IMMEDIATE 3.30 PM Friday 8th July 2005
Having given Christian Voice 30 days notice to move its accounts, the Co-operative Bank has bounced cheques issued before that date, some of which were for the evangelical organisation’s staff.
Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, said today:
“Although we had enough money to cover the cheques in our Co-op accounts, the Co-op bank have dishonoured the cheques we recently issued, including those for our staff. For a bank founded on the principles of the Co-operative and Labour movement to deny working people their money is disgraceful. The same Bible which condemns the homosexual activity which the Co-op Bank sponsor also says that to deny people their wages is a sin which cries to heaven. Of course it is also the fact that if a business we have paid only banks their cheques at set intervals, their cheques will bounce as well, putting us in a bad light. Yet again, the supposed ’ethical’ principles of this bank have been exposed as a sham.
“Although we have set up an account with another bank, it takes longer than the time which the Co-op gave us to get everything in place. The Co-op must know that they set an impractical deadline. They should have waited for a transfer to be effected in the normal course of events. The fact is, they still have our money and the use of it, so they have acted childishly and spitefully in refusing to honour our cheques.”
Stephen Green continued: “It is a fundamental part of our Christian belief that workers should be paid their wages on the nail. The fact that the Co-operative Bank is prepared to oppress working people by denying them their money is just one more reason for Christians to move their accounts out of this pro-gay, anti-Christian, unethical business.”
ENDS
Further information from Stephen Green call: 07931 490 050
(If your enquiry is less urgent, please email Stephen on: stephen@christianvoice.org.uk)
Co-operative Bank
Tel: 0161 832 3456 or 0161 475 7105 or 08457 212 212
Email: customerservice@co-operativebank.co.uk
The Co-operative Bank plc, PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester, M60 4EP
