Amalgamated Bank

I would really like to be working with Amalgamated Bank; however, I haven't even been able to open a business checking account over the course of a week. I initially called on Thursday and spoke to a representative about a business banking account. After asking several questions and being satisfied with the answers, I asked how I could open an account. I was told I needed to fill out a form online and would then be able to open an account. When I went to the website the next day (Friday), I found there were no online forms available—you can only send an email requesting a callback I then sent said email. I did not hear back by the following Tuesday, so I called the customer service line, explained the issue, and was told they would submit a new business inquiry. By Thursday (now one week later), I had not heard back and called the customer service line again asking for an update. I was told there was nothing they could do other than send a third new business inquiry. When I persisted, they said my only option was to transfer to a financial advisor at the branch. When I asked if the financial advisor would be able to help me open a new account, I was told they would not be able to, but could simply take down more information. I was then transferred to the branch after being put on hold, but it wasn't to an actual person—it was the phone tree for the branch location. I've always believed if a business fumbles the sales process, their likelihood of providing good customer service once you've already signed up is questionable.

I am a small business owner. I work several jobs to keep my head above water in New York City. When my business partner and I sought out a bank, we chose Amalgamated Bank because it claimed to follow a set of ethical values we felt it was important to support as members of a union. Our years of being Amalgamated Bank clients have been rough. Amongst the difficulties have been: - Difficulties setting up an online account since April of 2024. This took about a year because staff at the Union Square branch would promise emails that never arrived with necessary information. - Being burdened with operating as if banking in the 1980s and 90s. (Ex. Working with checks and having to make physical trips to branches.) - Promised emails from service staff that never arrive. - Numerous phone calls and visits to the Union Square branch to solve problems. On April 29th of this year (2025) at 1:18p.m. I was finally able to open an online account. When I tried to sign in one month later, I discovered my PIN number does not work. I called Customer service, and they instructed me reset my PIN. As it turns out, there is a software issue with the PIN reset page. I took a screenshot and emailed it to their technical support as requested. On June 26th, I made another call to Customer Support at 1:30p.m. to check on the status. I was told that it could take two months for a solution and that I ‘just have to wait.’ Because I have not been able to have online access to my bank for the entire time, I have owned this account my partner and I currently: 1. Can only accept checks from clients. Most of our clients want to use Zelle. 2. Lose money by using Paypal and other systems. 3. Work from paper statements which I am charged for. 4. Pay for wire transfer services (including Zelle) which I cannot use because I cannot access my bank account. 5. Have thousands of dollars of money I cannot accept from clients because I cannot access my bank account. 6. Still do not have online access to my bank account. My experience over the past four months is the culmination of many years of dysfunction. I believe it is unacceptable to charge for services I am unable to use because of Amalgamated Bank’s own technical issues. What is more insulting is to be told with a shrug to sit and wait months for the problem to be resolved. And Amalgamated Bank’s technical ineptitude prevents me from accessing my account I am being squeezed with charges for a service I cannot use and paper bank statements just so I can keep track of my transactions. All the rhetoric on the website that Amalgamated Bank is for the ‘working class’ and is socially conscious is hollow. Do yourself a favor if you are considering opening a bank account here. Go anywhere else.

Customer Service is the worst, I would suggest finding another bank. They do not respond to emails on a timely manner, and you can never call anyone on the phone. Their voice system reroutes you to a call center, which is useless. The worst bank in America.

I have been using this bank for years and have found everyone to be polite, professional and helpful. Yes, sometimes you have to wait a little while but I find that true of every bank.

Customer service makes everything difficult! When my card was hacked I had to leave work to request money be returned because the promised link with affidavit was never received! There is never more then one person and a line pf people waiting. Bank branch ATM’ closed weekends!!!! New debit cards never work or assigned PIN numbers! I am unfortunately intertwined with my business and it will be so much work to switch banks! Despite progressive social policies I would never recommend this bank!!!!!!! Fyi after standing i. Lime st the bank card. services down and manager “ did not know”….

