Fidelity Bank Denies Sacking Workers, Stifling Workers’ Union

Fidelity Bank Plc has denied sacking its workers, as well as stifling union activities with its operations.

The bank, in a letter to The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) dated June 21, 2016, said it was not among the banks that had either laid off its staff or stifled union activities, saying that the NLC’s position does not represent the true position of affairs in the bank.

“You may wish to note that Fidelity Bank had never in its history engaged in any sort of the practice you have referred to and at the extremely inconvenient period of the global recession in 2009, unlike some other banks in the country who engaged in mass sack of its workforce, we resorted to salary cut negotiated by staff and management, to preserve jobs rather than sack any staff of the bank,” the letter read in part.

The statement further read that the bank  found the assertion that it was obstructing unionisation in the bank was a pure lie, saying that the bank was not  in a position to compel its staff to join the union or refrain from doing so, especially since the formation or joining of any union was voluntary.

“We are uncomfortable with the approach you have adopted in taking an affirmative position on these issues without as much as verifying the authenticity or otherwise of the information you had relied on.  We have a high regard for the NLC and would like to assure you of our continued respect,” the bank concluded in the letter.