News

A series of changes are impacting customers and the COPE 378 members who work in credit unions across British Columbia, Canada.

Coastal Community Credit Union (CCCU) saw some of the most significant technological changes so far, with the introduction of a banking call centre and “Interactive Teller Machines” or ITMs. Credit union members can now talk with a real person (also a COPE 378 member) working out of a central location, even outside of regular branch hours.

“Our bargaining committee really grappled with this. We knew that a lot of people would appreciate the new options but our primary concern was: what can we do to make sure it’s fair?” Union Representative Sarah Melsness explained.

Executive Board Member Laurie Kirk, who works at CCCU, said the employer entered bargaining with the union intent on significant changes.

“They said, ‘This is what we’re doing and you need to do it.’ But we told them it doesn’t work that way,” Kirk explained.

In addition to making sure the new call centre workers would have COPE 378’s protection, the union was able to bargain a deal that balanced members’ interests around working extended hours: members will be able to post in to shifts outside the normal hours of work and will receive a premium for doing so, but CCCU can’t force existing members to work later.

The other major trend happening at credit unions involves cultivating more of a “boutique” feel. Melsness says, “There might be redecorating and more open space. Instead of making an appointment with someone in a specific role you might be expected to deal with the first person you encounter and they’re being asked to fill what used to be several roles.”

Kirk says these changes are also coming with an increased pressure on employees to meet sales targets. And it’s not only the employees who suffer.

“One of the main reasons people start working in a credit union is because they had a good experience themselves as a member. They feel like the credit union is part of their community…But when the employees are being over-worked, expected to sell everyone something, shuffled-around, and going through frequent technological changes, it’s a barrier to creating good experiences for the members we serve.”

Looking forward, Melsness says the union will watching changes to protect our members. In particular, she says COPE 378 will be keeping an eye on new job descriptions:

“When credit unions create new positions they get to suggest a pay scale for those jobs. But unlike non-union workplaces, we have the right to negotiate, and arbitrate if necessary. We’ll be arguing our members need fair and comparable compensation based on the knowledge and skills they bring to the position, and the duties they’re required to do.”