Have banked with them for years and they're a genuine community oriented bank! Love knowing my bankers personally and love the fact that the staff are unionized. Highly recommend!

Worst bank I have ever had the displeasure of using. I had closed my account back in February which they never confirmed or even responded to my email. Now (May) I receive a letter from them saying I am “over drafted” 1.88 on a CLOSED account, threatening to report to collections/take legal action against me…!? CS call told me I am required to mail a check instead of just waiving the “fees” and can’t make payment over the phone. Online banking never worked which is why I closed it because it didn’t work from day 1. Such a headache and nightmare only to be threatened with legal action over LESS THAN 2 DOLLARS on an account that was already closed.

Due to getting a spam email from the company I thought I should advise others that this company will reach out and bother you and try to establish a relationship when you may not want anything to do with them. Based on other reviews posted on the address of the email they sent me they can't even be bothered to update a location to one that is open. You may look into a credit union for your financial needs as based upon the information I found on this bank I don't think I would trust them with the responsibility of handling my finances in anyway shape or form.

*MAY THE HORROR OF THEIR ACTIONS BE RETURNED TO THEM TEN FOLD!!!* I was expecting my debit card last month as the old one was expiring. I never got it and when I called Jan 2, a lady said that if I go in person I can get my card immediately or I would have to wait 7-10 business days for the new card. She was either too busy or borderline rude when I said thank you before hanging up. When I arrived at this branch, another lady at the front was surprised I hadn't gotten my card yet since I was supposed to get it by mid month. She proceeded to tell me that the new card was gray/yellow and the tapping kind. When she came out from the back with my new card it was the old fashioned dark blue one. I didn't even asked her why I wasn't getting the new one, I just wanted to get out of there fast. What a depressing place! I barely saw a few elderly clients there. I can't wait to close my account and open a new one in a better bank where they treat me like a human being and have a mature approach instead of retaliate when you call them out on their crappy service. May the horror of their actions be returned to them ten fold!

They have the worst customer service. When you call any branch, the voicemail system reroutes you to a call center and then no one assists you.

I arrived late Friday afternoon to deal with a dormant account from when I used to live in town, and everybody was exceptionally friendly, intelligent, quick, patient, and highly competent ... professionals at the highest level. Very grateful for the branch manager, [1] whose name escapes my aging brain, [2] who was a consummate leader & gentleman, and [3] who reached down from the heavens and resurrected my Lazarus of an account, old and quite dead, into a workable, functional, 21st-century banking dynamo. Equally obliged to Mr. Marcano, who, past closing time, helped me with a new ATM card, signature documents, and aligning my account with the modern era. Great local bank.

I have been with this bank for 35 years. It was a bank specifically established for any union member, but their customer service could not be worse. This has been true for decades so I assume it emanates from the top administration. I stay with them because of no fees, very good social responsibility in terms of what they support and, in the last few years, excellent online tech support. However there is no excuse for their incompetent and often rude support on site--usually because they do not know the answer to your question or there is some totally irrational rule they must follow. They switch tellers and officers like a deck of cards. I stay with them out of loyalty and no fees and socially responsible values. But...they test your patience.

Always helpful staff. I support this smaller bank although there are few branches. I think they cater to lower income clientele.

Wanted to love this bank. They have given me more trouble than I have ever imagined dealing with. The most basic possible operations like depositing a check or transferring money are impossible. Mobile banking is truly bad. Website is full of bugs. Terrible for small businesses. Huge mistake moving to this bank I'm now digging my way out of.

I love this bank and this is the reason. Yes they are super old School. Yes you probably deposit money as Cash and get it in two days, but the big minus is also their biggest plus - is it is most impossible do to the slow processing times to get hacked and to take your money out, they will verify and re-verify and drag their butts and feet, but your manual stay put, and for that, I love my amalgamated!

Switched to them to get away from The Evil Banks. For our years with them, service was slow, typically unsmiling and frequently unhelpful! Forget about same-day check printing. We've left New York. Closing our account from afar--they don't make it easy! A month-long process to transfer all our savings. We finally got the account to zero. At the end of the year, they deposited $14 of interest, then clawed back a $10 penalty since we're no longer direct-depositing to the account. The best part is now we have $4 to spend before we're rid of them. Thus concludes my adventures in principled banking.

