The Pakistan Bank Insurance & Financial Employees Federation (PBIFEF) representing more than ten thousand workers from across 14 unions has successfully negotiated and secured from eight financial institutions to institute better protection and terms for the workers during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The eight major institutions are:
- State Bank of Pakistan
- State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan
- Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL)
- Allied Bank of Pakistan
- SME Bank
- EFU General Insurance Lahore
- EFU General Insurance Karachi
- Pakistan Stock Exchange
In a recent PBIFEF’s joint statement, they called on the Government of Pakistan to step up precautionary measures to stop the spread of COVID19 at workplaces. They also called on the management from banks and companies to inform workers regularly about the risk of infection, good hygiene standards, and ways to manage customer contact at bank or cash counters.The eight major banks and institutions responded to the calls from the union and engaged in a dialogue to develop and agree to a set of measures with immediate effect. The measures include:
- Suspension on use of biometric devices to record attendance;
- Hand sanitizers to be provided;
- Visitors must wear face masks to access reception of offices (Insurance companies);
- Work and rest rotation system where 50% of the staff will be rotated on weekly basis ;
- In case of any worker afflicted with Covid-19, any absence from work will not be deducted from the worker’s leave due;
- Medical attendants to be deployed in offices to conduct regular health checks for workers. In the case of Banks, the attendant will be in head offices & regional offices;
- All work related travelling to cease immediately;
- Any worker can refuse to perform work in high risk areas;
- All daily waged or contractual workers are allowed to perform duties based on a 50% formula, and during their leave, in the event of any shut down, they are still entitled to their full pay without any deduction;
- In case of any business shut downs arising from lock down measures, the worker’s salary will be paid in advance
The State Life Insurance Employees Union of Pakistan, one of the largest affiliate of PBFIEF, has successfully leveraged on its ongoing CBA negotiations (for the period 2019-2020) to secure one month’s advance payment to meet any unforeseen hardships of the workers during this crisis. Several of the major companies (ZTBL, EFU, Central Bank, Allied Bank) have reportedly conducted health & safety workshops at workplaces such as adopting the proper sitting arrangement to ensure adequate physical distancing.
