AIB to double opening hours in Grafton Street branch

AIB is set to double the opening hours at its newly-refurbished branch on Grafton Street in Dublin after agreeing a deal with staff and unions to open seven days a week.

From September, the branch will open on weekdays at 8am and close at 7pm, with the exception of Fridays, when it will remain open until 9pm.

It will also now open from 10am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The branch currently opens from 10am-4pm on weekdays, with a 5pm closing on Thursdays. It is closed on weekends.

It is understood that similar opening times will apply to AIB’s proposed new outlet in the large SuperValu store in Lucan, Co Dublin.

It is understood staff will receive shift premiums ranging from 10-13 per cent for working the later hours and at weekends, following negotiations with the Financial Services Union. Staff will work five days out of seven, with a 37-hour week. This change in working hours is voluntary.

Refurbishment

The Grafton Street branch, which has undergone a major refurbishment, will provide full service and advice for personal, business and private banking customers, including digitally-enabled capability.

The change in opening hours is designed to provide customers with access to banking services at times that suit their lifestyles.

AIB branches in Cork have also extended their opening hours as part of a pilot programme.

Some 24 outlets are now open from 9am-5pm from Monday to Friday.

Last October, AIB opened three new branches at Grand Canal Dock and Carrickmines Retail Park in Dublin, and Little Island in Cork.

These also have extended opening hours, ranging from 8am-8pm on weekdays and 10am-4pm at weekends.

In addition, AIB has 18 self-service banking lobbies located across the State that are open seven days a week from 8am-9pm.

Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank have also expanded their opening times at certain locations in response to customer demands.

Staffing

Speaking to

The Irish Times

,

Larry Broderick

, general secretary of the Financial Services Union, said he had “strong reservations” about the need for longer opening hours across the banking industry but recognised that it was appropriate in certain locations.

“We recognise that there are locations where banks have a specific need for longer opening times but we do not accept the need for all locations to be open longer across the banking industry. And we also don’t believe that banks are adequately staffed at present.”