You are not unaware of the increasing instances of attacks and manhandling of
bank staff in various places and within the Branch premises now and then by
bank borrowers, other customers and general banking public, etc. Such
attacks happen unabated and every time the bank staff are the victims for no
reason. Bank employees and officers are already working under a lot of stress
on account of acute shortage of staff in many branches and various other
reasons. Such attacks on the bank staff are adding fuel to fire.
We may be permitted to point out that employees and officers are working in
the Banks to earn their living and not to get attacked and beaten by unruly
customers. It is not only physical attacks that are a matter of concern, but
more often, we also get complaints from our members that customers use
very abusive and foul language against the counter staff including lady
employees. No customer, however valuable he or she may be, has any right to
attack or abuse the bank staff.
Even if customers have any genuine grievance against any bank staff, they have
various options to escalate their complaints to the management, RBI, etc. and
there are guidelines to deal with such complaints. Bank staff are bound to be
courteous to the customers in extending services to them but it does not mean
that bank staff are servants of the customers. The general attitude of top
managements of the Banks that ‘Customer is always right’ also encourages
them to cross their limits and misbehave with the bank staff.
Whenever such incidents happen, only after a lot of hue and cry by the bank
staff, complaints are made to the Police authorities. Many times
managements are reluctant to advice the Branches to file police complaints
against such customers because “Bank’s name will be spoiled “ !
All these have been having a very adverse and demoralising effect on the bank
staff at large. There is an impression amongst staff that managements are
more concerned about impaired loans assets than about the human assets.
We strongly feel that IBA should discuss these issues exclusively at their level
and issue necessary guidelines to deal with such situations and instances.
In this regard, we strongly feel that the managements should take the
following measures to deal with such instances of attacks on bank staff.
- Issue detailed SOP to Branches to deal with such situations.
- Branches should be authorised to immediately file complaints/FIR with
the policies authorities. - Ensure that all the Branches have CCTV facility with more number of
cameras from different spots to capture such instances in greater
detail. - Adequate security staff to be provided in all the Branches.
- The accounts of such customers should be immediately black-listed
and their accounts should be closed forthwith. No Bank should open
their account for atleast another 3 years. - A provision to be added in Bipartite Settlement to enable employees to
make complaints to the management about any attacks or misbehavior
by customers and seeking remedy.
We also feel that the issue should be discussed with the United Forum of Bank
Unions with further details.
