5 May 2015

ANZ announces interim results amidst potential hours reductions

While ANZ announces an impressive half year result, hours reductions remain a threat for ANZ workers in New Zealand says FIRST Union national organiser Tali Williams.

“Last week ANZ concluded consultation with workers at the bank’s Whangarei branches on a proposal to reduce the number of full-time positions”.

“ANZ is the largest and most profitable bank in New Zealand. The workforce should grow with the customer base, instead the workforce is shrinking while the customer base is growing. ANZ New Zealand has recorded income growth of 6 percent with key increases in home lending in important regions like Auckland and Christchurch” says Williams.

“ANZ can afford to keep the workers who are making these gains”.

“Workers should not be denied the benefits of the profits they create. This is one reason why ANZ won the Roger Award for worst transnational company operating in New Zealand” says Williams.

FIRST Union entered collective agreement negotiations with ANZ last year, but the bank’s stubborn refusal to offer good conditions and a decent pay rise mean negotiations are ongoing.

“ANZ is trying to push through a casualisation clause which would mean workers will only know their schedules month to month. No one can plan their lives around insecure hours” says Williams.

“ANZ is proposing a downgrade on current conditions and a pay rise which is less than what workers secured at Westpac last year. This is not acceptable from a bank which has just announced such impressive interim results”.

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