…the gossip

Bank staff made a public call for Better Banks in the New Zealand Herald this week days before negotiations with ANZ National and Westpac begin. Close to 1500 staff from these banks have signed up to the Appeal for Justice which is also posted on www.finsec.org.nz

Westpac Union Council Chair Maxine Mullen says that the advertisement has sent a loud and clear message to the banks that staff want fair pay, better staffing and to fix targets. “We’re also sending a message to bank customers that their concerns are our concerns. Quality service and ethical banking goes hand in hand with addressing pay, targets and staffing.”

Maxine said that non-members could influence the outcome of the negotiations by joining our union before negotiations start. “The more members we have, the stronger our position at negotiations. Already hundreds of new members have joined Finsec. We are stronger together.”

This week Union Councillors and delegates visited sites affected by ANZ National’s proposed offshoring to Bangalore to survey staff about the impact of the move on them.

ANZ National Union Councillor Andy van der Heyden talked to Wellington staff and said that many staff were frustrated about the lack of information coming out of the bank. “There’s more news coming through the grapevine than coming from the bank,” he said. “People are sick and tired of “waiting and seeing.”

Andy said that the visits were very positive as they got members and non-members talking with each other about the different situations they find themselves in. “Members have been letting non-members know how being part of our union can help, and what support being in the union can give us.”

The issue of the unfair re-grading of Westpac Cards Call Centre staff is still being pursued by Finsec, after mediation failed to find a resolution to the issue. Finsec and Westpac have agreed to a high level meeting after CEA negotiations in a final attempt to resolve the issue. Gossip will keep you posted on developments.

Psychologists at the University of Sydney have found that Wednesdays, not Mondays are the most depressing day of the week.

While the study showed that on average, people’s moods are about the same on each day of the week, Wednesdays were the low point due to being furthest away from the weekend and bogged down with work.

Study participants sadly found weekends not as exciting as they’d anticipated, although moods were best on Friday and Saturday mornings and evenings.

Finsec members across ANZ National and Westpac are taking out an advertisement in the New Zealand Herald in the week prior to their negotiations to let the public know what needs to change in our banks. Members in both ANZ National and Westpac banks will be negotiating their collective agreements at the same time in the week starting July 7.

The newspaper advertisement will include the names of members who sign up to it – and more names will be published on the Finsec website. Members are encouraged to sign the advertisement before the publication deadline of 30 June.

Finsec President Kelvin Pycroft said that the appeal was an important part of the campaign and encouraged members to participate. “Our banks may not like this, but in order to win the decent pay increases we need, fairer targets and better staffing it is essential that we share our message with customers and the public. “

A further day of bargaining with PSIS last week did not lead to any improvement to their offer of 4.5% or movements towards pay parity with bank workers despite strong advocacy from the PSIS bargaining team. Also, in a close vote, Finsec members narrowly voted against taking strike action.

Because PSIS have said it is a final offer and because members have said they do not wish to take strike action, a ratification vote will be put to Finsec members in PSIS. Delegate run ratification meetings will take place between 23 June and 4 July.

Finsec National Organiser Bella Pardoe said that although many members are unhappy with PSIS’s failure to move in negotiations, it is important to remember what has been achieved through collective activity. “4.5% is the highest pay offer in the industry so far this year, and we managed to resist PSIS attempts to introduce performance pay and limit pay increases to the rate of inflation,” she said.

“Pay parity with the banks is still our goal, and with the support of greater numbers of PSIS staff over time we can achieve this.”

Finsec members are calling on ANZ National and Westpac to come up with fair pay deals for staff in upcoming collective employment agreement negotiations to help offset significant recent increases in costs. Staff from both banks are committed to Better Banks: Agenda for Change goals of a 5% across the board wage increase and standardised pay for similar jobs across the industry.

At Westpac, staff are saying the bank’s own inflation projections of 4.5% mean that wages will need to raise by more than this in order to maintain current income levels, particularly with rising food and petrol prices and mortgage interest rates. Westpac staff are still paid less than staff from other banks in many instances, despite major pay wins last year.

Sarah Walters, from Westpac Palmerston North, says she is reliant on flatmates to pay her mortgage, and has cut down on extras to manage on her current pay. “With fairer pay, I wouldn’t have too much stress about money or juggling to make ends meet.”

ANZ National has already offered staff who are not union members a 4% pay rise, but wants to “red-circle” or freeze pay for staff paid above scale. The bank notes that inflation is up nearly 1% on last year but have only increased their pay offer by a quarter of a percent.

Finsec members say the ANZ National offer will not keep pace with inflation or rising costs, and that the bank needs to prove they are willing to address pay, unachievable targets and staffing levels if they value their staff.

Jake Faulkner from National Bank in Wellington says “We’re all starting to feel the pinch on petrol and other costs. But while money is tight for all my workmates, the banks are doing better and better with their profits. A real pay increase is really needed to maintain the quality of life of bank staff.”

Finsec members in Westpac have voted in support of the introduction of a competency pay system. 60% of members voted in the ballot and of those that voted 82% cast an indicative vote in favour of replacing performance pay with the proposed competency pay system.

As a result of indicative support from Finsec members the proposal will now be part of the overall settlement proposal that only union members can vote on after negotiations in early July. The proposal will only take effect if this overall package is accepted by Finsec members.

Westpac Union Council Chair Maxine Mullen said that Finsec members now needed to make sure the system is fairly implemented. “I ran a number of meetings and while members are happy to be moving away from performance pay we are also nervous that the bank may manipulate the new system. It is up to all of us to make sure that doesn’t happen and that a really good competency pay system is put in place.”

PSIS announced a $7.1 million profit this week that Finsec says was made possible by PSIS paying some of the lowest wages in the banking industry. Finsec is back in negotiations with PSIS today.

Union members have already rejected a pay offer of 4.5%, which shows that staff throughout the banking industry are looking for pay rises of 5% - in line with our Better Banks: Agenda for Change goal. “All the banks need to note that Finsec members expect a 5% pay rise in this years negotiations to offset the significant price pressures they are facing,” said Finsec Campaigns Director Andrew Campbell. “This week’s profit announcement shows that PSIS can afford to provide wage parity with banks and it should recognise the worth of their staff by doing that now,” said Campbell.

“We call on PSIS to acknowledge the true worth of their staff and to make a commitment to work towards pay parity over time. A good start would be the reinvestment of some this profit in their greatest asset – their staff.”

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is currently assessing the impact that the proposed Westpac takeover of St. George Bank will have on competition and consumers and have asked customers to fill in a survey about their views on the takeover.

Finsec’s sister union the Finance Sector Union of Australia (FSU) is encouraging members, customers and others to participate in the survey. There is nothing to stop New Zealanders taking part too, and commenting on possible impacts on the banking sector here too.

FSU is concerned that the proposed takeover will:

Reduce competition (particularly in NSW and SA), which in turn will lead to increased fees and interest rates;

• Reduce service standards – because customers will have fewer choices about where they can “switch” to;
• Reduce branch numbers; and
• Cost jobs and working conditions for staff.

To fill out the survey: Individuals CLICK HERE

Please send a copy of your response to Chris Gambian at FSU - chris.gambian@fsunion.org.au Also, for more information on the campaign to Save the Dragon, please visit www.savethedragon.org.au