Bank counter staff in over time protest

Balearic bank employees yesterday staged a protest demanding to be paid for the extra hours worked during the first week of the year with the introduction of the euro. Union leaders are planning widespread industrial action for January 30 and are still refusing to rule out a general strike in a bid to resolve the over time issue. Balearic union bosses called for talks with bank management in order to also discuss calls from staff for extra employees to be taken on to help deal with all the extra work created by the single currency. This morning union leaders will meet for the final time before January 30 protests in Palma and across Spain. Last night there was a slim chance that the union will today decide against industrial action, but the spotlight was also on central government to intervene and help resolve the problem.