Wells Fargo employees are claiming that they were laid off by the bank in an effort to completely disrupt their attempt to join a union. In just the last few years, more Wells Fargo workers have decided to successfully form unions. Now, however, employees have sounded the alarm about potentially illegal practices Wells Fargo is partaking in.
Wells Fargo Fires Employees to Stop Union Formation
These latest firings were exclusively targeted against Wells Fargo workers who were trying to be the first non-branch-based employees to unionize. So far, the only employees who have successfully unionized at Wells Fargo have been from a local branch.
These employees were a part of the bank’s conduct management intake department. Before they were fired, workers were preparing to take a vote on whether they would officially join the Communications Workers of America’s Wells Fargo Workers United.
However, this unit never got to participate in this vote. According to these employees, Wells Fargo fired 11 workers who were a part of this unit. Six of those fired had also signed a recent letter revealing their intent to unionize.
Now, employees are fighting back. The same day these firings occurred, workers contacted the National Labor Relations Board and filed an unfair labor practice claim.
Bank employees have further claimed that Wells Fargo is actively engaging in aggressive — and likely illegal — intimidation campaigns. All of these maneuvers have seemingly been designed to keep more Wells Fargo employees from joining the union.
More Bank Employees Begin to Unionize
Wells Fargo has hit back against these claims. According to the bank, these layoffs were designed well in advance — even before the letter of intent to join the union was released by some employees.
“We regularly review and adjust staffing levels to align with market conditions and the needs of our businesses,” a Wells Fargo spokesperson said. “This decision was made earlier this year and has nothing to do with the union.”
Wells Fargo workers only recently decided to unionize. In December of 2023, a Wells Fargo branch in Albuquerque, New Mexico became the first branch to unionize. Of the bank’s 4,300 branches in the United States, 21 have voted to join a union.
Even with these recent aggressive moves by Wells Fargo, signs point to more local branches and bank employees working to unionize in the near future.
Recently, two more branches — in Anniston, Alabama and Casper, Wyoming — voted to join the bank’s union in September and October.
Though many employees have noticed these firings, it doesn’t appear as if the bank’s actions have worried workers enough to keep them from pushing to unionize. Analysts have pointed out that even more branches are set to file to join the union in the next few weeks.
Wells Fargo’s actions against these non-branch-based workers have possibly only energized other employees in their quest to join a union.
Kieran Cuadras, a recently laid-off Wells Fargo employee, said, “It’s ignited their desire to vote yes.”
Banks are not the only industry experiencing mass layoffs as restaurants, retailers, oil companies and more battle rising prices and inflation.
