers to take 6 years!

In a radio programme this week I reminded listeners that Trade Union rights are human rights and to deny or delay same seems to be a fundamental violation of the human rights of workers.

Trinidad and Tobago therefore needs to fall in line with the great majority of its Caribbean neighbours whom clearly afford a much greater priority to this basic human and workers’ rights.

ILO Conventions 87 & 98 speak to this and T&T is a member state of the ILO and as such should conform to this.

This was in fact one of the key items which the present government promised Trade Unions it would address before the last elections of 2015.

Next steps for the RBC workers who are now covered by a Recognition Certificate awarded to BIGWU

First of All BIGWU expects that RBC Royal Bank after almost a 6 year recognition process which was subject to vigorous scrutiny by the relevant agency would immediately and unequivocally recognise the rights of the Workers and the Union as the certified recognised Majority Union for this group of workers.

We also expect to have Shop Stewards installed in each Branch/unit of the Bank to function in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act of Trinidad and Tobago as the Union’s line representative in the work place.

We also expect to move toward the process of negotiating a first collective agreement in which the terms and conditions of the workers would be enshrined.

Legal Challenge by the Bank

The Bank has given the Union notice late last week that it intends to file for Judicial Review (that means to appeal the decision of the Recognition Board). BIGWU considers this ridiculous and very unfortunate that at this stage RBC Royal Bank, a multinational entity is still seeking to deny the workers their rights after more than 15 years some of them have been seeking to have Union protection. We see this as unjust and intend to campaign inside and outside of Trinidad to have this injustice  undone. In the meantime the Union must proceed with our representation of the RBC workers for whom we are now legally certified.

RBC Caribbean Trade Union Alliance

BIGWU wishes to acknowledge that our representation and fight for recognition of the RBC workers in T&T was backed by UNI Global Union, the largest Global Trade Union Federation to whom we are affiliated.

We are also part of the RBC Caribbean Trade Union Alliance which is a grouping of UNI Global Caribbean Trade Unions which represent RBC workers in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, Grenada as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

Ultimate Objective for BIGWU in Trade Union Organising in Finance Sector

The ultimate objective for BIGWU in Trade Union Organising in the T&T Finance Sector is to ensure that all bank workers in all Banks and the wider financial sector including insurance companies and credit Unions and other companies or institutions engaged in the business of finance to be covered and afforded Trade Union protection