All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union Demands 'Right to Disconnect' and End to 'Unwarranted Misuse' of WhatsApp

The All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Union (AIBOBOU) has formally escalated a grievance regarding the "unwarranted misuse and excessive dependence on WhatsApp" by Regional Offices under the Bank of Baroda's Bengaluru Zone. The union, affiliated with AIBOA addressed the Zonal Manager on September 30, 2025, demanding immediate corrective action and recognition of officers' "Right to Disconnect".






Image - Statement by AIBOBU

The General Secretary of the union, K. Srinivasarao highlighted to Kanal several serious concerns stemming from the indiscriminate use of the messaging app for official communication.

Key Issues Raised by the Union
AIBOBOU outlined seven major issues for the Zonal Manager's urgent consideration:

Creation of WhatsApp Groups Without Consent: Regional officials are forming multiple WhatsApp groups for officers and branch managers without their prior consent, which the union asserts is a violation of WhatsApp's own terms of service and may attract legal consequences.

Violation of Bank’s Social Media Policy: The letter states that the Bank's policy clearly stipulates that WhatsApp should only be used for information sharing, not for official communication, because it is neither authenticated nor secure. Despite this, some Regional Offices are treating it as an official channel.

Undermining Official Communication Channels: The union points out that the Bank has "well-defined, secure intranet facilities and dashboards" to monitor business and operational performance. However, WhatsApp is being used indiscriminately for reporting, which duplicates effort and undermines the secure internal systems.

Unwarranted Daily Reporting Pressure: Officers in some Regions are allegedly being compelled to submit daily expected business in the morning and report achievements in the evening on WhatsApp groups. AIBOBOU argues this serves no meaningful purpose, as dashboards and MIS systems already provide real-time data, and that this practice exerts unnecessary pressure.

Compulsory Commitments via WhatsApp: Regional Managers are reportedly directing branch officers to commit targets for credit disbursements, insurance, NFOs, and SIPS through WhatsApp, a practice the union deems "irregular and highly objectionable".

Disturbance of Work-Life Balance: The union cited instances of officers receiving calls and even WhatsApp video calls from RO officials before and after office hours, which is leading to harassment, creating a stressful environment, and adversely affecting their work-life balance, going against modern workplace practices.

Demand for Right to Disconnect: A core demand of the letter is the formal recognition of officers' "Right to Disconnect" before and after office hours. The union stresses that officers cannot be expected to be "perpetually available on personal phones and WhatsApp groups beyond office timings," arguing that respecting this right is essential to protect officers' dignity, health, and family life. The union also noted that this principle is already recognised in several countries and will be highlighted in a Pan-India communication as a priority issue.

Union’s Demands and Warning
AIBOBOU urged the Zonal Manager to issue clear and binding instructions to all Regional Offices immediately, including:

Discontinue WhatsApp Groups: All groups created by controlling offices must be discontinued, with official communication strictly routed through the intranet and official telephone systems.

Clarify Non-Mandatory Smartphone Use: The bank must clarify that possession of smartphones is not mandatory for officers and that no one can be compelled to use personal devices for official work.

Enforce the Right to Disconnect: Officers must not be compelled to respond to calls, WhatsApp messages, or video calls beyond working hours, except in "rare and genuine emergency situations".

Union Pose a Direct Question to Management: "if an officer does not possess a smart phone, will he or she be denied entry into the office/branch to perform duties?"

The letter concludes with a strong warning that if appropriate corrective measures are not initiated without delay, the union "shall be compelled to advise officers to refrain from carrying smartphones in offices/branches and instead use only basic feature phones". Copies of the letter were also marked to all Regional Heads under the Bengaluru Zone, the General Manager-HRM, and the Social Media Cell.