Non-branch department is ready for union vote!

Wells Fargo workers speak out about co-worker's death at Tempe, AZ corporate office

Please read and sign on to our Statement on Recent Loss of Wells Fargo Co-Worker Denise Prudhomme:

We are saddened and outraged by the devastating tragedy and loss of our coworker, Denise Prudhomme, who worked as a Business Execution Consultant in Corporate Banking in Tempe, Arizona. This tragedy reminds us why it is so important for us to have a true voice and exercise our rights at work.

Like so many of us who work in corporate offices or call centers, our team members and direct supervisors are frequently located in other states hundreds, or thousands, of miles away. Denise was the only person on her team in Tempe. This may be one of the reasons why her desk was located in an underpopulated area in the building and nobody checked on her for four days. Wells Fargo monitors our every move and keystroke using remote, electronic technologies - purportedly to evaluate our productivity - and will fire us if we are caught not making enough keystrokes on our computers; however, Denise went unnoticed at her desk for four days. The contradictory nature of electronic surveillance versus an unnoticed death sheds light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo has been implementing mandatory “return to office” policies that requires workers to come into the office, even if all of their team members and direct supervisor live and work in another state. These arbitrary new policies are being imposed on many of us who have worked fully remote for years - long before the COVID pandemic began. Furthermore, Wells Fargo’s new “hub city” policy is forcing thousands of employees to choose between uprooting their families or losing their jobs at an unspecified date in the future when these jobs are relocated. This policy choice is a source of additional stress for those who are not located in "hub cities" and does nothing to benefit us as workers.

We demand better transparency and safety precautions for workers. Our employer's choice of not notifying employees of a coworker’s death for days is just the latest and most tragic example of Wells Fargo's lack of transparency.

We demand improved safety precautions that are not punitive or cause further stress for workers. The solution is not more monitoring, but ensuring that we are all connected to a supportive work environment instead of warehoused away in a back office.

We demand Wells Fargo reevaluate its arbitrary “hub city” relocation plan and “return to office” policy. These plans and policies have only further damaged worker morale.

Finally, we demand and deserve a seat at the table, ensuring that we have a true voice for workers in determining how we can be as effective and productive as possible in our roles so we can make Wells Fargo a truly great place to work.

Add your name to our statement

Exciting Union Organizing Announcements!

>> Casper WY branch moves forward and calls for union vote: The team at the Casper, Wyoming branch at 3500 CY Avenue delivered their union announcement letter last week and have their union vote scheduled for September 26! Congratulations to the entire team for coming together. They will become our 20th union branch at Wells Fargo in less than 1 year. Amazing!!!

>> First non-branch team files for union election!!! Wow! A super majority of the Investigators in the Conduct Management In Take Team reviewing non-allegation complaints have filed for the first-ever non branch group at Wells Fargo to deliver their union announcement letter and call for the NLRB to schedule a union vote. Stay tuned for how you can support our co-workers leading the way.

"The reason I decided to join a union was to enable us to negotiate for higher wages and benefits," said Diana Pena, Investigations Associate in San Antonio.

"We need better work environment and office areas too," added Maria Gallo, Investigations Associate in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

"Thousands of my fellow co-workers have been laid off this year, many with decades of experience and only for their jobs to be sent overseas for cheaper labor. If Wells Fargo wants to save money, then stop cutting corners and creating more scandals. We are unionizing so we have more control over our careers and so our voices can actually be heard," announced Kieren Cuadras, Investigator in Plumas Lake, California.

Contact an Organizer

Check out this Amazing New Video of your coworkers who have already organized a union at their branches!

Watch Video

Wells Fargo in the News

>> Wells Fargo employee found dead at her desk days after clocking in, NBC News, Aug. 29. "Employees want new safety measures put in place"

>> Wells Fargo employee's disturbing death details give office workers pause. What happens if you die on the job?, Yahoo Finance, Sept. 4.  The news of a Wells Fargo employee's body being found in her cubicle four days after her death has sparked outrage and questions nationwide. 

>> Police respond to bank robbery at a Virginia Beach Wells Fargo. WAVY.com, updated Sept. 6. The incident occurred at the 6000 block of College Park Square Shopping Center. Police were dispatched just after 11:20 a.m. No arrests have been made yet, police said. 

Question of the Week

Question: My branch was robbed last month. Is it true that Wells Fargo actually MADE money on the robbery?!

Answer: Yes as crazy as it sounds, it's true. Wells Fargo (and most banks) are insured for theft at 110% which means that the bank actually profits when a branch is robbed. This may help explain why most branches do not have a security guard, or why executives are not worried about understaffing making a branch more vulnerable to burglaries. 

Do you want to feel more safe at work? That is an issue we can address if we unite together and build a strong union!

We will bring you the Top #WFunion updates each week. To suggest an update or request other content for this newsletter, please Contact Us.

Are you ready to stand with us and make positive change at Wells Fargo?  Email us at [email protected] today!