RE-INSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYEES DISMISSED BY STANDARD CHARTERED BANK IN ZIMBABWE

Early day motion 593, tabled 4 April 2000 by Kerry Pollard (Labour). Signed by 21 members.

That this House notes that Standard Chartered Bank is one of the UK's leading international banks employing over 27,000 in 580 offices in over 50 countries with annual profits last year in excess of ú500 million; understands that in 1997 Standard Chartered Bank dismissed 365 employees in Zimbabwe following a strike by members of the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union in protest against the unilateral imposition of a new performance-related bonus scheme; acknowledges that the International Labour Organisation determined that the employees should be reinstated with full benefits; acknowledges that Zimbabwe does not recognise the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association and that therefore the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe could not instruct Standard Chartered Bank to re-instate the dismissed staff, now numbering 242; welcomes the fact that the Zimbabwean National Employment Council, and thereafter the Labour Relations Tribunal, ruled in favour of the dismissed staff; deplores the fact that, rather than honouring the spirit of these rulings, Standard Chartered Bank has appealed, once again, to the Zimbabwean Supreme Court; urges Standard Chartered Bank to exercise community responsibility and, rather than hide behind Zimbabwe's failure to ratify the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association, finally and immediately to resolve this dispute through renewing negotiation with the relevant trade union; and calls on the Government to discuss at the next available opportunity the need for Zimbabwe to recognise the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association.

Signatures by party: Labour 20, Labour/Co-operative 1.