Over 400 hundred disengaged staff of Diamond Bank who were recently affected by the downsizing exercise carried out by the bank have decried the non-payment of their severance pay by the management after terminating their appointments suddenly.

The workers who spoke to newsmen in Kaduna at the weekend said the disengagement terms by Diamond Bank should not be different from that of the other banks which adequately settled all the terminated staff their severance pay and other entitlements in line with labour laws of disengaging workers on the basis of redundancy or anything related.

In addition to the non-payment, the workers lamented, Diamond Bank is also trying to make them unemployable by claiming that their disengagement is due their non performance, but which in reality is not true as many of them have good/excellent performance rating in their appraisals.

The spokesman of the group who preferred anonymity said they will not allow the bank to get away with their action.

"Diamond Bank is not the only bank that sacked its staff recently, but obviously, it is the only bank that is refusing to pay its former workers their severance pay after terminating their appointments unannounced.

“And to further strengthen their refusal to pay, the bank is telling the public that we were sack due to our non-performance. This is not only a malicious lie but it is wicked because by saying that, they are trying to render us unemployable.

“But on the contrary, many of us who were affected, numbering over 400, have good/excellent performance rating during previous appraisals including the last one done by the bank. The records are all there.

"So, Diamond Bank should stop peddling falsehood and own up their responsibilities. If they are sacking because of economic reasons, they should say so and adequately settle anyone they terminate his or her appointment. That was what other banks did.

“However, we will engage all means within the law to ensure that the bank does not get away with this illegality, because over 400 people are not a small number.

“We have been consulting widely across the country on the matter to know the precise action to take and we are in Kaduna to consult with various human right activists/lawyers, labour leaders and other notable figures who will help to advance our case," the spokesman said.

The spokesman added that the bank has already thrown all their accounts into debit, suspended their visa cards as well as threatening them to immediately pay up any money owed it as a result of the upfront allowances paid them in January/February and that it (the bank) shall begin to apply the staff rate of 4% interest for 90 days, after which it shall begin to attract interest at Monetary Policy Rate.

The spokesman urged the government to put necessary measures in place to prohibit not only banks but other organizations from arbitrarily terminating their staff's appointment at the slightest economic challenge, pointing out that the ability to absorb economic shocks and manoeuvre is also a necessary aspect of organizational commitment.

When contacted, the Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie said "I cannot talk to you because I cannot verify who you are, but if you read their contract, you will know if they were to be paid remuneration or not."

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/business/400-disengaged-diamond-bank-staff-protest-non-payment-of-severance-pay/154738.html?platform=hootsuite

Lalasticlala, seun, mynd44 please send this to the front page. This wickedness must not go free. People very close to me have been affected, and it's too unfair.

Nawa o,

For this economy

Very true
I spent 9years in the bank and yet my account is in debit.
We don't want our jobs back
Just pay us our entitlements
Enough is enough

I work in a bank and I must say, this is one of the most insecure job one can jsbe in this country.

this is sad and unfortunate y is nigeria like this, hw we the families survive this.

This is pure wickedness....Diamond Bank should be ashamed of themselves...You can't just sack people and not pay them off....how do you expect them to carry on before the get another thing to be doing. This there MD is just a foolish and wicked man. The affected staff should join hands and Sue the Bank...

jennyfah:
Very true
I spent 9years in the bank and yet my account is in debit.
We don't want our jobs back
Just pay us our entitlements
Enough is enough

They'd have to pay up. God's on our side.

Lalasticlala please come and epp us.

Let me mention the magic word? Oya
SNAKE

Please help us

They must have thought folks can't read.

Govt should intervene so that they get their entitlement from this Diamond bank

Imagine the MD's response. Naija issues plenty. Diamond bank has no integrity. How can they say 200 staff while over 400 staff were sacked. Also say the sack was based on poor performance while it was redundancy based on restructuring. It's not nice for workers. Which useless contract is the MD talking about when it's confirmed that the former able MD Alex Otti paid all that were sacked during his tenure. This is wickedness to staff that diligently worked for you for more years up-to 15yrs.
Where are all the unions in Nigeria. Justice must prevail!

