Bank employees to get up to 12 pct salary adjustment

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Ling (second left) and Hadiah (second right) exchanging the signed CA while witnessed by (from left) Nurddin, Nora, Amir and Law. Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING: The Sarawak Commercial Banks’ Association (SCBA) and Sarawak Bank Employees’ Union (SBEU) has signed a new Collective Agreement (CA) for the period Jan 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2020 which will see employees in the clerical and non-clerical categories from 13 banks receiving up to 12 per cent salary adjustment as well as enhancement in current benefits and allowances together with a number of new benefits.

SCBA is the trade union for banking employers for Sarawak and its membership consists of 11 commercial banks and two Islamic banks, while SBEU is the trade union representing banking employees in the non-clerical and clerical grades employed in the state.

The agreement signing ceremony was held at a leading hotel here last night which saw SCBA president David Ling Ee Kuong and secretary Nurddin Awi signing on behalf of the association whereas SBEU president Hadiah Leen and general secretary Law Kiat Min represented the union.

Also present to witness the signing were Ministry of Human Resources secretary general Dato Amir Omar and Malayan Commercial Banks’ Association president Nora Manaf.

Ling in his opening remarks expressed his gratitude that both SCBA and SBEU had demonstrated full understanding and empathy in the CA negotiation process which culminated in an amicable settlement.

“Under the new CA, member banks of SCBA will grant a salary adjustment of 12 per cent and 10 per cent respectively to all non-clerical and clerical employees, subject to the maximum salary in their respective salary ranges.”

Around 1,500 employees employed by the 13 banks will benefit from this adjustment.

Apart from the salary adjustment, the starting salary for the different employee groups covered by the CA will be raised up by 12 per cent to 16 per cent with their maximum salary raised by 16 per cent.

Ling added that the new remuneration package in the CA is one of the most competitive in the market in Sarawak and would be of great help in further raising the welfare and living standards of lower-income banking employees.

The new CA also provides enhancement to a number of existing employment benefits with an increase in monetary value of between 10 per cent and 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, Hadiah said both SCBA and SBEU have achieved a landmark agreement that restructures non-clerical and clerical jobs to sales and service jobs.

“Members will perform added duties, responsibilities and new roles in line with the evolving and changing needs of banks as a result of rapid technological change and globalisation.

“It has been SBEU’s longstanding policy to enhance the job value of our members in order to increase their income, living standards and career advancement,” she said, adding that this has led to a positive increase in the salaries of members all these years.