The Federal Government on Sunday, urged the new executives of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), to embrace collective bargaining in resolving disputes.
Dr Clement Illo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, gave the advice at the closing of the Triennial ASSBIFI’ National Delegates Conference in Abuja.
The theme of the conference was “Trade Union’s Strategic Role in Growing the Economy.’’
Illo said that embracing collective bargaining and social dialogue remained a tool for achieving results for workers in the financial sector.
“You need to embrace social dialogue which is a sin-qua-non for the maintenance of industrial peace and harmony in the work place in order to achieve socio-economic growth of the country.
“That is why you must also eschew protest, strike, lock-out and non-adherence to grievances, disputes settlement procedure as they are ill-winds that do no good to the society’’, he said.
He said the ministry will continue to partner with the association to sustain industrial peace and harmony in the banking and financial sector of the economy.
He called on the executives to make welfare of worker’s paramount to be able to maintain peace in the sector.
Mr Sunday Salako, former National President of the association said they were against casualisation and out sourcing of staff because they were alien to the sector and must be discouraged.
“Banking strives on public confidence and if you allow anything that unleashes terror in the system, then, there is going to be a problem.
“That is why we have been discouraging our employers from buying into it and I want to call on the new executives not to relent in this fight’’, he said.
Mrs Oyinkan Olasanoye, the new National President, commended members for their support and pledged to work and build on the existing formidable structure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the conference which started Nov. 25 ended on Nov. 27 with a Thanksgiving Service at the Good Tiding Bible Church International, Abuja. (NAN)