NAB staff speak out about 2,500-strong job cuts

Staff at National Australia Bank have railed against the bank following the massive 2,500 staff cut announcement, accusing it of a “spill-and-fill” strategy that forces them to reapply for their own jobs.

Last week, National Australia Bank (NAB) said it would be axing 2,500 jobs in total before the end of the 2026–27 fiscal year, with 1,500 to be removed before the end of the 2026 calendar year.

According to NAB CEO Andrew Irvine, the cuts are part of the bank’s initiative to make outcomes more efficient and improve productivity.

“We will improve productivity, risk outcomes and execution to be a simpler and more efficient bank,” he said.

Speaking with the ABC, a number of staff have called out the bank over its redundancies and the uptake in offshore staff and AI.

“Until today, it’s been a lovely place to work,” said one anonymous staffer, referred to as Dylan. Dylan has reportedly been part of the bank’s technology team for a decade, but is in the firing line.

NAB has been accused of a “spill-and-fill” restructure, in which roles are axed, and the employees affected have to apply for the smaller number of jobs.

In the initial statement, Irvine said it was going to be a difficult time for staff.

“We know this will be a difficult period for our colleagues impacted by these changes as well as the people around them. We will treat every person with dignity and respect,” he said.

NAB has also been called out by the Finance Sector Union (FSU), which vowed to fight the decision.

“NAB staff have suffered a year from hell after previous cuts and were no doubt looking forward to a break from the doom and gloom over Christmas,” FSU national assistant secretary Nicole McPherson said.

“Instead, their holiday cheer has been replaced with uncertainty over their futures.

McPherson added that the move was typical of what NAB thinks of its staff, which is as profit reducers. Staff were notified of the cuts via an email, which was sent out at the same time as the stock exchange announcement.

Management was also unable to answer questions at a meeting following the announcement, a meeting which Irvine did not attend. NAB also refused to answer if AI was involved in the decision to cut jobs.

“The actions of NAB management are despicable and have been compounded by the contemptuous way they have kept their workers in the dark,” McPherson said.

“NAB’s public statement today was nothing but corporate spin but its intention is clear – NAB sees its workers as a barrier to profits and a problem that can be swept aside with ruthless cuts.

“NAB workers are people – people with families, people with financial responsibilities, people who are already close to breaking point to deliver NAB its record profits. These people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and so far NAB has shown them none.”

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