AIBOC Support PNB Officers

Circular No. 42 /2014 04.07.2014

To All CEC Members
SOLIDARITY FROM AIBOC & AIPNBEF

In the distraught hours in the life of PNB officers due to the circumstances under which Com Ajay Sehgal, Chief Manager, Sector - 20 Panchkula committed suicide, supports are pouring in. Com. Harvinder Singh, General Secretary AIBOC extended support & solidarity with the grieving & agitated members of AIPNBOA. Similarly, Com P R Mehta, General Secretary, All India PNB Employees Federation has assured our General Secretary of full support & solidarity with our cause.
A circular issued by GS AIBOC No. 47 dated 04.07.2014 reproduced below which is self explanatory.
We advise all our units and members to coordinate with local AIBOC & AIPNBEF unit for implementation of programme schedule given in our Circular No.40 dated 04.07.2014.

With revolutionary greetings
Dilip Saha
General Secretary
“QUOTE”

There is a raising trend in most PSU Banks where the Top management believes that only way of increasing business and meeting targets is by instilling fear amongst junior officers and field functionaries. The methodologies adopted for instilling fear vary from place to place. Bank management sign a MOU with the Government for achieving business targets which is attuned to the prevailing economic scenario but budget allocated is much higher for field functionaries which in itself adds pressure.

While Bank business has grown 8 to 10 times over the last decade, commensurate recruitment and retention did not take place adding enormous pressure on officers as a whole.
In such a scenario the overzealous circle/Zonal/field level authorities without any basic understanding of HR start devising their own method of monitoring and strategy for business growth. Most often these strategies constitute threat of transfer, insulting and humiliating officers repeatedly in public and private meetings, calling them ‘Nikamma’, withdrawing staff, denying leave to incumbents, sending derogatory letters in the name of counseling and threatening to spoil career etc.

In one of such meeting called by Field General Manager, Chandigarh of Punjab National Bank, ostensibly to review non performers by calling few Incumbents from each Circle under his command, the officers were reportedly threatened with spoiling career & humiliated to such an extent that it drove Shri Ajay Sehgal, age 52, Chief Manager of Sector-20 Panchkula to commit suicide on 2nd July 2014 by jumping in front of a running train near Chandigarh station immediately after leaving the meeting. A suicide note has also been found where he has named Circle Head, Chandigarh and FGM, Chandigarh as the persons responsible for his act of committing suicide. An FIR is lodged and the matter is
under investigation. The matter was reported to CMD of Punjab National Bank by AIPNBOA through an SMS seeking justice.

There are innumerable instances where officers are insulted with foul language, humiliated, threatened in open meeting. In the past also, we have deliberated the indecent and inhuman attitude of some senior officers of many PSU Banks towards their juniors leading to a sense of insecurity and depression.

The cruel and dictatorial attitude of some senior officers needs to be condemned. Here we observe with equal concern that nothing has been done to counsel such officers to exhibit decent and more human behavior towards their colleagues.

Human life is precious and loss of a human life under such circumstances certainly deserves to be taken very seriously and remedial action should be taken swiftly. All officer colleagues across the country have expressed deep shock and want to vent their anguish on this incident.

AIPNBOA communicated the concern and anguish of the officers to their CMD vide letter dated 03.07.2014 and sought appropriate action in the matter to give message to the whole PNB Parivar to work with dignity and self respect while discharging their duties for the growth of PNB, so far.
We understand that there is no response to the communication in this regard from the top management of PNB.

We deeply mourn the unfortunate & untimely death of our colleague resulting into irreparable loss to his family members. Shri Sehgal left behind his widow and two children who are studying. To show our solidarity with the bereaved family and to vent the anguish of the officers of the Bank, we call upon all our affiliates to join in the following programme chalked out by AIPNBOA to show our solidarity with our comrades in PNB.

Lunch time / after office hour demonstration to vent anguish of rank & file against inhumane approach of management and condolence meeting in memory of Com. Ajay Sehgal with submission of memorandum to FGM / Circle Head / HO authorities of PNB.
04.07.2014: At FMGO of Chandigarh.
07.07.2014: At all FGMOs and HO of PNB.
09.07.2014: At all Circle Head quarters of PNB.
With revolutionary greetings,
Yours comradely, Sd/-
(HARVINDER SINGH)
GENERAL SECRETARY

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