For immediate release
Friday 22 August 2008

ANZ National staff reluctantly accept bad offer – but strike anyway

Union members in ANZ National have reluctantly agreed to put the bank’s offer of a less than inflation pay rise and no changes to their debt sale targets to a ratification vote next week because the bank has told them it will not change its offer.

Union members in Auckland, Wellington and many provincial areas took strike action and staged pickets outside major branches and the bank’s head office.

“Getting the bank to improve its offer was always going to be a tall order. While many staff have taken strike action today in protest against the bank’s offer, the majority of members have said that the cost of ongoing action is too high,” said Andrew Campbell Finsec Campaigns Director.

“The bank’s promise of fair real wage increases has not been met. Most ANZ National staff are feeling the pinch of current price rises. It is these staff who produce the billion dollar profit the bank makes and support the $2.5 million dollar salary package bank CEO Graham Hodges enjoys,” said Campbell.

“Despite ANZ National being the beneficiary of a business tax cut and saving tens of millions by shipping jobs to Bangalore the bank still won’t reinvest what it should in its New Zealand workforce,” said Campbell.

“It is concerning for both staff and bank customers that ANZ National is now aligned with the shrinking number of banks that won’t even contemplate changes to their debt sale target system,” said Campbell.

“Union members remain committed to making ANZ National a better bank and will continue to work towards changes to targets, improvements to staffing levels and achieving fair pay increases for workers. It is disappointing ANZ National is not committed to these goals too,” said Campbell.

ENDS

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