You are invited to attend an FSU Zoom meeting on Wednesday evening, 18 January. This meeting will be an opportunity to raise questions, comments or concerns on Westpac’s recent requirement for staff to complete timesheets.
Your feedback will then be used to inform ongoing discussions with the Bank on behalf of members.
Register here! – Wed 18 January, 7pm (AEDT)
Your FSU representatives have already requested a meeting with Westpac management around some questions already raised by members. We will report on any management discussions that have already taken place at next Wednesday’s meeting.
Are timesheets good or bad for Westpac employees?
Overall, the introduction of compulsory timesheets offer an opportunity to ensure we are all correctly paid for the work we do. For packaged staff, the true recording of actual hours we work will help in addressing issues around excessive hours, staffing and workload issues.
Workloads and hours of work became a major point of contention for FSU members at the EA negotiations in 2022. Your FSU representatives called out Westpac on numerous occasions for building a business model that relies on its staff working excessive hours without being paid.
In addition, there have been a number of instances where Westpac has been forced to reimburse staff for unpaid loadings, allowances and additional hours over many years. For a profitable Bank to have so many instances of underpayments is unacceptable and Westpac has come under increasing pressure to address this issue.
While the introduction of timesheets provide opportunities to address these ongoing problems, it is important that its implementation does not disadvantaged members or hide systemic issues around staffing and workloads.
Things to be aware of for now…
- Time sheets should reflect the actual hours you perform each day. This includes all additional hours that you are required to work.
- It is inappropriate for managers to ask you not to record, on your timesheet, any additional hours that you have been required to work. By asking this, managers are putting themselves in a situation where they are liable for the mis recording of actual hours worked.
- Local managers should not be held responsible for systemic understaffing or excessive workloads beyond their control. If you are a manager and feel pressure to limit additional hours worked in your team or branch, please ensure all hours are recorded accurately and talk to your next report up about any issues. If you’re an FSU member, you can contact the FSU Members Rights Centre for confidential advice – phone 1300 366 378.
We will have a chance to discuss these issues and more at the FSU Zoom meeting on Wednesday 18 January. Make sure to register.
Not an FSU member yet? Join with your colleagues here.