THE Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) has warned Republic Bank (RBL) that unless it withdraws its proposed policy to bring workers back to their offices on September 6, it will initiate legal action against the bank.

One of the aspects of this policy which BIGWU is opposed to is a requirement for unvaccinated workers to pay in full or in part for PCR tests required by the bank for them to return to work.

In a statement issued on Friday, BIGWU second vice-president Jason Brown said if the bank does not respond favourably by 10 am on August 23, the union will instruct its lawyers to begin action to "restrain the bank from its unilateral imposition of this policy."

While the union does not want to pursue legal action against RBL, Brown said, it "will do so if it is compelled to do so by the bank’s intransigence."

Referring to proposals previously mentioned by the bank to ensure its staff are protected against covid19 when they return to their offices, Brown said BIGWU continues to object to "the requirement that workers pay (in part or in full) for the PCR tests required by the bank, the quantum of the ex-gratia payment offered by the bank to vaccinated workers,the threat or use of disciplinary action against workers to influence compliance with the bank’s policy and wider issues involving the unilateral implementation of new terms and conditions that the policy promotes, inclusive but not limited to fundamental breaches of contract."

Brown reiterated BIGWU's position that "promulgating a significant policy such as this, which requires in certain circumstances our members incurring expenses, while there has not been good faith discussion with the union nor agreement is in our view a breach of elementary principles of good industrial relations practice."

He also said this was a breach of Section 40 of the Industrial Relations Act and a lockout of its members.

Brown called on RBL to resume good-faith discussions with BIGWU to arrive at measures in the interests of all stakeholders.

In a statement on Wednesday, Brown said there was deep disagreement between BIGWU and RBL over any proposal to compel unvaccinated workers "to pay up to $2,400 per month for PCR tests to enter the bank's premises." Brown said BIGWU "is still willing to support reasonable compromises that do not create additional hardship and stress in the workplace."

In a statement on Wednesday, RBL said in the absence of vaccination, early identification of covid19-positive cases in the workplace is vital to minimising the risk to vaccinated and unvaccinated people.To this end, it said, "mandatory PCR testing of unvaccinated staff, who represent a higher risk of contracting and spreading this disease, will be implemented from September 6."

On staff who are not yet vaccinated, the bank said it was committed to working with them in the intervening period to get their first doses and would continue to do so even after September 6.