FSU’s Queensland office has been assisting a Westpac member who ran into difficulties when she went into a relief role.

Although employed as a Banking Services Representative (BSR), the member found that more often than not she was required to provide relief for Customer Service Representative (CSR) roles. In fact, over a five month period, she only worked as a BSR for two weeks.

The problem? The targets set by the bank related to BSR work, rather than CSR work.

The member, who does not wish to be named, told Account that she confirmed before agreeing to go in to the relief pool, that targets would be adjusted to reflect the roles she was filling on each relief assignment.

“For the first two months, my targets were adjusted, and there was no problem. However, in October I was told that the bank had decided that if people went on to relief they would no longer have their targets adjusted. This was completely different to what I had been told when I first went on to relief.”

“It’s very difficult to meet your targets if you’re not performing the role that the targets relate to. The only referrals I was getting were my own. No one else could make referrals to me because I wasn’t working as a BSR, and there were other BSRs in the branches that would get the work. It just didn’t seem fair.”

In Westpac, unsatisfactory ratings are applied if you fail to meet target twice, and the next step is performance assessment and counselling, and possibly termination of employment.

“I needed my job, so I decided to fight for my rights.”

The member followed the process for dispute resolution, taking the matter up with various levels of management. On her own, the member hit brick wall after brick wall.

“Once I had exhausted all of the avenues I could follow myself, I went to the union.”

FSU successfully negotiated for targets in two of the three performance categories to be reduced, and the reduction was applied retrospectively.

“It’s a much fairer situation now. I wouldn’t have been able to get this outcome without the union’s help,” said the member.

“The bank sets targets and expects you to meet them. There’s no ability to negotiate.”

“I definitely think that anyone who thinks their individual targets don’t match the job they are doing should speak up, and call in the union if you don’t get anywhere on your own.”