A shocking news has been reported related to bank unions. As per reports, some union leaders have been removed from WhatsApp group of UFBU. This has raised concerns over unity amongst union leaders. This shows union leaders are not united and this can severely impact the banking industry.
The leaders of National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and the National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO) have been removed from a WhatsApp group used for communication among the constituents of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).
What is UFBU and Why Was the WhatsApp Group Created?
UFBU, or the United Forum of Bank Unions, is a platform through which major bank employees’ and officers’ unions jointly take up issues concerning the banking industry and bank employees.
The UFBU consists of 9 trade unions and has a WhatsApp group consisting of primary office-bearers of nine trade unions in the banking industry. The purpose of the group is to make communication among the constituent unions easier and faster.
UFBU Convener Post Vacant After Retirement of Sri Bandlish
NOBW and NOBO said that the post of UFBU Convener became vacant following the retirement of Sri Bandlish. According to the letter, the constituent unions had not decided on his successor as of now.
The organisations said that because there was no UFBU Convener, communications to and from UFBU were being addressed individually to all constituent unions. On this basis, the leaders of all constituent unions were currently on an equal footing.
According to the two unions, Sri Rupam Roy removed representatives of NOBW and NOBO from the group on August 1, 2026. NOBW and NOBO described the action as unilateral and questioned what authority he had to remove their representatives when the post of UFBU Convener was vacant.
Unions Ask Other UFBU Constituents to Clarify Their Stand
NOBW and NOBO have also asked whether the other constituent unions agreed with the removal of their representatives from the group.
They said that if the other unions supported the decision, NOBW and NOBO should be informed about the reasons behind the removal. The two organisations questioned why such a step was taken and sought an explanation from the other UFBU constituents.
5-Day Banking, Pension Updation and Wage Revision Issues Highlighted
NOBW and NOBO said the development had come at an important time when several major issues concerning bank employees remain pending.
The banking industry is going through a sensitive time as bankers are demanding 5-day banking, pension updation, wage revision, etc. According to NOBW and NOBO, unity among bank unions is particularly important when these major demands remain unresolved.
The two organisations strongly criticised their removal from the communication group. In the letter, they alleged that excluding NOBW and NOBO at a time when several important employee issues are pending could damage unity and solidarity among bankers.