Diamond bank has no integrity. Diamond bank is full of deceit. Diamond bank should as a matter of urgency pay the sacked staffs. How can a financial institution portray such wickedness. This bank should be sued and investigated. The MD is not capable in all ramifications. Wake up Diamond bank and pay the affected staffs their entitlement.

The Bank should not be different, other Banks paid severance benefits to its staff. How canstaff dedicate years of their life working diligently and passionately for Diamond Bank Plc only for the present MD to tag them as under performers even with their good appraisals in the banks database. This is a clear integrity issue and the Bank should pay the disengaged staff well over the speculated 200 in number as quoted by the bank benefitss according to theirs years with the bank.

We should be paid our entitlements, we worked for it.

Diamond bank u too dey lie. Just pay our moni and avoid embarrassment.

Lalasticlala oya come see cossy boobs if snake does not attract you any more.. Loi

Gombs:
They must have thought folks can't read.

This will really help

This is really bad....after all the hard work and dedication put in for them. Bank work no be am finally....let them do the needful abeg.

The sacked workers should come together as a unit and get the Bank sued, cos pointing on what the Managing Director of the Bank said blaming the sack on incompetence and poor performance no remuneration will be paid. Sue the fuckkkin Bank

https://www.nairaland.com/3218864/400-disengaged-diamond-bank-staff


We made Frontpage... Lalasticlala, thanks

Diamondbank should urgently redeem its image by seeking dialogue/compensation with its disengaged staff, while correcting the impression they were relieved of their jobs due to poor performance as the appraisal records are evident for all to see. A stich in time saves..........

It is an injustice to lay off your staff without being paid a dime. It is also against any known law of our land. It is also against the best practices world over. The affected staff should be adequately compensated or the entire citizen of this country will fight the injustice done by the management of Diamond bank.

This is wrong and unjust.People worked for years and they laid them off without any severance payment.Diamond bank has no integrity.

What a Nebuchadnezzarian comment by the MD. Well, even Nebuchadnezzar was flamboyantly humbled to the extent of masticating cuds with calamitous mountain goats.

Why are people so selfish? Will he be happy if he is treated same. Bank work is really not ideal. And I hear how they use their staff and after throw them away like rubbish without benefits. Relly bad!

What a cruel practice by a bank that is supposed to uphold integrity. And to think that the CEO of diamond bank sees nothing wrong in this practice leaves alot to worry about the bank.

More than cruel

Amnotalone:
What a cruel practice by a bank that is supposed to uphold integrity. And to think that the CEO of diamond bank sees nothing wrong in this practice leaves alot to worry about the bank.

Diamond bank is just very wicked, if they decided to lay off workers then they should atleast pay them off. Uzoma should put himself in thier shoes but he can't as he is inhuman.
We must not leave this to only those affected, it can be anyone tomorrow. Let us all lend our voices in solidarity of DIAMOND BANK'S injustice.
#saynotoinjustice

Injustice to one injustice to all.#saynotoinjustice
=Honeyd26 post=47441541]Diamond bank is just very wicked, if they decided to lay off workers then they should atleast pay them off. Uzoma should put himself in thier shoes but he can't as he is inhuman.
We must not leave this to only those affected, it can be anyone tomorrow. Let us all lend our voices in solidarity of DIAMOND BANK'S injustice.
#saynotoinjustice [/quote]

That bank lacks integrity. They lied that they sacked 200 staff whereas the total number of staff sacked are more than 400. Where is their integrity and how are we sure our money is actually secured if they cant tell a simple truth, if they are not afraid to post the actual no of staff sacked for the public to know then Uzoma Dozie's integrity should be questioned.

Lobatan

This was on FP yesterday morning na lalasticlala