Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC) has notified the Finance Sector Union (FSU) it will axe a further 24 branches and 103 jobs of bank workers in what has now become a monthly attack on its branch network around Australia.
FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano said the savage round of cost cutting would affect tens of thousands of local Westpac retail and business customers who will now be forced to travel even further to access banking services at a branch.
“This is no longer cutting the fat from Westpac, this latest carving up of Westpac’s branches is slicing right into the core of the bank with staff morale at rock bottom as they wait for the axe to fall on what’s left of the branch network,” Ms Angrisano said.
“Last month Westpac cut another 24 branches and a call centre in Perth. In July, it announced 24 branch closures, all in the name of underpinning profits.”
“It is clear Westpac has no regard for the community across Australia after shutting down 225 branches since January 2021.”
Ms Angrisano said Westpac CEO Peter King had trumpeted to the markets in May that he had sliced more than 4,000 in ‘headcount’ from the bank over the previous year.
“That’s what King thinks of his staff. Nothing more than ‘headcount’ to be axed when it suits him.”
“But what our members see is the casualties of King’s carnage with careers ruined by redundancy in areas where they will have trouble finding a new job.”
“And when it comes to pay at Westpac, the bank is mean and stingy, refusing to offer staff reasonable pay rises as inflation eats away at their real wages and cost of living spirals out of control.”
Details of branches being closed.
(Note: Westpac Group also includes St George, Bank of Melbourne and Bank SA.)
Westpac: NSW. Vincentia, Yass
Qld. Lake St Cairns, Loganholme, Creek and Elizabeth St Brisbane, Ayr.
Vic. Moe, Ferntree Gully, Boronia, Torquay
Bridgetown, Collie, Tom Price, Wongan Hills.
St George: NSW. Camden, Wynyard
Bank of Melbourne. Kew, Northcote, 100 Collins St, Warrnambool, Mildura.
Bank SA. Yankalilla, Mannum, McLaren Vale.
The Commonwealth Bank will also close a further three branches: Tenterfield and Junee in NSW and Reynella in SA.
“This is further confirmation that the CBA is prepared to dump customers and staff in order to cut costs and increase profits,” Ms Angrisano said.
“While the CBA is closing only three branches this time, imagine the impact on long-standing customers and businesses in these regional centres who will find themselves without a local Commonwealth Bank and have no choice but to travel further to transact business face to face.”
Media contact John Hill 0412 197 079.