By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Insurance Board Director Rowena Bethel yesterday confirmed that an employee has been fired from the organisation for misappropriating funds.

However, she did not divulge details of the matter, citing ongoing negotiations with its trade union.

Ms Bethel’s statement came during a press conference at which she responded to National Congress of Trade Union (NCTU) President John Pinder’s claim that the employee was fired “without due process”.

“Following a thorough investigation into alleged improprieties involving contribution receipts that were handled by the said cashier, the decision was taken to summarily dismiss the individual concerned due to the gravity of the improprieties,” she said.

“The actions of the NIB in this case are responsible, reasonable and proportional in the circumstances. The action was fully in accordance with the conditions of employment regarding discipline and discharge at the NIB. The dismissed officer and the representative union are fully at liberty, if they consider the decision to be wrong, or unfair, to challenge the decision taken.”

She noted that a dispute can be filed with the Department of Labour or legal action can be taken in response to the matter.

“Under both processes a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the summary dismissal would occur, including the consequent action taken by the NIB,” she said. “The NIB stands ready to participate in such a review and this position has been commented to the representative union.”

Mrs Bethel also reacted to concern from NCTU about ongoing union negotiations that could lead to industrial action.

She said the first time she learned about the concerns was last Thursday, when she was advised that Mr Pinder had invited union members to “assemble at the entrance to the NIB headquarters premises”.

“I learned late that day from the Union President that concerns existed around the timeliness of management responses to proposals put forward by the union in the course of the negotiations,” she said.

“It is important to note that as regards the assembly itself, I was advised by our security personnel that the assembly of union members took place without undue disruption to the business of the Board; was within the contractually agreed 15 minute break that staff members are entitled to; and that staff returned to their posts in an orderly fashion immediately afterwards.”

Nonetheless, she said it was not until later that she learned the assembly “constituted some type of formal work stoppage by the employees concerned”.

She said the matter is being examined and the NIB will react to the industrial action in time.

“The public can be assured that should (any further) action be taken a strategy will be in place to contain any consequential disruptions in service to an absolute minimum,” she said.