National Union of Bank Employees a.k.a. NUBE is a national union representing workers in the banking and financial institutions in Peninsular Malaysia. NUBE is a Union dedicated to serve, protect and provide for its members. At the very heart of NUBE, we believe in two fundamental principles:
1. That every human being has an equal right to live the life that he/she desires; 2. That the employers and the government is essential to regulate the lives of every workman;
Just like the independence of our country. A 2 months contractual bonus, overtime, salary increase and every other benefit we enjoy today was not given free by the Banks. In the late 1950’s, our forefathers sacrificed their income, time and lives to secure what we enjoy currently.
Today, 15 years later although we continue to enjoy these benefits but we cannot take them for granted. In this modernised era where globalisation and free trade is the popular jargon, the rights won through honest and dedicated fight will be whisked away if we do not stand together to protect and improve them. We must continue the tradition by fighting, protesting and campaigning for what is rightfully ours.
“It is my firm belief that I have a link with the past and a responsibility to the future. I cannot give up. I cannot despair. There’s a whole future, generations to come. I have to keep on trying.”
– King Hussein Jordan.
In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, Bank workers were subjected to harsh working conditions, enslaved by management commands. They had to work until 8.00p.m or 9.00p.m. almost everynight, without overtime pay. On month ends, they had to work till past midnights.
In Chartered Bank, Ipoh, the workers stayed back till past midnights on normal days. On month ends, they slaved until 4 a.m. and after a short nap, they resume work again at 7.00 am. They worked like this every day, 7 days a week. Our founder, the late Bro. Pathrose Cruz Gomez used to Stay very late often when he was exhorting bank workers to form the Union.
Bro Joseph Solomon is our General Secretary of NUBE Malaysia who treasures the contribution of past leaders and now shaping the future for the coming generation of young workers. Â
Conversion - Salary Adjustment in 31-12-2005 – 17% 14th Collective Agreement 2006 - 2008 Conversion rate to US Dollar: 0.31320
Position
Old
Old Annual Increment
New
Fixed New Annual Increment
Non-Clerical- Min Office Boy - Max
RM 662 USD207.34 RM 1491 USD 466.98
RM 27 USD 8.46 RM 45 USD 14.09
RM 775 USD 242.73 RM 1850 USD 579.42
RM 65 USD 20.36
Clerical
RM 995 USD 311.63 RM 2499 USD 782.69
RM 51 USD 15.97 RM 93 USD 29.13
RM 1164 USD 364.56 RM 3100 USD 970.92
RM 105 USD 32.89
RM 1254 USD 392.75 RM 3035 USD 950.56
RM 66 US D20.67 RM 105 USD 32.89
RM 1467 USD 459.46 RM 3700 USD 1158.84
RM 125 USD 39.15
- Min - Max
Special Grade Clerk - Min -Max
Conversion- Salary Adjustment in 31.12.2008 – 9% 15th Collective Agreement 2009-2011 Conversion rate to US Dollar: 0.31320
Position
Old
Old Annual Increment
New
Fixed New Annual Increment
Non-Clerical- Min Office Boy - Max
RM 775 USD 242.73 RM 1850 USD 579.42
RM 27 USD 8.46 RM 45 USD 14.09
RM 845 USD 264.65 RM 2017 USD 631.72
RM 78 USD 24.43
Clerical
RM 1164 USD 364.56 RM 3100 USD 970.92
RM 51 USD 15.97 RM 93 USD 29.13
RM 1269 USD 397.45 RM 3379 USD 1058.30
RM 127 USD 39.78
RM 1467 USD 459.46 RM 3700 USD 1157.84
RM 66 USD 20.67 RM 105 USD 32.89
RM 1600 USD 501.12 RM 4033 USD 1263.14
RM 156 USD 48.86
- Min - Max
Special Grade Clerk - Min - Max
Female
=
60%
Male
=
40%
Senior
=
30%
Young
=
70%
Benefits secured by NUBE from the Banks for its Members sustainable livelihood for the past
6 years
Benefit
Present
Previous
90 Days Paid Maternity Leave
All female bank employees from lower rank to top rank enjoy the 90 Days paid leave
Only 60days gazetted in the Malaysia Employment Act
Cost of Living (COLA)
Urban Areas as per Government Definition of “Area A” – RM150 (USD 46.98)/month
Not given at all
States:Kuala Lumpur Penang Selangor Johor All other Areas RM100 (USD31.32)/month Childcare Allowances extended to Male employees as well
RM50(USD15.66)/month or RM600(USD187.92)/Year
Those day only given to female employees
Retirement
RM600 (USD187.92) for medical insurance coverage for 3 years
Not given
Family Medical Benefits
Coverage of RM25,000 (USD7830) per annum for Surgical and hospitalization for each legal spouse and children under the age of 18years including disabled children above the age of 18 years who are not gainfully employed and children up to 23 years if attending full-time education in a local educational institution.
