CWU President Says MOU Was Not Authorized

Glen Smith

But according to CWU president Audrey Matura-Shepherd, the union did not authorize the signing of the MOA. In a text sent to News Five, Matura-Shepherd asserts that she was “shocked to find out about it and even more so how come the signing was kept to secret until one week later.” The CWU executive will meet on the issue, but News Five understands that the Vice President of the CWU, who is also an employee of the bank, signed the agreement on the union’s behalf. First Caribbean’s Glen Smith maintains that a bargaining unit, comprised of CWU members, staff and bank executives, were authorized to do so.

Glen Smith, Country Manager, CIBC First Caribbean Bank

“I cannot speak for the CWU; I can only speak for the bank. What I can say is that what is contained in the MOA is what was negotiated with a properly constituted negotiating team representing the staff and the union. And in fact, during the last few days of negotiation, we sought clarification and we received reconfirmation that the team representing the First Caribbean Bargaining Unit is authorized to do so. I cannot comment on anything that the union present may say. I haven’t heard it; it wasn’t directed at me so probably you should clarify that with her.”

Reporter

“Sir no other employee from the First Caribbean Bank will be hired from the Heritage Bank?”

Glen Smith

“Approximately thirty persons we understood have had offers from heritage Bank. I am not aware of how many have accepted, but it’s up to the people who have applied—received interviews and gotten offers—it’s up to them to determine whether or not they will accept those offers. But I can tell you that I am aware that some of them are already employed at Heritage Bank.”

In the case of Smith, he will be redeployed to another territory within the organization.