Westpac have announced a proposal to permanently shut the doors on another nine branches in their retail network, potentially resulting in a cut of 39 roles.
Thursday, 21 September 2017
The latest announcement, which Westpac are calling an amalgamation, is to close nine branches from their Westpac and Bank of Melbourne brands. The Westpac branches identified for closure are:
- Sandgate (QLD)
- Bayswater (VIC)
- Drouin (VIC)
- Gladstone Park (VIC)
- Westmead (NSW)
- Toronto (NSW)
- Butler (WA)
The Bank of Melbourne branches identified for closure are:
- Lilydale( VIC)
- Doreen (VIC)
Once again Westpac has blamed the decline in over-the-counter transactions and an increase in customers accessing mobile and digital banking options as factors in their decision to close these latest branches.
What Westpac are not saying is that for a number of years, staff working in their branches have been expected to push customers to use mobile and digital banking options – it is a performance target staff are measured against.
Are you impacted?
FSU calls on Westpac to maximise redeployment opportunities for impacted staff. If you are impacted and want to retain a role, speak up as part of the consultation process currently underway.
The Westpac Group Enterprise Agreement 2016 (EA), sets out your rights and entitlements, including what steps Westpac must undertake in consulting you about the proposed branch closures. The EA also contains important information on how the Redundancy, Redeployment and Retrenchment process works.
The agreement provisions include:
- Genuine consultation periods to consider members’ feedback about proposed changes;
- Measures Westpac will take to mitigate the adverse affect of the change;
- Fairer redeployment process that incudes access to case managers and consideration of employee preferences.
If you and your colleagues are impacted make sure you have all the facts. You can speak to your FSU Workplace Rep or Organiser, or contact Member Rights Centre on 1300 366 378 for further information or advice
Not a member yet? Join online today at www.fsunion.org.au.
Authorised by Julia Angrisano, National Secretary