HSBC employees will not be reporting to work tomorrow after mediation attempts by the Malta Employers’ Association failed to unblock the impasse with management.

William Portelli, Malta Union of Bank Employees president, told Times of Malta the MEA’s attempts to elicit counter proposals for a collective agreement from the bank’s management had failed.

He confirmed that the Office of the Prime Minister has also offered to mediate in the dispute.

“So far management has not come back with counter proposals and the directive to workers not to report for work tomorrow still stands,” Mr Portelli said.

“The union has also received an offer for mediation from the Office of the Prime Minister.”

The bank was closed today, a bank holiday.

The union issued strike directives last week after the bank reportedly threatened to lock workers out for obeying the union’s industrial action.

In a statement, the union said the bank's top management was underestimating the threat it was posing to the country’s economic stability.

It said the management found it difficult to agree to an increase in the minima of the salary ranges and had withdrawn the financial package from practically an agreed deal.

It was also not tackling work-life balance issues due to frenetic bank practices and work overload. 

HSBC employees were directed not to report to work last Saturday and tomorrow.

The industrial action has caused disruption to bank clients, especially the elderly and businesses. Cheques are not being processed and services have been curtailed. There is service at ATMs. 

Meanwhile, the General Workers’ Union is supporting the MUBE’s strike action at HSBC. In a statement the GWU said it was worried about the attitude adopted by the bank’s management, which was refusing to discuss issues of concern with the unions.