The Finance Sector Union has blasted an alleged plan by Bendigo Bank to offshore the team that manages transactions for grieving families, including properties in deceased estates.
The FSU claims a move to offshore the bank’s deceased estates team will mean customers could lose access to “human-centred” services.
The union accused the bank of “blueprinting”, where employees have to demonstrate how they perform their work so that offshore workers can do it.
A statement from the FSU said the practice was “cruel”, claiming the bank had already used blueprinting in other areas of its operations to send jobs to global outsourcing group Genpact.
Genpact uses generic AI to automate professional services for a variety of firms around the world.
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Financial Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said Bendigo Bank is showing a “lack of empathy” for it’s customers. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian
The FSU reported a total of 450 roles at Bendigo Bank had “disappeared overseas”, including about 50 predominantly South Australian staff who were shown the door last week.
The FSU statement said the union “feared” more jobs would be offshored in the near future.
FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said the deceased estates team required personalised, human teams.
“Perhaps the most vulnerable customers banks deal with are the relatives of someone who has just passed away,” Ms Angrisano said.
Bendigo Bank is Australia’s sixth largest bank and it’s alleged offshoring push comes amid an industry wide transition.
Reports from Offshore Watch, which analysed public records, revealed more than 24,600 jobs have been offshored by the big four banks over roughly the last decade.
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Bendigo bank is under fire from the Financial Sector Union who claim the bank is planning to offshore the Deceased Estates team. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt
“I’m calling on Bendigo Bank to, at the very least, spare the Deceased Estates team from the indignity of blueprinting and ensure that grieving Australians aren’t treated as just another transaction,” Ms Angrisano said.
A spokeswoman for Bendigo confirmed on Wednesday that it had partnerships with Genpact and Infosys, saying they were to “enable access to technology at scale to drive innovation, while simplifying business operations and processes”.
The spokeswoman said that the bank continues to consult with its staff and is “leading these changes with compassion, care and respect”.
Properties linked to deceased estates represent a steady portion of housing market listings.
The bank teams that manage these transactions are often the first point of contact for families sorting out the financial affairs of a loved one after their death, the FSU claimed.
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Bendigo Bank CEO Richard Fennell said in April that it’s “never easy” to make decisions that impact staff. Picture: Jane Dempster / The Australian.
Property transfers typically require precise legal coordination between banks, executers, solicitors, and land title registries. This includes sound knowledge of state rules across Australia.
Bendigo announced its partnership with Genpact in April. At the time, chief executive Richard Fennell said the bank “must actively look for ways to innovate”.
“By leveraging global expertise and becoming simpler and more efficient, we can reinvest in new technologies and capabilities,” Mr Fennell said.
“For our people, it will mean access to new tools, improved processes and an opportunity to learn new skills from global experts enabling them to focus on deepening relationships with customers and strengthening the hundreds of communities we serve.
“The health and wellbeing of the Bank’s people continue to be key considerations in the planning and implementation of these essential workplace changes,” he said.
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