1 June 2005
For immediate release
Rural settlements date this week, but no workers around
The rural lending settlements team for ANZ National Bank, who process significant rural business transactions such as
farm mortgages, joined their colleagues’ nationwide rolling strikes yesterday and again today. This week, known as
‘rural settlements date’, is the date when large numbers of rural transactions are to be settled.
Finsec, the union repesenting the bank workers, has been attempting to return to negotiations before this important
settlement date. The bank’s failure to agree on dates to re-enter negotiations with its workers has seen the strike
enter its twenty-sixth day today.
National Bank is highly respected in the rural market, and ANZ National holds 43% of rural business in New Zealand.
“We knew, and the bank knew, that if this dispute remained unresolved too long, it would start to impact on some
significant settlement dates for the bank, such as this one. We once again question what this ANZ Australia takeover
means for New Zealand staff and customers.” Said Finsec Campaigns Director, Karen Skinner.
“We are waiting for the bank to return to negotiations. Workers at the bank are only seeking fair compensation for
working weekends and evenings, and assurances that the bank is going to treat the staff from its two merging brands, ANZ
and National, equally."
150 staff at the Lending Support Services Team in Auckland have just walked off the job in support of their Rural Team
colleagues.
Ends