Hundreds of EBS staff to go on strike tomorrow over Christmas payment

HUNDREDS OF EBS staff will go on strike tomorrow over the building society’s decision to withhold the so-called ’13th month’ payment.

UNITE the union says that 300 staff will picket at two branches at The Square in Tallaght and William Street in Limerick as well as the company’s head office on Burlington Road in Dublin.

The union also says that other staff who are taking part will strike at other branches around the country.

The dispute centres on a payment that would ordinarily have been included in employees’ wages for December but was not included this year amid staff claims that they were not notified of this.

The payment has been paid every year for the last 45 years. EBS says that the payment is a ‘bonus’ and must therefore be withheld. As an alternative it is offering staff interest-free loans worth a month’s salary.

The union claims it is still being paid to management however EBS disputes this saying that no bonuses of any kind have been paid to management since 2008.

“This is the first stage of what will be escalating action to right this wrong,” UNITE Regional Officer Colm Quinlan warned.

Read: EBS staff vote to strike over Christmas payment

Read: EBS cancels Christmas payments for staff