Joining the national blitz attacking bank fees, the $155 millionTobyhanna FCU in Scranton, Pa. is introducing a “Divorce Your Bank”campaign next month.

A key part of the effort is directing it toward womenwhile introducing an ”easy switch” tool kit aimed atmaking bill pay easy to do and easy to switch.

“One thing we are doing is telling our members 'we'll do all thework' in helping convert to our bill pay system,” explained NinaWaskevich, vice president of marketing/sales.

The Tobyhanna “Divorce Your Bank” promotion has already begunwith teaser billboard message up this week and focuses on pointingout that the credit union doesn't charge a $5 monthly fee for debitcards, like Bank of America.

Waskevich said the campaign also will use radio ads, Facebookand a special “Divorce Your Bank” website.

“Right away we picked up on the consumer's attitude of being fed up withthat ridiculous Bank of America fee,” said James Kanaley,president/CEO of the 21,000-member Tobyhanna FCU.

BofA's move, said Kanaley, to recoup lost income frominterchange “is just typical bank reaction of sticking it toconsumers.” He noted that he was an executive at banks inDenver and Syracuse, N.Y., before coming to Scranton.

These fees “have become much more onerous” than Congressexpected as it tried to protect consumers, Kanaley said.

As for helping members make the transition, “I think there is amisperception by the public that it is difficult to convert to acredit union,” said Waskevich.

She said Tobyhanna's service reps have been trained in recentmonths to encourage members “to just bring their pile of bills into the branch and we'll set up bill pay for them.”

A new booklet tied to the “Divorce Your Bank” theme will outlinethe steps to make the change and will be branded with a femaleimprimatur in marketing materials, Waskevich said.

“We're going to use the wording 'perfect match' and 'breaking upis not hard to do,'” in the messaging, Waskevich said.

The credit union's November launch coincides with the ad hocBank Transfer Day movement attracting national attention afterit was proposed by a Los Angeles art dealer.