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Banks Safety Interest14 March 2005By Tim Brunero ANZ bosses ignored four calls to improve safety before robberies at its Peakhurst branch left five staff suffering trauma and ongoing medical problems.
In the fourth robbery, on April 29, 2003, criminals used a sledge hammer to menace staff. The bank was fined $175,000 this week after the Finance Sector Union proved it had failed to provide a safe workplace. Before the first robbery in August 2002 the union had written to the bank about security at the branch. After each robbery the FSU made submissions urging the bank to solve security problems. Last year the bank spent $55 million improving security across its branch network. The union's high profile prosecution of security failings at the ANZ's Brookvale branch prompted the upgrade. The bank was fined $156,000. FSU assistant secretary, Mel Gatfield, says other banks should take a look at what the ANZ has been forced to do and improve their own security. "They need to ensure staff aren't traumatised, injured or worse due to their focus on profits over safety," says Gatfield. Gatfield is concerned any federal government moves to stop unions bringing prosecutions and hand powers over to the DPP or Workcover would let unsafe employers off the hook. "After the first Peakhurst robbery we wrote to Workcover asking them to investigate and we didn't get a response," she says. | |
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