The layoffs at BCR, close to begin

• The BCR union: "The first layoffs are set to be announced on February 22nd"

• BCR: "The restructuring process is taking place all over the banking system, as a basic consequence of the difficult economic environment"

The layoffs at BCR are set to begin on February 22nd and in a first phase would comprise 207 employees, according to the unionists.

The representatives of BCR claim that the restructuring is necessary, given the difficult economic environment.

The layoffs announced by the management of the Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR) at the end of last year, are set to begin in two weeks, according to the National Employee Union (SNS) of BCR.

The bank officials have said that the restructuring is an ongoing process, which began after the privatization of BCR, which involves the rebuilding of a certain logic in the organization of the branches, given the difficult economic environment.

Ciprian Ionescu, the head of the SNS of BCR, told us: "The effects of the decision of the employer which have been announced to the union so far will take place in stages, starting with February 22nd, 2013, when the employees are expected to receive the first layoff papers (approximately 207, resulting from the closing of the 62 retail units). These layoff decisions will lead to the termination of the work contracts of the employees in question, without any reasons imputable to them, after the expiration of the legal deadline for the notice. Thus, the employees affected by the first Notification of the layoff decision will become unemployed most likely after March 22nd, 2013".

He also said that he is waiting for the response of the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of Bucharest and the Labor Inspection, which have both been notified in January, concerning the first two collective layoff notifications, as well as in the beginning of February, for the last Notification received on January 31st.

"We are still waiting for the response from the two institutions, concerning the first notification, which should come by the end of this week", said Ciprian Ionescu.

SNS BCR claims that there has been no change in the attitude or the behavior of the bank, both in terms of the real and constructive dialog, which basically does not exist, as well as in terms of compliance with the law.

"They are going ahead in the manner already known, of abuse against the legal rights of the employees", according to Ciprian Ionescu.

BCR claims that it has complied with labor legislation, and the announced layoffs do not represent an isolated situation, on the contrary, the restructuring process is taking place in the entire banking system, due to the difficult economic environment.

The officials of the bank have said: "There are no reasons to worry about legal compliance. We have had talks with the unions, at the level of Erste itself, with Andreas Treichl, the CEO of the group.

The restructuring process is ongoing. In 2012, we have announced a number of people that would be laid off. The employees won't leave all at once, but rather in stages, between 2013 and 2014. A small part of the layoffs has already taken place. The processes are rethought before the layoffs, and the social impact has always been taken into consideration and solutions have been found, for example compensatory packages, early pensions or the option of reconversion".

BCR is going through a continuous process of adaptation, of restructuring, which does not involve layoffs alone, but also the rebuilding of a certain logic of organization of the branches, according to the representatives of the bank, who went on to say: "The restructuring process has begun ever since 2006, when the bank was privatized. Positions have been eliminated and new ones have been created. The privatization of the bank has meant the integration into a new structure".

At the end of 2012, the management of BCR has announced that between 2013-2014, 1,600 employees, who represent 17.5% of the total number of employees and that 60 unprofitable branches would be closed. Following the restructuring, the number of employees will be cut from 9,100 to 7,500.