Yesterday morning, dozens of employees of Banks DIH Limited took industrial action over the company’s commissions on their monthly sales.
Stabroek News was told yesterday by President of the General Workers Union (GWU) Norris Witter that consequent to the industrial action, he and other executive members of the union decided to engage the management of Banks DIH to discuss solutions to the issue at hand.
Witter said that today, representatives of GWU will meet at 9 am with the company’s management committee where issues such as an increase in sales commission, livable wages and salaries, among other issues raised by employees, would be ventilated.
The GWU president is anticipating that the standoff between the employees and management of Banks DIH will be amicably resolved. He relayed that based on his knowledge and interactions with the aggrieved workers, the company was expected to grant increases in sales commissions, wages and salaries but this was reportedly deferred.
“Based on what we heard today, this matter was outstanding because the workers were expecting it but it was delayed, so I think that is what incensed the workers, but the union is currently engaging the company’s management and I am optimistic that there should be an amicable solution.”
Like Witter, Quincy Bailey, Branch Chairman of GWU, said the workers took industrial action because the company did not grant the incentives to employees as was requested.
He said that the scheduled meeting today will include the aggrieved workers of Banks DIH, followed by the company’s management and representatives of the General Workers Union.
Like Witter, Bailey is hopeful for an amicable solution.
This newspaper contacted Banks DIH Communi-cations Officer, Sonya Forrester, for a response concerning the industrial action but was told that she would not be able to provide details on the issue as the company’s board of directors were at the time in a statutory meeting.
Stabroek News was promised a release by Forrester on the matter once approved by the company’s board but this was not forthcoming up to press time.
