Union says BNZ putting profit above its people with jobs to be moved from NZ to Accenture in India

BNZ is going ahead with moving lending services jobs, which it describes as operational roles, from its New Zealand operation payments department to Accenture in India.

Earlier this month Interest.co.nz reported BNZ was looking at outsourcing about 50 of a total 80 lending services jobs. This comes after 70 to 80 jobs in BNZ's sanctions and fraud team were relocated to Accenture in India last year, with the local staff affected redeployed.

A BNZ spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed the proposal was going ahead, but was coy on details.

"We have been consulting with some colleagues who support lending activities on proposed changes to the way we operate and have confirmed a new operating model. We are unable to give an exact number of staff that will be impacted as we are committed to supporting our colleagues and identifying redeployment opportunities where possible. These are operational roles and are not related to frontline banking services," the BNZ spokesperson said.

Interest.co.nz was told BNZ confirmed the plans were going ahead on Tuesday, with about 50 of 80 jobs in the lending services centre being moved to Accenture in India. Interest.co.nz was also told staff in this department play "a vital link" for BNZ customers buying and selling property, getting loan and security documents prepared, plus serving as a contact between frontline bankers and customers and their solicitors to help with settlements. Additionally interest.co.nz was told some BNZ staff whose roles are being shifted to India are expected to help train the new workers in India. 

"At BNZ, we’re committed to serving our customers brilliantly and delivering market leading products, services, and expertise," the bank spokesperson said.

"We want to bring the very best global expertise and capability and deploy it locally, to enhance our customers’ banking experiences. To help us bring global best practice to New Zealanders, we partner with a number of international organisations, such as Accenture, Microsoft, and Amazon."

Union 'extremely disappointed'

Callum Francis, First Union's national organiser for finance, said the union's "extremely disappointed" BNZ plans to; "offshore key banking roles in an attempt to force down their wage bill despite making a statutory net profit of $762 million in the six months to March and being one of the richest employers in the country."

First Union says it has nearly 500 members at BNZ, and estimates about 40 union members are affected by the outsourcing.

"Offshoring New Zealanders’ jobs robs experienced bank workers of options, deprives others of the opportunity to get into banking, drives down local wages and represents yet more of Kiwis’ wealth being shipped offshore because of sheer greed at the top," Francis said.

"BNZ should be leading the way for New Zealand companies by investing in their workforce, not clearing a path for offshoring projects that many other companies, including other major banks, are now lining up to follow. We expect successful employers to help grow the economy and keep New Zealanders in work.”

"It’s a cowardly project that represents the absolute worst in corporate thinking; that an organisation’s only obligation is to their bottom lines and not the staff who make that possible," said Francis.

Francis said First Union will be fighting for the fair redeployment of experienced members in comparable roles and resisting any attempt from BNZ to force members into unwanted redeployment opportunities to cover other understaffed departments like the customer call centre. It will also be pursuing voluntary redundancy for members "who no longer have confidence in their continued work with BNZ."

"It’s a cliche but a true one: BNZ are putting profit above their people, and turning their backs on experienced bank workers just because they can. We can and should expect more from employers," Francis said.