Absa victims escorted from premises while colleagues looked on in tears - Solidarity video: "Today, tomorrow, goodbye" for Absa employees

After they had been called into an office and informed that there was no room for them in Absa's new structure, they were given a box, accompanied to their office to pack up their personal belongings and escorted outside like criminals in full view of their colleagues, some of whom were in tears, where their employee cards were taken from them. This is the testimony of two Absa victims in a video that trade union Solidarity released on the video platform YouTube today. (Click here to watch the video.)

The release of the video forms part of Solidarity's Stop Absa campaign on the webpage www.stopabsa.co.za. The campaign is aimed at determining the scope of the current retrenchment process at Absa and to have a three-year moratorium imposed on retrenchments at this highly profitable bank. The campaign will include, among other things, thousands of protest messages to Marcus Agius, Chairman of Barclays in England. Solidarity will use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube videos to garner public support for the campaign.

According to Dirk Hermann, Deputy General Secretary of Solidarity, two Absa victims tell their stories in the video. "It is clear from their stories that Absa's restructuring is coinciding with retrenchments and that the bank attaches no value to years of service and outstanding performance," says Hermann. "The reality is that the bank which used to be known as the ‘people's bank' is now a bank which is cold and indifferent towards its employees and pursues profit at all costs."

In the video, two Absa employees, who were recently escorted from Absa's premises in humiliating fashion in front of their colleagues, talk about the process Absa follows. "Employees first get letters notifying them that they will be affected by the bank's restructuring process and that they have to re-apply for their positions," says Hermann. "One of the victims went to see his manager, who assured him that his job was safe. Barely a month later, the same employee, who had received a salary increase and a bonus for excellent performance the previous year, was given a retrenchment letter and escorted from the premises."

"We call on Absa personnel and all other South Africans to watch the video, to share it with their friends and to support the campaign," says Hermann.

The public can send protest letters regarding the retrenchments at Absa to Barclays' Chairman via the webpage www.stopabsa.co.za. Alternatively, they can text the word ‘Absa' to 34388 (R2 per SMS) to voice their protest. The campaign can also be followed on Twitter under #stopabsa.

Statement issued by Dirk Hermann, Deputy General Secretary: Solidarity, March 28 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter