UPDATE: Resolution reached for staff of First Citizens

The Barbados Workers Union (BWU) and officials from First Citizens Bank’s parent company in Trinidad have reached a solution, and staff will be back on the job on Friday.

This was confirmed by BWU deputy general secretary and director of industrial relations Dwaine Paul after emerging from a 12 and a half hour closed door meeting, that saw staff and union officials moving from Solidarity House to the bank’s main branch at Broad Street.

“Discussions with the bank will resume on Friday at 9 a.m. for us to put the finishing touches I believe to what would be the ultimate settlement to this impasse. The bank has recognised and agreed that the 2016 agreement, in terms of the principles that were negotiated for the 2016 agreement, would be honoured, and that has brought us to a position which has seen us reach a workable arrangement that would be fully fleshed out tomorrow,” he said, adding that the talks had seen them past the major issue of principle rather than that of payment.

The on-going action by staff was as a result of what Paul had earlier described as the bank’s failure to honour part of an agreement with staff as it related to profit sharing.

As a result of the two-day action, three of the bank’s branches remained closed to business on Thursday. (RA)