The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has demanded that regular sanitisation of branch premises be carried out and more flexibility be allowed to staff in terms of work schedules.
Alarmed by the death of around 11 bank employees, the umbrella body has raised concerns about the safety standards at lenders’ branches.
The Union sent a letter to the Finance Ministry and several bank bodies, with a request to offer Rs 1000 daily allowance to help with the commute to work, and Rs 50 lakh insurance cover to all bank staff, on the same lines as healthcare workers.
Through its letter, UFBU also drew attention to the fact that bank employees and branches are facing numerous problems due to non-availability of transport facilities, reduced number of housekeeping staff to clean the premises and even lesser security staff.
Regular sanitisation and regulation of entry is very much required at the branches, for which adequate security personnel need to be assigned.
In addition, UFBU has demanded that the vulnerable sections of the workforce should be allowed to work from home, including the senior employees and women.
According to UFBU, all bank branches in centres such as Mumbai, Nasik, Ahmedabad and Pune should be allowed to follow 50 per cent attendance, alternate day attendance, flexi timings and work from home.
Highlighting the issue of transport, UFBU has further requested that bank employees be allowed to travel by state transport buses and transport facilities be arranged for them to travel to and from work by the banks. It has pointed out that without adequate measures of safety and security for the employees, it will be difficult for them to continue uninterrupted services in an already difficult region, such as the Mumbai Metropolitan area.
