The Civil Court has upheld a request by the Malta Union of Bank Employees to issue a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop HSBC from firing staff or changing conditions of work beyond what is contained in the collective agreement. The agreement expires next year.

The union had said it filed the request following information that the bank may change the conditions, including pay, of a number of staff.

The bank had argued that the collective agreement included provisions which allowed changes.

The dispute centred over the sales remuneration package, which is reviewed annually. The union complained it wanted to change the conditions of the package unilaterally, in breach of the agreement. The bank said it wanted to align its staff with employees in other countries.

Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon said that if the bank carried out unilateral changes, the repercussions for union members were irremediable. Furthermore, it appeared that if they refused to accept such unilateral changes they risked dismissal.

He therefore ordered the bank not to carry out any changes and to preserve the status quo.