Finance workers call on major banks to follow Westpac’s lead and repatriate banking jobs

FSU

The Finance Sector Union of Australia (FSU) is calling on all Australia’s banks to follow Westpac’s lead and repatriate thousands of jobs sent offshore.

FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano said Westpac workers would celebrate the return of jobs offshored to low-wage economies in Asia over many years.

“The Finance Sector Union has long campaigned against the offshoring of Australian back-office and call-centre jobs to Asia,” Ms Angrisano said.

“Covid-19 has shown the folly of sending jobs that were once done in Australia offshore to places like India and the Philippines,” she said.

“We have seen too many jobs sent overseas in the name of increasing bank profits and it’s time every Australian bank and financial services institution brought those jobs home.”

“There have always been concerns over the security of sending the financial information of Australian consumers offshore.”

“Every FSU member around Australia will welcome Westpac’s move and consumers will benefit by having Australian workers providing their banking needs here in Australia.”

“Westpac has listened to our campaign and recognised that as an Australian bank, with its business in Australia, that it should be employing Australians first.”

“Economic recovery following Covid-19 will be a major priority for the foreseeable future and what we need is a national reconstruction plan to get Australians into good, well-paying jobs.”

“Secure jobs must be at the top of our reconstruction agenda and bringing those jobs back to Australia should be a key plank of our economic recovery.”

“This is a win for workers and demonstrates that being a union member matters. Westpac’s move will be welcomed by its staff and customers as well as the wider community.”

“These jobs will create pathways for banking workers into other parts of the banking and the financial services sectors more broadly.”

“Finance workers will benefit from the lasting impact of Westpac’s decision and the new work and employment pathways that will flow from it now and into the future.”

/Public Release.