Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have shown that we can be flexible and help our customers from anywhere – in the office or working from home.
With negotiations starting soon for our new Enterprise Agreement, we have an opportunity to secure flexible working for everyone.
Last week, Westpac started announcing their “Hybrid Strategy” in Customer Care, Consumer and Small Business. But many of our members are saying they haven’t heard anything about it.
Come to our meeting on Wednesday 27 April at 7pm (AEST) to learn more.
So what is the Hybrid Strategy?
Many employers across the finance sector are working with their staff to create flexible working arrangements that suit everyone. Some people want to be in the office all the time, while others want a mix, or to work from home. Best practice employers across finance are listening to staff about how they want to work
Westpac, on the other hand, is proposing a hybrid arrangement that is unfair, impractical and that no one asked for.
What does it mean for us?
Westpac is proposing working arrangements where for six months you can work up to 60% of your shifts from home, and for the other six months of the year, you work from the office. If you want to keep working from home, you will need to wait six months and then apply again.
Westpac seems to have forgotten that we do not arrange our lives in six month blocks. Our caring responsibilities do not change every six months. Our need for work-life balance doesn’t just go away for six months of the year.
Does this apply to everyone?
Westpac has also limited the ability to work from home to people who have been with the bank for 12 months or more, are achieving at least 85% of scorecard metrics including AHT, Transfers, internet registration and needs met, are on track to meet required ATS, and are achieving a 2 or 3 in all values and behaviours.
To make matters worse, you will only be able to work in this hybrid model if Westpac selects you from the people who apply. Even then, Westpac will choose the days you are working from home, versus in the office.
This is not ok. Our union has written to the bank outlining these concerns and we await the bank’s response.
Westpac has an opportunity to work with you on fair, flexible ways of working. Instead, behind closed doors, they have come up with this arrangement that works for no one except the bank.
Come to our meeting on 27 April at 7pm (AEST) to learn more about the Hybrid Strategy and how we will work together in enterprise negotiations to win fair flexible working rights for all.
Your FSU Team
P.S. If you need individual support or advice about how what the Hybrid Strategy means for you, contact the FSU Member Rights Centre on 1300 366 378, or email here. If you’re not yet a member of FSU you can join here today.