We're bank workers, not performing seals!

"The Banking Ombudsman has criticised overzealous selling by banks and the quality of investment advice by bank staff in her annual report," said Andrew Casidy, Acting General Secretary of the bank workers' union, Finsec.

"She is right to focus on these areas. They are caused by some of the country's most outmoded and mean-spirited management practices.

"Most bank staff have to satisfy performance targets in order to get their full cost-of-living increase. Many workers say that to achieve these targets, you would have walk on water.

"They are forced through targets and scripts (which tell them what to say to customers and how many times to smile) to behave in ways which have brought a record number of complaints to the Ombudsman's office.

"If tellers don't sell or refer a certain amount of products or don't pass on clients to investment advisers they don't reach your performance target. If investment advisers don't sell certain types of products they don't reach theirs.

"Bank workers don’t make extra money when they achieve these targets. Their reward is no more than the full, negotiated cost-of-living increase.

"If customers knew how stingy banks were, there would probably be even more complaints on behalf of the short-staffed, low paid, over-managed people who work there," Mr Casidy concluded.

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