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The synbank (union of employees and managers of banks, financial institutions and insurance of Togo) held this Saturday at its headquarters, union training at the location of the new elected staff representatives. This training mainly aims to further educate these new elected officials on their attributions and means of action to carry out their missions within their different structures.
The discussions revolved around the theme: « union responsibility, and contribution of union members to the efficient management of our businesses ». To go to war, as Deputy Director General KONDO Loking pointed out in his address, one must equip oneself with weapons.
But in the present case, it is not a question of equipping oneself with weapons but rather of knowledge of the law.
Thus, it was first a question of informing the staff representatives on their rights and duties; then on their means of action, on the protection of staff representatives; protection against dismissal; protection against arbitrary assignment which the synbank suffers, and finally give some qualities of a good general delegate.
“We must all be responsible for the management of our businesses. If people are not equipped to know what it takes (because business is for employers and employees) when it does not work, it is the employees who suffer. Also, a bank agent has heavy family responsibilities, a whole family behind to feed, so we are obliged to train ourselves so that we are all responsible in our businesses, ”said Manawezoué Patassé, Secretary General of SYNBANK.
In addition to their role of claiming, union members monitor the management of their banks, insurance companies and financial establishments. They are able to challenge the business manager on financial management in the event of mismanagement because they are also responsible for the smooth running of the business.
In addition, it should be noted that staff representatives are elected from a list of eligible candidates. The voting system is a proportional two-round ballot. However, the first round only allows unions to present their list, it is only in the second round that other employees can propose a list of candidates. Their mission is to: represent staff to the employer and inform them of any individual or collective complaint regarding the application of labor regulations (Labor Code, collective agreement, wages, hours of work, hygiene and security…). Staff representatives can be consulted, in the absence of a works council, on economic redundancies, hours of work (overtime, individualized hours), professional training. They are also consulted on the setting of paid holidays.
Staff representatives can also make suggestions on the general organization of the company.
Diane OLOBI
www.independantexpress.net