Nationwide News understands that the National Commercial Bank, NCB, has suspended its vaccine or test policy for this week.
It’s understood that an email was sent to NCB staff today.
In the email, NCB’s management told their staff that the suspension of the testing policy comes after receiving a letter from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security inviting NCB and their staff to a conciliatory meeting.
NCB says it believes the suspension will provide the Labour Ministry with the widest latitude to provide conciliation services.
Meanwhile, a dispute between NCB and its staff association over the bank’s mandatory vaccination policy escalated yesterday.
In a message sent last night to NCB delegates and members, NCB Staff Association Chairman, Paul Stewart reported that the Bank indicated yesterday that it will be proceeding with its position for staffers to be fully vaccinated or provide a negative PCR test at their own expense.
Mr. Stewart says the Association has written to the Labour Ministry and is ready to meet at the Ministry’s earliest convenience.
Stewart told the NCB staff association delegates and members that the group representing NCB workers would have expected that given that a meeting with the Labour Ministry is pending, the Bank would have put its mandatory vaccination policy on hold.
The NCB Staff Association Chairman says if the Bank is proceeding with its mandatory policy and any staff member is prevented from entering the bank’s various branches, units and divisions today, then NCB staffers will have no option but to withdraw their services.
In a later circular to all staff NCB says it will suspend that requirement.
It says further details will follow shortly regarding the process to be followed in weeks ahead.
