Union Bank Employees protest against New Transfer Policy

All India Union Bank Officers’ Federation has written a letter to the Managing Director & CEO of the bank regarding the new transfer policy. The union has urged MD & CEO to look into the issues created by the new transfer policy.

What Union said?

We write to express our profound distress and concern regarding recent lateral transfers following extended tenures, spanning nine years. The abrupt reassignment has left the officer fraternity astonished and disheartened, significantly impacting morale.

1. It’s unsettling to observe officers being reassigned across zones without proper regard for proximity, blatantly ignoring the discussions of the small committee. What’s particularly distressing is the arbitrary relocation of officers including lades to zones over 3000 kilometers away, devoid of any hint of empathy or compassion.

2. While we acknowledge the necessity of manpower redistribution for operational reasons within zones, it is incumbent upon management to recognize the human aspect of their workforce. Treating officers as mere cogs in a machine, disregarding the hardships they endure due to sudden transfers to deficit zones, is unjustifiable.

3. Officers are not machines; they are entitled to humane treatment. Regrettably, the recent transfers appear to treat them as such, akin to relocating machinery to fulfil administrative requirements.

4. It’s crucial to note and document that during the small committee meeting convened on May 21st with the majority officer’s federation, there was a discussion on design principles and modalities which have undergone a complete overhaul in this current transfer exercise. Moreover, as the decision reached during that meeting was inconclusive, no finalization occurred on May 21st.

5. Since May 21st, we’ve been anticipating the management’s call to reconvene the small committee meeting. However, up until June 5th, no meeting was scheduled, with management citing the need for manpower normalization and awaiting reports from HR consultants. As delays in transfer orders persisted, key office bearers of federation visited CO Mumbai to discuss matters with CGM (FIR) and DGM (HR).

Unfortunately, management refused to sign or finalize the minutes, leaving us perplexed. It’s now apparent that significant changes were being planned without our knowledge, which is both unfortunate and unethical.

6. In the interest of fostering positive industrial relations and promptly issuing transfer orders to provide relief to the officers, we placed our trust in the management’s verbal assurance. They assured us that they would consider all genuine demands and issue orders according to the modalities outlined by the small committee, even agreeing to proceed without signing the minutes. However, the recent turn of events constitutes a breach of trust and is a flagrant display of unfair trade practices. In light of the situation outlined above, we strongly protest the transfers as indicated by the orders issued, and we urge your esteemed office to direct the CGM (HR) to take the following actions:

A. Initiate discussions with the majority officers association to reassess and revise the entire transfer process and record the minutes of the discussions properly.

B. Ensure that officers with longer tenure (9 years) are assigned to nearby zones without exception, and amend all existing orders accordingly.

C. Prioritize the consideration of requested transfers for officers to the fullest extent possible, and undertake necessary revisions accordingly.

In conclusion, as a public sector bank, our foremost priorities are our customers and employees. It’s crucial to recognize that only contented employees can effectively serve customers and drive business growth. Transferring officers to distant locations without rationale or consideration undermines morale, jeopardizing their commitment to the bank and, consequently, impeding business growth.