Union Bank faces flak for Rs 200 penalty on Navratri dress code violation; withdraws order

After the members of the All India Union Bank Employees Federation wrote to the Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank Raj Kiran Rai G, the Digitization department of the Central office of the back withdrew its official instruction that bound all employees to dress up as per a set colour code on all the nine days of Navratri. The employees, who failed to dress up as per the code were to be charged a sum of Rs. 200 as a fine, the official instruction stated. 

Central office of Union Bank of India sets colour code for Navratri

The official instruction stated, "On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, all staff members and vendor partners working on-site are requested to follow day-wise colour code", and listed- " Yellow will be worn on Thursday, October 7, green on Friday, October 8, Grey on Saturday, October 9, Orange on Sunday, October 10" and so on and so forth. Below the list, the bank stated that there will be a 'penalty of Rs 200 each for not adhering to the colours'.

Thereafter, the members of the All India Union Bank Employees Federation wrote to the Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank Raj Kiran Rai G. In the letter, the members outlined that their apprehensions about AR Raghavendra, General Manager of Digitization Department of the central office taking permission from the CEO as per the set protocols, and said, "Whether he was granted permission or not, we hereby lodge a strong protest against such wishful and dictatorial action of Raghavendra."

"Navaratri is a religious festival and that be observed and celebrated privately and not officially in a public sector bank that maintains high esteem towards the secular fabric of our society. Celebration of any festival is a voluntary phenomenon that has no room for any instruction/ coercion far to speak of penalty, " the members added in the letter, blaming the General manager for misusing power. The members also urged the CEO for fixing accountability on Raghavendra and taking appropriate action against him for using Bank's logo for 'fulfilling his personal desires'.

Bank withdraws order

Thereafter, the bank withdrew the order. In a new notification, the bank said, "This is with reference to letter Digitization: 132:2021 dated 01/10/2021, wherein on the occasion of Navaratri, the Dept has requested to follow color dress code from 7th to 15th (Excluding bank holidays)". The back added, "In this regard, we withdraw the above-referred letter with immediate effect."