Banks DIH Salesmen park trucks and protest over commission rate

Banks DIH Salesmen park trucks and protest over commission rate

More than 50 drivers and salesmen from local conglomerate, Banks DIH Limited, parked their trucks in protest today, over the company’s commission package for sales.

The workers have accused the company of repeatedly failing to offer them a “reasonable” commission on their monthly sales.

As they stood outside of the new Banks DIH’s multi-million dollar parking facility at Thirst Park, the protesting workers explained that in order for them to receive a commission on their sales, they must achieve 65% or more of the sales target. Once they are unable to meet that target, no commission is paid.

One of the protesting workers, Joel Sam, said due to the current system, many workers within the sales department would work tirelessly and still be unable to receive a commission on their sales.

“If, you sell 64%, the whole 64% gone down the drain, you ain’t getting no money for that, and that’s our problem, we working, and we ain’t getting pay for we work”, he complained.

Sam said the workers want the current sales commission system to be scrapped. He said back in September, the company agreed to look into the concerns of the workers, but there was no movement in the area.

Another worker, Henry Almond said under the current system, he often goes home with just his basic fortnight salary of $36,000.

The workers are proposing that they be paid $15 per every regular case sold, and $12 or $10 on every plastic case of beverage sold.

“Basically, what we are looking for is a better wage and salary because at the moment, the wage that we are having, it isn’t appropriate, and we try to meet wit the union to discuss the increase in our salaries. At the moment, the company giving us 75%, that’s after they have completed their 65%. So, what they are saying, how long, we ain’t complete 65%, we will only get paid for 75% up. But what we are looking for, is to get paid on every case,” Mark Fraser explained. 

Fraser said their request is a reasonable one, and they are more than willing to strike a compromise but the company must clearly indicate how much money they will be paid per case. 

“As it is right now, the sales team, we have decided, if the Chairman decides to come and speak with us, give us a figure, that is what we are looking for, a figure. If they give us a $10 or $11 a case, we will work. We are not saying we don’t want to work but we will work based on a figure. But we can’t work, if we don’t know what we are working for,” Fraser explained. 

Another worker, Steve Dey said it is a “bread and butter issue”, explaining that with the current salary, the workers are unable to adequately provide for their families. Like Fraser, he said the workers are willing to meet with the Executives of the company to determine a suitable commission. 

“This sales team is actually the bread basket for that whole organization because at the end of the day if these trucks don’t work, basically money don’t go into this company. Every truck that down right now, have an ‘x’ amount of money that goes into the company, and we are the ones who have to go and do it, and the salary is not appropriate. What we are asking for is $10 per case or $12 a case on plastic and $13-$15 a case on the hard case or the returnables, once they could reach us half way or we can work out something, we are willing to cooperate, we are willing to go to work,” Dey said. 

The workers said the company has asked for more time, and they hoping that the issue can be addressed by Friday. Until then, they have vowed not to work. 

Efforts to get a comment from the company were unsuccessful, with company officials saying they will offer no comment at this time.

At its recent Annual General Meeting,  it was announced that the company recorded after tax profits of $8.9 Billon, representing an increase in profits by 6.8% last year.

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