Members need to fork out their own money to bear their children’s surgical and hospitalization expenses
•Extended to Non-Clerical as well
Retirement Age
Extended from 55 to 57
Not given at all
Employment Injury Insurance
Term Life Insurance RM30,000 Only cover for Personal (USD9396) for death or permanent Accident disability; Personal Accident Insured 24 hours basis to the amount of RM110,000 (USD34,452) in the event of death or total permanent disablement.
Housing Loan
Amount of housing loan shall be at any amount so long as the monthly repayment amount shall not exceed 75% of the monthly wages of employee. The repayment period shall not be more than 35 years or the period up to retirement age whichever is earlier
96 months basic salary or RM160,000k (USD50,112) which ever is lower
Arrears salary and bonus
Employees who resign from Bank will also be entitled
Not given at all
Contractual Bonus
2 months and employees entitle 2 months to performance related remuneration system(PRRS) Bonus.
Emergency /Compassionate Leave
10 working days extended to Grandparent in-law
Only extended to up to grandparents.
Sports Leave
To grant to enable their employees represent the State or Malaysia in Sports
Under the discretion of employers to grant such leave
Examination Leave
To grant 7 days paid leave
Need to take their own annual Leave
Memorandum of understanding on Code of Conduct for prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace
Any of bank employee who breaches this code of practice shall liable to face disciplinary action up to including dismissal
Received reports and only given lighter punishment such as bar increment or transfer of workplace
Employees Provident fund
The Bank shall contribute each Previous given gratuity and month 16% of the salary for that solely on the bank discretion month to the Employees Provident Fund. Such contribution shall be deemed to be inclusive of any employer's contribution to the Employees Provident Fund as may be prescribed by law from time to time.
Existing CA
Proposal
Parties:It shall be an implied term of the contract of service between the Bank and its employees in the Non-Clerical, General Clerical, and Special Grade Clerical categories (hereinafter referred to as “the employees”) that the rates of salaries to be paid and the conditions of employment to be observed under the contract shall be in accordance with this Agreement.
It shall be an implied term of the contract of service between the Bank and its employees in the Non-Clerical, General Clerical, and Special Grade Clerical and other categories performing similar job function (hereinafter referred to as “the employees”) that the rates of salaries to be paid and the conditions of employment to be observed under the contract shall be in accordance with this Agreement.
Disable Employees Not given at all on allowances
Employees with a disabled spouse and/or child shall be paid a monthly welfare allowance of RM300.00 per disabled dependant. Additional benefits for the disabled employees which the Bank should practice as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Bonus 2 Months contractual Bonus
New Clause beside of Bonus
3 months Besides cost of living, the education expenses have also gone up. At present the 2 months bonus is not enough to off set their festival expenses as well as cost of education. Notwithstanding the above the Bank shall pay the employees an additional bonus based on the Bank's annual performance. All banks have been recording higher profit every year and in addition most of the top management has been given higher bonuses than the clerical Example: Maybank CEO Salary:RM4,697,000.00 (USD1,471,100.40) Total Income Annual RM391,416.67 (USD122,591.70) Monthly RM12,868.49 (USD4030.41) Daily Government linked Company is promoting a wider income gap in Malaysia.
