Already fearful that they may lose their jobs, some employees at FirstCaribbean International Bank’s credit card centre say it is a “slap in the face” that the financial institution is advertising for 28 positions in the credit card centre that will be relocated to Barbados.
The positions appear to correspond with those that are set to become redundant here in The Bahamas.
FirstCaribbean executives from Barbados initially told local FirstCaribbean employees that of the 43 positions at the credit card centre only 11 would remain.
Ever since Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada and Barclays Bank merged last year forming the new institution, employees have been expressing concerns regarding job security.
Such concerns escalated into a demonstration in front of the House of Assembly in April.
The Bahama Journal has learned that executives have decided to retain 15 positions locally.
The positions being advertised are for 10 administration clerks; three charge back officers; three security officers; two recovery officers; two audit officers; and two quality control officers. The advertisements, which appear on the company’s website, also point to openings for a systems administrator; a collection officer; a senior project co-coordinator; a project co-coordinator; a finance clerk and a project manager.
Most of the advertisements for the positions will expire on July 4, 2003 but three will expire on July 9 and one on July 11.
LaShon Sawyer, General Secretary of the Bahamas Financial Services Union (BFSU), which represents FirstCaribbean workers, said that the ads have left local employees feeling very uncertain about their future.
Where does that leave the Bahamian employees?” she asked “Do we not get enough respect to be told before an advertisement goes out for your position?”
Recently, there were media reports that FirstCaribbean executives were giving assurances that no workers would lose jobs.
But Ms. Sawyer said that although the position is appreciated employees wondered how long could positions be guaranteed in a bank that is “moving on.”
“If it’s doing this with one division, what will it do with another that it decides to centralize later on?” she asked.
“You may be caught right back in that same position again when you are moved into another area.”
Ms. Sawyer said she believes that it is all about respect and added that the whole situation was improperly handled from the beginning.
“How can you advertise a job when you have not even met with the employees to tell them what is going to happen with each one of them as individuals?” she asked.
Meanwhile, FirstCaribbean employees continue to work without going on go-slow or refusing to work despite reportedly feeling uncertain and anxious.
“Employees are coming to work every day, giving the bank 100 percent,” Ms. Sawyer said.
She added that the employers appear to be looking only at cutting expenses and making profits.
“If it means centralizing and us losing jobs that do not appear to make a difference,” she said.
BFSU officials say they are still waiting for meetings with the Immigration and Labour Minister and the Minister for Financial Services and Investments.
By Julian Reid, The Bahama Journal