I wanted to file a dispute and ACH withdrawal based on numerous pieces of evidence about a transaction in which a contractual agreement was breached by the service provider, which is now closing, and I am unable to reach my funds. However, the branch, represented by Roslyn Thompson-Loyd, refuses to help or file the dispute. Instead, She blames me and gives me personal recommendations as to what I should do-- I understand the basics of ACH, the grounds on which my dispute is based, and I have a basic understanding of the banking system. My Dispute claims are valid-- One reason an ACH can be disputed is because the recipient party made ingenious claims and misled me, the sender. Another is a violation of terms of service. I gathered supporting images, documents, and evidence that supports my claims and presented them all in this email thread. All indicate fraud and are deceptive. However, no one at the bank seems to know what to do about it. So in my frustration, listening to her reasons why she couldn't help, I said that: I thought this bank was supposed to be for the people -- as they promote themselves online, a diverse, socially responsible bank with progressive values-- supposed to be people's bank; she cuts me off by saying: Sir, this isn't PEOPLE'S BANK THIS IS AMALGAMATED BANK! So here it is. The attitude, the level of disrespect... I know the dates these conversations happened so if the bank would like to listen to the recordings, they will find how their managers handle issues. And this isn't some just bank employee, mind you; she is Assistant Vice President, Branch Service Manager. I should've taken the reviews seriously.

This is the worse bank I have ever used. It's systems are antiquated. One cannot even report a lost or stolen card on a holiday or effectively do it on line, where it says we cannot guarantee card will be on hold. I am on a joint account with my elderly deaf, intermittently confused father and when i wanted to report a lost card and to freeze card and have a new one issued to his address they would not do it. He is 2 hours from me and difficult to communicated on the phone. This is the most ridiculous bank i have ever dealt with. WE will be removing his direct deposits asap. Many other banks available DO NOT USE THIS RIDICULOUS ANTIQUATED BANK. I AM ONLY PUTTING ONE STAR OR ELSE WON'T POST BUT SHOULD BE "0". AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE USE YOUR COMMON SENSE

It has been a quite an ordeal to close my account & send myself a check for my remaining balance. I would recommend finding another bank.

Compared to other banks, this bank stays open from 9 to 5. They answer their phones. They actually do things like notarize letters for their customers. Chase Bank is doing none of this anymore. I highly recommend Amalgamated, and they actually give you interest unlike other banks, that take money, instead of giving you interest on the money that you're holding.

Pretty Cool bank was started by Garment Workers in The Fashion industry in NYC who had no unions, And all the garment workers came together and started a union bank called "Amalgamated clothing workers of America" back on March 16, 1923. so much respect to people who work in the Garment-Fashion industry in New York for starting this union bank branch. This branch is located on 14 street between Broadway and Fifth Avenue, Right next Door to Parsons (The New School), this is a cool bank I had a hard time finding this branch at first because there had scaffolding upfront, there need "amalgamated bank" graphic design print sign hang on top of the green painted wood scaffolding. I usually go to the Brooklyn branch on Fulton street between Nostrand Avenue and Bedford avenue. there have a branch in the co-op city section in the Bronx. There also have Branches in San Fransico, California, and Washington, D.C. as well. And their part of the Allpoints A.T.M system which you can do direct deposit and withdrawals on their A.T.M Allpoints National system. Just download the Allpoints A.T.M app on finding the nearest A.T.M by you and use it with your Amalgamated bank Debit Card !!!! P.S.: I love the history of this bank, A fashion -garment worker union bank !!!!, There Headquarters are located right on Seven ave A.K.A Fashion Avenue , right near the Garnent/Apparel - Fashion District !!!! very convient by the mta transporation: Subway: 4,5,6,N,Q,R,W,L-Trains.14 Street station,Union Square .Train station. or F, M-Trains. 14 street and 6 avenues (Avenue of Americas, Train station) Bus: M14A,M14D, etc buses

Business banking product is inferior, customer service reps are abrasive. Fees are very high at amalgamated also.

