Bank agrees flexible hours to meet customer needs

A "partnership"-based agreement between Ireland's AIB Bank and the Irish Bank Officials Association, approved in January 1999, provides for extended opening hours, covering outlets such as shopping malls and supermarkets, in return for extra payments.

An agreement on extended opening hours between AIB Bank and the Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA), aimed at meeting future competitive challenges, will allow the bank's outlets to remain open in selected supermarkets and shopping malls. The IBOA represents around 6,000 of the 8,000 employees in the bank's branches around Ireland. While the agreement will affect only a small number of these employees, all IBOA members voted to accept the package in January 1999.

According to the text of the deal, the agreement means a reaffirmation by the bank that it is committed to maintaining its nationwide branch network as the "primary delivery channel in AIB in the Republic of Ireland". A further significant feature of the agreement lies in the fact that it was agreed using a "partnership" model devised by both parties. This process emerged as a result of an intensive joint exercise undertaken by the parties in the wake of a nationwide bank strike in 1992.

Two main branches are to operate the new hours, which include late opening and an element on weekend working, while the bank has the flexibility to implement the extended hours in a total of 20 locations in locations such as supermarkets or shopping malls, where lease agreements require it to open in line with retail hours. The vast majority of its branches will remain unaffected by the agreement.

The employees involved are to receive a once-off lump sum of IEP 500, an "ongoing roster payment" worth 15%, 16% or 17% of pay - depending on the category of the branch involved - and either two or three additional annual leave days a year.

There is also to be joint discussion and agreement on staffing, ranked posts, rosters, job roles and all other relevant issues as well as a "full commitment to information sharing by both parties as part of the sign-off and review process". A number of principles will be applied in all instances where extended opening hours are to be implemented. For example:

• the choice not to work extended hours will not be considered as anything other than a personal choice and will have no adverse impact on career prospects;

• area human resources teams will play a full part in the overall implementation of the agreement and individual preference will be accommodated as far as possible; and

• specific details in respect of staffing, ranked posts, staff rotas and job rotas will be provided in advance and subject to discussion and agreement.