Union battles Westpac over sales targets



The Finance Sector Union (FSU) is currently battling Westpac Group over what it calls an unreasonable increase in sales targets for a number of workers.
Over 500 Westpac staff working in personal banking, home finance management and business banking have complained to the FSU about a 20-50 per cent increase in sales targets, claiming it did not reflect the customer base.
Meanwhile, the union claims Westpac maintained that the real increase to FY2014 targets was only 5 per cent.
"Many members have reported being pressured to achieve a ‘Fast Start', to stay after work, work on weekends, report on results three times a day, and even face the prospect of being placed on performance improvement plans after just three weeks under the new targets regime," the union said in its statement.
FSU members involved in the campaign had reported the sales culture within the bank was unsatisfactory, the union said.
FSU also received reports that, in some areas, Westpac managers were asking staff to sign individual coaching session/performance agreements.
"By signing this document, Westpac will say that you are agreeing to the targets contained within it," FSU stated, advising its members to refrain from giving their signature if they did not agree with the targets or felt like they hadn't been properly consulted.
The union is continuing to work with the banking group to resolve this issue, it stated.
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