The bank is horrible. It has a wonderful mission statement but it's run like a small town mom and pop bank. Needlessly repetative steps to access anything. Everything--I mean everything--is complicated and difficult with this bank. Many of the employees are rude, especially the online treasury management reps. Fortunately, I finally convinced my boss to move our business (and his personal account) to a different bank--one that acts like a bank and knows what they are doing and how to treat customers. I can't fully express how happy I am to be done with this travesty of a bank! Do your research if you're thinking of joining this bank (and then join a real bank with professional employees!)

As a union member and activist, I have banked with Amalgamated for several decades. A wonderful mission statement and history. The online banking and app are decent if unspectacular and work well for me and have become, unfortunately, a replacement for the personal relationship I used to have at a nearby branch. Their ATM network (All Point) for free transactions is reasonable in the NYC area. Most disappointing is the closure of so many branches in recent years. Once upon a time you could do retail transactions in the West 20s, East 20s, Financial District, Upper 50s, and several Queens neighborhoods. They are down to one Manhattan branch. The staff at that branch has been pleasant and helpful but is not close to me. I have found the staff that deals with problems and questions on their central phone line to be helpful and responsive.

I've been using A.B. for over 20 years as they were convenient to where I lived in the Bronx, and I had nothing fancy going on. Go in, make deposit and/or withdrawal, and leave. Not complicated. But times have changed. Last year they rejected a check for "irregular signature". The check was for my real estate taxes. After a number of phone calls and e-mails the manager at the (now defunct) Tremont Ave. branch admitted the signature was mine and couldn't explain what happened. That mistake cost me $550.00 in penalties for late payment of taxes. Oops! Now, during the china/covid/corona virus fiasco, I once again have the privilege of tolerating their incompetence. I sent two paychecks to them for deposit, one week apart. I've been mailing my checks for years and they typically are posted within 3-4 days. Those days are over. The first check I mailed just posted - 25 days after I mailed it!! The second check is still lost in space. Yes, I was foolish enough to try calling, and yes, the joke was on me. No answer, no voicemail, no answering service. Switching banks, which I obviously need to do, is not so easy being as I have all my bills on automatic payment through online banking. Perhaps if they went back to acting like a bank instead of half-assed social justice warriors they'd be better off. In brief, they suck.

I use Amalgamated Bank because they're more environmentally and socially conscience than the major banks, but I wish their basic services were better. My mobile check deposits are routinely denied for no reason. I just tried to turn on my new debit card and couldn't because of an unspecified problem - and the only way to turn it on is via a slow automated phone system. These guys are public now. They should have their act better together.

This bank is a travesty masquerading as social do-gooding institution. In fact, they charge absurd monthly fees for inexplicable reasons. My union parents had a number of accounts there for decades, but went in to deal with these accounts after each their deaths, bank personnel were in chaos and disarray with basic bookkeeping. The bank manager was never there in person or by phone. The death claims department didn't speak to other departments and was located somewhere else. They don't normally set up actual appointments, but I really pushed and finally got one to close out all their and my accounts and was able to get higher level folks to help me just get away from this bank. BUT, there was a final kick in the butt when it turns out one of my mother's accounts had been lost and then was escheated meaning sent to the state unclaimed funds though I had been into that bank with her documents many many times. Finally, the bank retail manager told me they'd already done so many special things for me, such as just giving me an appointment to close these accounts since they are "not an appointment bank." So this is a bank that looks at giving you an actual scheduled appointment without waiting as something special. That says it all. If you can go anywhere else, do.

Why oh why when my debit card (personal banking) expires this month (Feb 2022), I haven't gotten my new card? Its now Feb 8th for chrissake.Why do they wait until the 11th hour to send out our new renewed cards? Sooo annoying. Esp when I get constant emails from folks I do biz with asking for new card number. Otherwise, satisfied w/AB for my personal accts.

