Union Bank Officer's Tragic Suicide Sparks Outrage Against Work Pressure

In a tragic turn of events, a Chief Manager at Union Bank in Junagarh, Gujarat, took his own life on Saturday morning, citing unbearable work pressure and alleged neglect from management in a circulated suicide note. The incident has sent shockwaves through the banking community and sparked outrage on social media platforms.

(Strike notice issued by AIUBOF)

The All India Union Bank Officers’ Federation (AIUBOF), affiliated with AIBOC, has issued a notice for a strike on March 28, 2024, in this backdrop. Sreenath Induchoodan, the working president of AIUBOF, expressed deep concern over the systemic issue of increasing work pressure across all Public Sector Banks (PSBs). He stated that a delegation from AIBOF visited the family of the deceased and discovered that he was under extreme work pressure.
Induchoodan emphasized that the suicide note did not point fingers at individuals but highlighted the larger multifaceted issue of unrealistic targets and increasing work pressure within the banking sector. “As the suicide note of Siyaram Prasad pleas, the managements must refrain from imposing unattainable targets on bankers so that such incidents are never repeated”, he added. Induchoodan also raised concerns about the new business-oriented approach of PSBs and the pressure to meet Third Party Product (TPP) targets, which further exacerbate work pressure.

(A social media post demanding a solution to staff shortage and work pressure.)

Soumya Datta of BBDBM echoed similar sentiments, describing the incident as "very tragic." Datta pointed out that the combination of target pressure and staff shortages has created a hostile work environment across PSBs. With over 3,12,000 vacant posts across PSBs, staff shortages have led to increased work pressure, overtime work, and a reduction in job opportunities for educated youth. Datta also criticised what he called purposeful mismanagement that favours private banks.

This is not the first time such a tragedy has occurred in the banking sector. Sreenath Induchoodan, who also serves as the state secretary of AIBOC Kerala, highlighted a similar case involving a woman banker from Canara Bank in Malappuram district. Following his petition, the State Human Rights Commission intervened, registering a case suo motu in the matter, underlining the need for systemic changes to address the underlying issues contributing to such tragedies.

Bankers and unions have been raising issues such as staff shortage, overtime work, target pressure and work related stress for a long time. Cases of unhealthy work atmosphere have been reported in major PSBs like State bank of India and Bank of Baroda. Another key issue adding to the chaos is the new business oriented approach adopted by the PSBs focusing on rampant selling of TPPs. Amidst all these, the bankers demand for implementing a 5 day work week for a balanced work-life environment is also gaining momentum, but the final call is pending with the Department of Financial Services. 
 
As the banking community mourns the loss of one of its own, there are growing calls for management and policymakers to address the root causes of work pressure and prioritise the well-being of bank employees.