BNZ Update
10 September 2007
KEY POINT:
- Results from a recent Finsec survey suggest that BNZ's efforts to cut costs by lowering staff numbers is resulting in many staff missing out on lunch and tea breaks, or working overtime, often unpaid .
ACTION:
Talk to non-members in your branch or worksite about our positive solutions for staffing and workload. With negotiations coming up in a month's time it is important that we let the bank know that the best way to enforce its legal obligations about staffing and workload in clauses 6.4, 7.6 and 7.8 of the collective agreement is to increase staffing.
Last month Finsec conducted a survey of staffing levels and workload in the BNZ.
The nationwide survey of 359 BNZ staff asked staff to quantify and describe how staffing had changed in their worksite. It also asked the amount of paid and unpaid overtime they did for the bank.
Survey Results
In the last financial year BNZ staff numbers fell by 212. In the same period the bank grew its profit and its business, and processed more work.
So, it is not surprising that some of the survey results included:
- 44% of staff said that staff levels at their worksite had decreased over the past year.
- 33% said that staff levels at their worksite had decreased by 2 or more people.
- 25% of BNZ staff said they worked unpaid overtime every one or two weeks.
- 17% said that they were unable to take their morning tea, afternoon tea or lunch breaks most days of the week. A further 17% said they were unable to take these breaks an average of once every 1 or 2 weeks.
Some of the comments from survey respondents were:
- "For 12 months we had no casual staff, so part time workers had to work full time."
- "Their problem is they can't get staff to stay, always changing/leaving."
- "We are continually training new staff and never have enough cover for sickness or leave."
Existing legal entitlements
Clause 6.4 of BNZ's Collective Agreement reads:
The Bank is committed to ensuring that employees are able to balance their work and personal lives satisfactorily... The Bank will monitor workloads to ensure that regular and/or excessive additional hours of work are not required .
Clause 7.6 of BNZ's Collective Agreement reads:
"Neither you nor the Bank can agree to more than 37.5 hours being worked in any week without overtime applying ."
According to clause 7.8 of the BNZ Collective Employment Agreement full time staff are entitled to an unpaid half hour or 1 hour break and two paid 10 minute breaks. Part time staff who do more than 5 hours a day are entitled to an unpaid 1 hour lunch break and one paid 10 minute break. Part time staff who do between 2.5 and 4 hours a day are entitled to a paid 10 minute break.
The Department of Labour says that legally negotiated breaks are important and should be adhered to. You can read more of the Department of Labour's advice here.
We believe our existing legal entitlements are suffering because of low staffing levels.
From the Union Council