I've been banking with Amalgamated since 1976. I've stayed with them because of their unique business model, and support of unions. But now, even unions are opting to bank elsewhere. At times, they gave exceptional service. One bank officer, Dirk Smile, used to call me whenever rates on my accounts changed, and would suggest other types of accounts that were bearing higher interest. I was also able to secure a 15 year mortgage with Amalgamated at the rate of 2.625%. But in recent years, their service has just gotten worse and worse. For a while, the mobile app kept forcing me to change my password. And, the fingerprint and face ID never worked. IT customer service was exceedingly rude during the times I called about being locked out. The app works better now, when it works. Very often lately, when I try to log in, I've been getting messages about the app downloading updates, and that I should try again later. I most recently called their customer service because their website instructed me to, to add beneficiaries after opening a new account online. Why did I need to open up a new account, and transfer balances into it myself? Because to get their highest interest rate, the bank officer was not able to just change the rate on the account I had. That's not how a bank should handle things if they want to keep loyal customers. I'm on hold with customer service, and the message kept repeating, "Someone will be with you shortly." After 10 minutes, I chose to leave a message. I'm identifiable by my phone number. I keep an average balance there that's well over 6 figures. Don't you think that should get me bumped to the front of the queue? Their system doesn't even tell you how long the hold time will be. About 2 hours later, Craig called me back at a time that was not convenient. He tells me I can't assign beneficiaries over the phone. I tell him that is not what the web site said. I expected him to be surprised by that, and to say something like, "We need to fix that. I'll alert management about that right away." Instead, I didn't even get an apology. So, I let him know what I expected in the way of service from him and the bank. Craig then proceeds to ask me a whole bunch of questions to confirm my identity, including the balances in my accounts, how many I have, the transactions I've made, etc., so that he can leave a message for a branch manager from 14th Street to call me, which was just another waste of my time, as it's been two days, and no one has called. Perhaps Craig was being passive aggressive, and was wasting my time on purpose, because he didn't need all that information to ask a branch manager to call me, did he? It's obvious that morale is really low now among Amalgamated employees. A few years ago, management decided to change the bank's logo, at considerable expense. The old one was fine. After that time, I noticed employee turnover and transfers increased, too. From my perspective, these are all signs of bad management. I really don't know what management is focusing on, but if they fail to improve customer service, and offer competitive interest rates, this bank will fail. As for me, I'm looking to take my business elsewhere.

I have been with this bank for over a decade and never had any issues. At times i've opened other accounts with Chase and HSBC and ended up closing the other banks and going back to Amalgamated. You can deal direct with people whose names you know, you can call these people too, very personal bank. Also like that fact that this bank works a lot with the community and local workers to support people not just profit. I would give it five stars if they put on another teller or worked quicker during busy times. Other than that am very happy with this bank and the staff

this bank is horrible the atm machines are not working on a regular base my checks take up to three to four days to clear they usually have lines with one teller I deposited a check in the atm and it was lost I left this bank disgusted and went to td bank much better

This is NOT a full-service bank. The customer service is limited. If you have basic questions, it's OK but, other than that, they are generally useless. My biggest beef is that they are woefully inadequate when it comes to technology. They are not on Zelle or another network and it's painful. There should be no excuses in this area.

My company continues to use this bank and I am unsure as to why. They are behind the times compared to other banks. When it is busy, there are never enough tellers. When I do get to one, they always seem like it's the worst thing ever that my company has deposits to make. The tellers never seem friendly and often shake their heads, show frustration, and try to pass off the work to someone else for our deposits. Complaining is always expected here and I don't recommend banking with them.

Excellent, efficient service. Staff is long on patience and eager to assist you and answer any questions. I have been with Amalgamated Bank way before the very amusing Stiller and Meara radio ads! Highly recommended.

I have used Amalgamated Bank since the 1980's. I think of them as the politically correct/union bank. They are the only bank that did not do business with South Africa during Apartheid. Other banks did, but said they didn't./ They merely laundered the money so it didn't look like it. That's good enough for me. They aren't slick, but they are still there for us working class folk.