Cost of Living (COLA) RM100 (USD31.32) to RM150 (USD46.98)
The Bank shall pay every employee a monthly cost of living allowance a sum of RM300.00 (US93.96) with effect from 1st January 2012.
Housing Loan/Vehicle Loan 3.5 % for employees
The loan shall be granted subject to such other terms and conditions as the bank may impose but subject to free interest by provided.
Medical examination Employees have attained the age of 40
Employees who have served the Bank for five (5) years. Early detection of illness will benefit both employees and employer in health and productivity.
Retirement Age 55 to 57 years
The Government has implemented the retirement age from 58 to 60 years. Recently bill being tabled in parliament which going to start in the year of 2013
Employees provident fund The Bank paying at 16%
Making millions and billions of profits
Child Care Centre Not setup at all
To setup Childcare centres in workplace Reason: To support and encourage early childhood development
Pension Scheme Only entitle to Government sector
Most of the private sector in Malaysia do not have pension scheme for its staff. Most of the employees and subject to Employees Provident Fund which total up to an average of RM200,000k (USD62,640)
Salary Pending negotiation at new CA
51% due to the Bank further suppress the lower income group employees. Millions of profit being shared among top rank employees only. Small Commercial Bank: Profits : RM134 Million/Year USD41,968,800 Big Commercial Bank: Profits: RM4.6 Billion/Year USD1,440,720,000 Example:Channel the profits to entertain rich and famous – Malaysian Golf Open 2011 sponsors cash prize money at cost of USD 2.5 Million(RM7.5 Million) 6 years partnership with BAM for badminton development in Malaysia – USD12,841,200 (RM41Million)
•Providing continuous awareness Educations from own training centre at Port Dickson •Providing Health/investment insurance to its members •Co-operative centre – works as business arm for the Union, many product and service is being identify for members consumption •Privilege Card – Affiliate with many hotels and other service provide for discount rate
•Legal assistance – To appoint and support legal professional to defend member’s on termination •Education MOU with local University for member’s family on discounted rate •Soon to setup a Labour institute research and development On Trade Union role in future challengers. This will be first of it’s kind in the country
•To build network and partnership among members of Trade Union, NGO’s with common objective. •To learn, share and build a common understanding among Unions, NGOs and others in order to achieve common goals and objective in the field of sustainable living. •To voice out as a group on various government policies and plans that will affect people’s desire of sustainable livelihoods.
• Internally young workers attitude towards sustainable livelihoods • The Bank’s united arrogant/negative attitude towards creating a decent livelihoods for employees • Government relax attitude towards capitalist that is eroding the Union’s noble role in most of the sector that they represent.
The Social and economic reality confronting workers is but daunting and depressing has a result of global developments in a world where we are invariably influenced by what is going on elsewhere, the growing income and wealth divide is an issue which needs to be addressed
The income between the various categories of workers in the organizational hierarchy is widening. This is being justified by reference to the movements in the market. We must recognize though that the market is being moved by what the banks are doing. As such, it will be wrong to say that the widening gap is due to what the market dictates-instead it is about what the Banks have been doing to move the markets in such direction.
Development and progress cannot be one dimensional. We cannot merely be looking at profits for commercial enterprises and forgetting all other areas. There is a need to ensure that economic progress is shared equally by all sectors of society. Regulation is needed and protection accorded to the weaker members of society and this includes workers.
We believe Trade Union movement is the institution that can help ensure there is a balance between the interest of capital and labour, as specially through constructive Collective Bargaining leading to the meaningful provisions in the Collective Agreement.
The struggle to further improve the lot of 30,000 NUBE members will continue, challenges we will face and we will overcome. What trade union movement pursues is a noble cause, which no commercial objectives can come close to.
Labour is prior to, and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labour, and could not have existed if Labour had first existed. Labour is superior to capital and deserves much the higher consideration . – Abraham Lincoln
Prepared by: CHEE YEEH CEEU EXCO MEMBER NUBE MALAYSIA www.nube.org.my Click like on Facebook “NUBE Malaysia” Facebook: YC Chee Email: chee_kham@yahoo.co.uk
Thank you