Finance Union fights return to office edict
The Finance Sector Union has taken the Commonwealth Bank to the Fair Work Commission over return to office requirements. Photo: AAP
The Finance Sector Union is taking its fight against the Commonwealth Bank’s return to office edict to the Fair Work Commission.
The union filed the dispute on Wednesday after the bank told staff they would need to return to the office 50 per cent of the time from Monday.
Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said there was no consultation with workers before the reduction in work from home arrangements and a large number of members were unhappy with the decision.
“What the CBA has done is ignore the enterprise agreement and instead dictate changes to work from home arrangements that currently suit many of its employees,” Ms Angrisano said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic proved that remote work is a sustainable model and this is convenient for vast numbers of workers.”
She said members had complained that mandating a return to the office would force them to spend more money on commuting and child care, interfere with their family life and lose at least two to three hours a day travelling.
“Some workers are so unhappy about the CBA’s edict that they are considering whether to resign and seek other more flexible working arrangements,” Ms Angrisano said.
A spokesman for the Commonwealth Bank said the requirement to be in the office 50 per cent of the time applied over the course of a month and staff were told of the new requirements in May.
“Our approach to hybrid working has always been about finding the right balance between our long-standing commitment to flexible working and ensuring we deliver the best outcomes for our customers,” he said.
The union is asking the commission to order that the bank offer all affected staff remote working arrangements on mutually agreeable terms.
-AAP