Banks DIH salesmen protest over ‘unreasonable’ commission rate

Scores of drivers and salesmen affiliated with the local conglomerate Banks DIH Limited staged a protest by parking their trucks on Wednesday, expressing discontent over the company’s sales commission structure.
The workers claimed that the company consistently fails to provide them with a satisfactory commission for their monthly sales.
Gathered outside Banks DIH’s state-of-the-art parking facility at Thirst Park, the protesting workers explained that to qualify for a commission, they must achieve a sales target of 65 per cent or higher.

Joel Sam, one of the salesmen, lamented that many sales departments’ employees toil tirelessly only to go unrewarded due to this system.
“If you sell 64%, the whole 64% gone down the drain, you ain’t getting no money for duh, and that’s we problem, we working, and we ain’t getting pay for duh”, he said.
According to Sam, the workers called for an overhaul of the current commission system. He noted that although the company pledged to address worker concerns back in September 2023, no progress has materialized.
Henry Almond, another protester, shared his experience of often returning home with only his basic fortnightly salary of $36,000 under the current system.
“This is unfair, that is what we working for a fortnight and that’s not even the flat pay,” he lamented.
Another worker, Mark Fraser, articulated the workers’ stance, emphasising the need for a fair wage structure. He revealed that the company currently pays out 75 per cent of commissions only after the 65 per cent sales target is met, which the workers find unacceptable.
“Basically, what we are looking for is a better wage and salary because at the moment, the wage that we are having, is not appropriate, and we are trying to meet with 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, is 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,” he said.
Fraser added the workers’ willingness to negotiate but stressed the importance of clarity regarding compensation per case. Steve Dey echoed Fraser’s sentiments, labeling the issue a matter of survival for the workers’ families. He reiterated the workers’ readiness to engage in dialogue with company executives to establish an equitable commission framework.
The workers disclosed that the company has requested additional time to address their grievances, with hopes of resolution by Friday. In the interim, they have pledged to abstain from work. Despite attempts to obtain a statement from the company, officials declined to comment at this time.
During its recent Annual General Meeting, Banks DIH Limited reported after-tax profits of $8.9 billion, marking a 6.8 per cent increase from the previous year.
The company could not be immediately reached for a comment on the salesmen’s action on Wednesday. (G9)