ANZ is looking to reduce staff numbers at its branches in New Zealand in response to increased customer use of direct channels such as the telephone and the Internet.
According to local press reports, ANZ National called a series of meetings with branch staff this morning to announce a review of its network. The bank asked for staff to consider voluntary redundancy and has also put a freeze on recruitment.
ANZ says the move is in response to a sharp fall in over-the-counter transactions as customers move to more convenient channels like Internet and phone banking.
Financial sector union Finsec has condemned the move and says ANZ has reneged on a promise not to make any staff redundant when it announced the offshoring of hundreds of jobs to India in April.