Aryavart Bankers' Transfer Issue: Management Altered Meeting Minutes Ignite Outrage

The Joint Forum of Aryavart Bank Officers’ Unions/Associations (JFOABUA) has voiced its strong objections to the abrupt changes made by the management in the minutes of a meeting held on July 9, 2024, after a massive protest by the bankers against controversial transfer orders by the bank management. The forum considers these changes a betrayal and is preparing for another round of protests.

In their letter to the Chairman of Aryavart Bank on July 13 2024, the Joint Forum highlighted twenty specific points where the agreed-upon decisions were altered in the final minutes. These discrepancies have caused significant unrest among the bank employees. Here are the few points of contention as per the letter of the Joint Forum:

1. Transfer: Decisions regarding transfer protocols were altered, causing confusion and dissatisfaction among staff. Although there was an assurance that pending transfer requests would be addressed, this commitment was omitted from the final minutes.
2. Women Employees Transfer: Concerns regarding the adverse transfer of women employees were discussed during the meeting, but these concerns were not reflected in the official minutes.
3. Extended Work Hour: The decision that employees would not be forced to work in the field before and after designated official hours was discussed, yet it is missing from the minutes.
4. Live Location and Photos: A commitment was made that employees on field assignments would not be required to share their Google location or photos, but this was not included in the meeting minutes.

Image: Letter of the Joint Forum to the Bank Chairman citing discrepancies in minutes of the meeting

The Joint Forum considers these omissions and changes as a serious breach of trust. One of the members of JFOABUA told Kanal, “The bank management agreed-upon measures which were critical to addressing the grievances of the bank’s employees, and their absence in the final minutes is a deliberate attempt to undermine the employees’ interests. This would be countered with protests.”

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Expression of Discontent

The week following the conciliation meeting began with a clear expression of discontent from the bank’s employees. Many bankers were seen wearing black armbands as a symbol of resistance. An anonymous employee shared with Kanal, “We wore black armbands on Monday to protest the management’s double speak on reversing the transfer order and to indicate that a bigger protest is in the making.”

Image: Aryavart Bank employees wearing black bands on their forearm

According to the letter of JFOABUA, the black armband protest is scheduled from July 15 to July 20. This will be followed by employees quitting the bank's WhatsApp groups on July 20. On July 22, 2024, the Joint Forum planned a major protest at the bank’s headquarters in Lucknow. If their demands are not met, the protest will continue.

 The forum has raised concerns about discrepancies in the meeting minutes following the previous protest and has issued a set of “Do’s and Don'ts” for employees. These directives include not offering or processing new loans, refraining from promoting and selling financial products (such as Third Party Products), and not attending meetings beyond working hours.

Image: Do’s and Don’ts laid down by the Joint Forum

 The unrest within Aryavart Bank highlights the ongoing challenges faced by regional rural banks in India, where employees' concerns about promotions, transfers, security, and working conditions are often neglected. Amid unfulfilled promises, JFOABUA has embarked on another agitation through a series of acts of resistance.