New Delhi, April 3 The Punjab National Bank Officers' Union has written to the bank's managing director to reconsider the mass transfer of officers in Scale IV and above, arguing that such a large-scale relocation would negatively impact the performance of the country's second-largest public sector lender.
In a letter to the bank's MD and CEO, Ashok Chandra, the All India Punjab National Bank Officers' Association stated that 1,142 officers in Scale IV, nearly one-fourth of the bank's workforce, have been given transfer orders, causing significant disruption.
The management has arbitrarily ordered the transfer of a large number of officers of the chief manager rank, disregarding established policies, the letter added, characterizing the move as an act of "revenge" rather than a policy for growth.
"There have been instances where certain officers have repeatedly applied for transfers to other zones over the past 2 to 5 years, but their requests were not approved. Now, these officers have been arbitrarily transferred to other zones," said Dilip Saha, general secretary of the All India Punjab National Bank Officers' Association.
The union also expressed concern over the treatment of female officers who were already working in zones outside their home locations. They argued that these officers could have been posted in different zones where their spouses and families resided, which would have achieved the same purpose of rotation.
The union also pointed out cases where officers nearing retirement (3 to 1 year remaining) were transferred to the farthest zones, and even current transfer requests were ignored.
In light of the above, the union requested that the current "strict and vindictive approach" be avoided, and that a balanced and humane policy be implemented, with a minimum tenure of at least 6 years in a particular circle or zone.
The union also raised concerns about the bank's performance evaluation system, which they described as flawed.
"This issue is not only about the transfer policy, but also about fairness, transparency, and the morale of officers. We are confident that under your leadership, a fair and balanced decision will be made in the best interest of the organization and its officers, even if it takes a few more days," the letter concluded.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has approximately 1 lakh employees. Of these, around 4,000 are in Scale IV.