WFH revolution hits another Big Four bank as workers win a huge 17.5 per cent pay rise and the right to work from home
- NAB employees win right to work from home
- Staff to get 17.5 per cent pay rise over four years
Thousands of staff at one of Australia’s biggest banks will have their right to work from home enshrined in a new pay deal as companies offer competing visions for the future of flexible working arrangements.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday that NAB had reached an agreement with the Finance Sector Union over a new enterprise agreement that will allow staff to request options to work from home.
Requests for flexible working arrangements will be weighted towards approval, with staff also now able to access arrangements for menstrual periods and menopause as well as an internal dispute process.
The deal comes as Commonwealth Bank faces a looming fight with the union over its work arrangements and will also grant about 80 per cent of NAB’s 32,000 staff a 17.5 per cent pay rise over four years.
Thousands of workers at NAB will see a 17.5 per cent pay rise over four years and have the right to work from home enshrined in a new deal
FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano told the Sydney Morning Herald that the new agreement came after the workforce rebuked an offer in November for a 5 per cent increase in the first year and 4.5 per cent rise in the second.
Under the deal, staff earning up to $100,000 will receive a 5 per cent pay increase this year and next year, followed by 4 per cent and 3.5 annual rises, with conditions such as cultural leave for Indigenous staff also put in place.
‘Union members acting collectively gave the NAB a clear message that they deserved better pay rises than the bank was prepared to pay them, and by standing their ground, they have achieved a much fairer outcome,’ Ms Angrisano said.
The FSU applied this week for the industrial umpire to intervene in CBA’s new requirement for staff to work at least half their hours over the course of a month from the office following the release of an internal company email.
NAB staff earning up to $100,000 will receive a 5 per cent pay increase this year and next year, followed by 4 per cent and 3.5 annual rises (stock image pictured)
‘We have asked the Fair Work Commission to intervene in this matter,’ FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said in a statement.
‘Instead of issuing edicts, we want the bank to engage in a consultation process with the FSU and affected staff in accordance with the CBA enterprise agreement.
‘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.’
The move comes only days after the Community and Public Sector Union revealed it had struck a deal with the Australian Public Service Commission over flexible working arrangements.
Under the deal, public service employees will have the right to request flexible working arrangements, including working from home, that will no longer be capped under the deal.
Employees will now be able to work as many days per week at home as they wish, with WFH requests only to be refused after ‘genuinely trying to reach agreement’ with the staff member.
