Motion no: 31
Recognising that rank-and-file bank workers were not responsible for the crisis in Irish banking but have nevertheless made considerable sacrifices since the beginning of the banking crisis in 2008 both in terms of their personal finances and in terms of the unprecedented restructuring of Irish banking which has already resulted in over 8,000 job losses with thousands more in the pipeline; Dismayed at the deliberate misrepresentation of pay and remuneration in the banking sector by spokespersons for the Irish Government in recent months which not only serves to devalue the considerable sacrifices already made but also sets bank workers up as targets for further unjustified vilification and threats from the general public; Concerned at the extent of the remodelling of Irish banking which is not only endangering the job security and working conditions of employees but also gives rise to major adverse implications for the level of service available to customers; Alarmed that the sales culture, which has been widely acknowledged to have been a major contributory factor in the near collapse of Irish banking, is still rife within the sector with the apparent acquiescence of the major shareholders and the regulator; Conference calls on the Executive Council to support the efforts of bank workers to: resist any attempt by Government or individual employers to impose further pay cuts; resist any attempt by employers to impose redundancies on a compulsory basis; secure a public forum on the future of Irish banking involving consultation with all stakeholders (including customers and staff) so as to ensure that the financial services sector can once again serve the economy effectively and constructively; and secure a comprehensive inquiry into the causes of the banking crisis so that lessons can be learnt for the future and that those responsible for the crisis can be held to account.
