Pro News 

Danske Bank began mandatory consultation at its private customer business unit in mid-March. The bank plans to reduce full-time equivalent working years from
170 to 195 years at the unit in 2013.

– Long-term considerations and well-planned work, typical for the financial sector, is far away from this move, Pro's President Antti Rinne says.

The behaviour of customers has not changed in a manner that would warrant reasons for mass redundancies, according to Pro's local chapter (RahoitusLeijonat) that represents all rank and file members covered by the collective agreement at Danske Bank.

– Danske is willing to allow its customers become guinea pigs by first cutting personnel and only then, thereafter, assessing or considering if there is enough personnel to serve the customers, Rinne says.

The mandatory consultation covers about 1,140 full-time equivalent working years, which makes up more than a third of the bank's employees in Finland.

– Economic considerations put forward to support the bank’s cost-cutting plans are totally lacking in credibility as Danske Bank's unit in Finland made a
pre-tax result of EUR 156.8 million in 2012, chief shop steward Aino Huuhti says.

At the end of 2012 Danske Bank had about 2,800 employees in Finland. The mandatory consultation covers all employees but not those working at the contact centre or the private banking unit.