Strike action leads to new offer from ANZ National

Friday, June 03, 2005

Strike action leads to new offer from ANZ National

Yesterday ANZ National Bank wrote to Finsec (the union representing bank staff) with a new offer that now includes a 5% pay rise for a 16 month term, instead of the previous offer of 3.75% for 12 months.

This is conditional on members agreeing to other aspects of the bank’s offer that have so far been rejected. “Members are very clear that this change has come about because of their strike action. Despite the bank’s public message that the industrial action has been having no impact members know it is creating significant internal pressure within the newly merged bank.” said Karen Skinner, Finsec’s Campaign Director.

“It is good that the bank has responded to this public pressure from staff, but the new offer still does not address the key issues members have been raising for months now, which are around fair compensation for weekend and evening work and equity between new and existing staff’s conditions of employment.” she said. “The bank has chosen to add pressure to this dispute by making this offer to staff on individual agreements as well.

To try to leverage non-union members’ reaction to the offer against union members’ reaction to it to achieve a settlement makes no sense at all.” said Ms. Skinner. “Fortunately, members are very clear that their fight is not with non-union members, it is with the actions of an employer who refuses to address the key issues and who is actively creating divisions amongst its own staff.” Ms. Skinner said.

The bank has verbally agreed to meet with Finsec representatives on Wednesday 8 June and to attend mediated negotiations (for the first time) on 14 and 15 June. “It is regrettably, business as usual in this dispute and industrial action will continue, at least until the outcomes of these meetings and negotiations are known.” said Ms. Skinner

ENDS

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