Commonwealth Bank Australia has rowed back its decision to cut 45 contact centre jobs after finding that the AI-powered „voice-bot” designed to reduce calls actually led to an increase in work for humans.
Commonwealth Bank Australia (CBA) workers have forced the bank to back down on AI-driven job cuts, in what the Finance Sector Union (FSU) calls a major win — but the fight to stop Australia’s biggest bank replacing people in secure jobs with machines is far from over, according to a press release.
CBA announced in July that it would axe 45 customer service roles and replace them with its new AI-powered “voice bot”, which it claimed was reducing call volumes.
FSU members told a very different story: call volumes were rising, with management scrambling to offer overtime and even pulling team leaders onto the phones.
After weeks of pressure from union members and a dispute before the Fair Work Commission, CBA has admitted it got it wrong and backtracked on the job cuts. Impacted staff will now be offered the option of staying in their roles or taking a voluntary exit payment.
The FSU says the damage is already done for the 45 workers who endured weeks of unnecessary stress, not knowing if they would be able to pay bills or support their families.
The FSU is continuing to collect accounts from members across the bank about how offshoring, automation and AI are impacting workloads and job security. Another hearing before the Fair Work Commission is scheduled for 25 August.
The union says this case is just the tip of the iceberg and has warned that more so-called ‘efficiency measures’ dressed up as AI or digital transformation are already in play across the sector.
Finance Sector Union National Secretary Julia Angrisano said: “This is a massive win for workers, proving what can be achieved when members stand together — but let’s be clear, this is no victory lap. CBA has been caught out trying to dress up job cuts as innovation. Using AI as a cover for slashing secure jobs is a cynical cost-cutting exercise, and workers know it.
She added: “Our members want to be part of the conversation about how new technology is used in banking. They want secure jobs today and the training needed for the jobs of the future, not to be discarded under the guise of efficiency. CBA likes to talk about being a digital leader, but real leadership means investing in your people, not tossing them aside and blaming the technology.”
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