The bank workers' union is accusing ANZ Bank of greed in refusing to share its bumper profits with staff, and undermining their job security.
FIRST Union finance secretary Maxine Gay said its members were voting on a national strike, and some branches had already begun local action.
KPMG figures out this morning showing windfall profits for banks were a slap in the face for ANZ workers, who had been offered a paltry pay increase, she said, with the bank making a net profit of $1.37 billion last year.
"If it's good enough to give the chief executive a 14 percent pay increase for having a good return, then it's immoral to be only offering workers on the shop floor between 2 and 3 percent," she said.
ANZ also wanted to impose flexible working arrangements, which would result in workers' start and finish times and days worked change month by month.
An ANZ spokesperson said that would allow the bank to match staff levels to customer demands.
The pay offer of 3 and 2.75 percent over the next two years was higher than average, and it was disappointing the union was encouraging staff to take strike action when there was such a good offer on the table. the spokesperson said.
