The Finance Sector Union of Australia (FSU) is concerned about the ANZ bank aggressively closing branches.
Rural communities around Australia are being abandoned by the ANZ.
The ANZ is closing branches in the following areas:
QLD
* Stanthorpe
* Gladstone Central (Kin Kora)
* Highfields
* Ingham
* Moura
* Oakey
* Chinchilla
WA
* Moora
* Gnowangerup
Vic
* Rochester
* Abbotsford
* Heidelberg
“The closure of these 12 branches will lead to potential job losses for 43 bank workers at the same time the ANZ is forcing its customers to conduct their banking on the internet,” said Julia Angrisano, Finance Sector Union of Australia National Secretary.
“These closures will hit rural communities hard and bank workers will be struggling to find other work in areas where jobs are scarce,” Ms Angrisano said.
“Banking is an essential service, especially in regional communities and customers rely on their bank having a branch that they can access.”
Ms Angrisano said that when a branch closes, it impacts on bank workers, the local community and the regional economy.
The Finance Sector Union is working with its members and the community to build an industry plan for the future of the finance sector. A guiding principle for this plan is that banking is an essential service to both bank workers, and the communities that they serve.
“Instead of closing branches the Finance Sector Union is calling on the ANZ to properly consult with its workers and communities about the future of its branch network before taking decisions to abandon branches.”
“Banks have an obligation to the communities that support them. The sheer number of closures says one thing about the ANZ: they care more about profits than people.”
“We believe the ANZ should be concentrating on repairing its culture and standing in the community’
“It’s time for the ANZ to repay the loyalty of its customers and workers by genuinely giving them a voice in the future of the branch network.”
Media comment: (National) Julia Angrisano 0418994418, (Qld) Wendy Streets 0419586727, (WA) Dianne Marshall 0419915794, (Vic) Darren Martin 0409029822.
Media contact John Hill 0412197079