CBA Reverses AI-Driven Job Cuts After Union Pushback

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has backtracked on its decision to eliminate 45 customer service roles following union intervention. The bank initially justified the cuts by citing efficiency gains from its AI-powered voice bot, claiming the technology WOULD reduce weekly call volumes by 2,000. Internal data later revealed rising call demand, forcing overtime and managerial intervention—directly contradicting CBA's automation narrative.

The Finance Sector Union successfully challenged the layoffs through a workplace tribunal complaint, exposing flawed assumptions in CBA's workforce planning. Affected employees now retain options to remain in their roles, transfer internally, or accept redundancy packages. This reversal highlights the tension between corporate AI adoption and labor protections in financial services.