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Hundreds of bank employees gathered in front of the BCP General Assembly demanding higher wages.

Hundreds of bank workers gathered this Wednesday in front of the BCP general assembly in Oeiras, protesting for higher wages, in a demonstration called by the National Union of Bankers and Technicians (SNQTB).

The anti-BCP demonstration in Tejus Park, Oeiras, began in the afternoon and is becoming increasingly noisy as the time for the general meeting approaches at 2:30 p.m. Now whistles and slogans can be heard: “Maya, listen, bank employees are fighting” and “millions in profit, penny increases.”

Protesters have placards criticizing the “undignified increase” and a van with a large banner that reads: “We demand integrity in salary and pension increases for current and retired bank employees.”

SNQTB President Paulo Marcos told Lusa that the protesters came from all over the country (mostly by bus) and that the protest was aimed “for a fair distribution of not only shareholders, but also workers,” the bank’s performance and against the salary update at “a measly 2.25% “

BCP’s latest proposal for a rate increase for active and retired workers is 2.25%, while SNQTB is asking for 5.8%.

Paulo Marcos will take part in the general meeting, representing SNQTB partners who own shares in the bank, and, as he explained, will ask for the floor to question efforts to redistribute results between dividends, management remuneration and employees.

“Let us welcome a wonderful 2023 and question the values ​​that workers are not receiving in a society that wants to be fair and equitable, and when it was revealed that the executive president [do BCP] his salary is 22 times higher than the average worker, and this difference can be erased,” he told Lusa.

Rui Coelho, who retired after working for BCP and BPI, said he came to the demonstration because it was a “just cause” and recalled that in the past, BCP workers had accepted the loss of income during difficult times for the bank. “Now that they could make adequate payments, they are not doing so,” he criticized.

BCP Workers’ Committee coordinator Rui Vieiro said that in a period of good results and productivity, the proposed wage update is “very insufficient.” He also said that for CT, any increase below 5% is insufficient as the bank can and will even have tax advantages.

Also from CT, João Paulo Pires said that additional mobilization is needed of bank employees who, since the Troika era, have lost rights that have never been restored. In addition, he said, the reduction in the number of workers that has occurred in the banking sector is increasing productivity, but even so, wages are stagnating.

“They say prosperity is necessary, and when there is prosperity, there is no distribution,” said Wanda Mendez, also of Connecticut, adding that many bank employees do not speak up for fear of being penalized, such as losing variable pay. .

The BCP general meeting will take place today, which began at 2:30 p.m.

Among the issues on the table are the election of the general assembly council for the four-year period 2024/2027 (the proposal is to retain Pedro Rebelo de Souza as president), the approval of the management report, balance sheet and accounts for 2023. (record profit for the year of 856 million euros) and approval of the proposal to apply the results, including the distribution of 256.9 million euros in dividends.

BCP has more than 100 thousand shareholders, the largest of which are the Chinese Fosun with 20% and the Angolan Sonangol with 19.49% of the capital. Together they will receive about 100 million euros.

BCP executive president Miguel Maia said he does not talk publicly about salary increases. However, at a press conference on the first quarter results (profits of 234.3 million euros), he said that when making such decisions, he must have a “vision for sustainable development” of the bank in the future and that no one other than him the team wants to pay employees better.

Maya also felt that we could not talk about salary increases that would justify record profits in 2023, since these results are for one year, and the salary increases are maintained as long as the employee is in the bank.

BCP’s latest proposal for a pay rise in 2024 is 2.25%, but unions have rejected this figure. The unions also reject other existing proposals in the sector as they consider them too low, given the rising cost of living and bank profits (the proposal from banks signed to the Industry Collective Agreement is 2.5%, and the Caixa Geral de Depósitos proposal is 3.4%).

At the end of March, BCP employed 6,269 people in Portugal.

According to the 2023 report and accounts, BCP paid non-executive board members €1.56 million last year and president Nuno Amado €691,000. Members of the executive committee were paid €3.0 million, while Miguel Maia received €649 thousand.

In addition to salary, administrators receive variable compensation (cash and shares) and retirement benefits.

This demonstration does not include the presence of other banking unions, namely those associated with UGT. In response to Lusa’s question, the SNQTB president replied that they were invited.

“We’re probably at different levels of maturity and union awareness, we represent about half of the active banking workforce and they want to take an assertive stance. Don’t count on us to be passive,” he said.

SNQTB has also publicly stated that it could launch a strike of up to three days in the industry if other unions agree, but there is no news on this.

Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal

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