The Finance Sector Union (FSU) and CBA workers are calling on the bank to move beyond reversals and retractions and deliver real transparency on its AI and offshoring strategy at today’s Annual General Meeting.
The FSU says CBA publicly downplayed its AI plans while cutting 45 customer service roles due to an AI chatbot – cuts exposed in the Fair Work Commission that the union forced CBA to backflip on.
Workers will directly tell CEO Matt Comyn and the bank’s board about the human impact of replacing secure jobs with AI. This includes Kathryn Sullivan, one of the workers made redundant after the chatbot rollout.
The FSU has also exposed CBA’s offshoring agenda. In June, CBA announced 283 redundancies across its technology and retail banking services teams, while simultaneously advertising a significant number of near-identical roles in India.
After pressure in the Fair Work Commission, CBA were forced to admit roles were being offshored to India. The bank went on to remove multiple job ads with the same titles as roles being cut in Australia.
In the past financial year CBA India’s headcount increased by 21 per cent from 5,630 to 6,788 – a 138 per cent increase since 2022.
Just yesterday, CBA announced a further 108 job cuts across multiple Australian divisions. While these job cuts are not attributed to AI or offshoring, it is further evidence that CBA is looking to cut local jobs while increasing its overseas workforce.
The FSU is calling on CBA to detail its AI deployment and any offshoring plans – including workforce impacts and timeframes – and to genuinely consult with staff and to commit to secure, local jobs in Australia.
The union also wants investment in retraining and redeployment for Australian workers and an ongoing accountability framework with the union and workers’ representatives.
Finance Sector Union National Assistant Secretary Nicole McPherson said:
“CBA’s backflips and admissions show pressure and panic, not principle. Workers deserve better.
“AI and offshoring aren’t future risks; they’re real threats today. CBA needs to front up and be honest.
“CBA made $10 billion in profit, yet it’s cutting Australian jobs and expanding offshore. That’s not innovation, it’s abandonment. Workers and the public deserve transparency, not spin.
“Last year CBA promised open dialogue on AI and offshoring — but instead we’ve seen more local capability cut while cheaper offshore jobs grow. Workers deserve transparency, not broken promises.”
Media contact: Kate Shuttleworth – 0447 418 726, [email protected]
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