SCB union calls for daily protests over staff reduction plan
The labour union at Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) called on its members on Friday to join demonstrations at head office on Bangkok’s Ratchayothin Road from noon to 12.45 every day in a bid to overturn plans to reduce staff.
Union president Waitit Sirisuwan issued a statement calling for staff numbers to be maintained and for salaries to be increased.
Waitit noted that management wanted to meet union representatives today (January 29) to discuss the two issues, but said he was not convinced the demands would be heeded.
He said about 5,000 staff members, representing 20 per cent of the bank’s workforce, were disappointed that they’d been graded as “under-performing” and thus were not entitled to pay hikes or bonuses.
On the contrary, Waitit said, their performance was above the banking industry’s average.
Waitit said the union was collecting information from staff members who were to be shifted to other jobs as part of restructuring.
SCB president and chief executive Arthid Nanthawithaya had earlier announced that staff would be reduced from its current 27,000 to 15,000 by 2022, without layoffs or an early-retirement scheme.
The bank normally sees 3,000 staff members resign each year on average.
A source on the SCB said only a small percentage of staff members agree with the union’s goals.
