Bank managers to hold fort during Westpac strike

Customers in Westpac branches tomorrow could end up with the bank manager for a teller as branches scramble to cope with a strike by 1500 staff.

The staff, members of the financial services union Finsec, are striking for a bigger pay increase than the one on the table and for no sales targets in their contracts.

The strike, landing on the final banking day before Christmas on Sunday, could cause trouble for customers trying to wind up business before the holidays.

Westpac spokesman Mark Watts said the bank had contingency plans in place.

Head office staff with previous branch experience would be working in branches, Mr Watts said.

"In other places you'll see branch managers and other senior people taking on sort of less traditional roles and helping out where they can.

"It's a fact that the level of service in some branches might be reduced -- it's partly dependent on how many are participating in the action tomorrow and we won't know that until opening time."

He hoped many services would be unaffected and Westpac had placed advertisements telling customers what was happening.

Finsec campaign director Karen Skinner said the staff would be taking to the streets to tell people about their plight.

"It is shameful that staff have been given no choice but to take to the streets to be treated fairly and be allowed to act ethically."

Ms Skinner said they were being offered only a 3.5 per cent rise.

Mr Watts said it was in fact 5.2 per cent over 18 months.

Finsec believes Westpac has some of the lowest pay rates in the banking industry -- many of the striking workers have starting salaries of between $26,227 and $36,171.

The staff are also unhappy about having sales targets for debt products such as credit cards and loans built into their contracts.

Mr Watts said Westpac felt the targets were a crucial part of the contracts.

- NZPA