The union that represents Laurentian Bank employees in Quebec denounces the banks' decision to eliminate teller services at virtually all of its branches.
Pierrick Choinière-Lapointe is an executive director at SEPB-Quebec.
"We will continue to argue for better services for all the customers. At the end, we hope to keep in place some jobs," Choiniere-Lapointe told CJAD 800.
Laurentian Bank announced last March that by the end of 2019, teller services would be eliminated from their financial branches.
As of Monday, 350 positions were cut. Six rural locations will continue to offer teller services until September.
Choinière-Lapointe says that while job loss is a big concern for the union, the lack of customer support Laurentian Bank will be able to offer to its clients, is also worrisome.
He says seniors and low-income customers will be the most affected by the change, since many seniors don't bank online and low-income customers usually cannot wait days for a cheque to be cashed.
"These people are the more affected, but obviously, everyone is affected by this important decision," he said.
The changes at Canada's seventh-largest bank are part of a restructuring plan that began in 2016. Laurentien wants customers to use automatic tellers and online banking, but it still doesn't offer an app.
With files from Canadian Press.