Bank of Ireland sought guidance from the Workplace Relations Commission concerning potential modifications to its hybrid work setup.
In a recent development, the Financial Services Union (FSU) has taken issue with Bank of Ireland's (BOI) new hybrid working policy, as the union's members have been instructed to continue with their current practices. The CEO of BOI, Myles O'Grady, has been at the helm during this period.
Under the new policy, eligible workers at BOI will be required to work a minimum of eight days in-person per month. This change has been met with resistance from the FSU, who have asserted that BOI has refused to engage in meaningful negotiations over the proposed changes.
John O'Connell, the general secretary of the FSU, has voiced his concerns, stating that the union had given BOI every opportunity to discuss the main issues of concern, but the bank has failed to do so. Mr O'Connell also expressed disappointment that no data was produced to validate the change, no calculation was made as to the level of distress that may be caused to staff, and no heed has been taken of the huge numbers of staff who have said they will consider changing jobs due to this change.
In a move to address these concerns, the FSU has written to the Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB) regarding BOI's "recent behaviour." The union has not stated any change in its stance regarding referring the proposed changes to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
BOI, however, maintains its commitment to its hybrid working model, which is described as "very flexible," allowing staff to work from home and office locations. The bank believes the majority of its staff see the hybrid working approach as fair, balancing personal preferences with the needs of customers, colleagues, and the company as a whole.
Staff who work for BOI, according to Mr O'Connell, feel "frustrated, angry, and ignored by senior management." The FSU has not yet addressed BOI's response to the concerns raised about the proposed changes, data validation, potential distress to staff, or staff considering changing jobs.
The union looks forward to attending the WRC to discuss these matters further. BOI's hybrid-eligible workers can work from a network of 14 hybrid-hubs spread across various locations, including Louth, Cork, Kildare, Wexford, Limerick, Galway, Mullingar, and various Dublin locations. The future of these negotiations remains uncertain as both parties continue to engage in dialogue.
