We request a reference to the above cited circulars issued by your office on empanelment of M/s Phobos Gold Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore as a service provider who in turn will identify and engage good Appraiser at the branches as a corporate agent. As we could understand from the portion of the circular, the said service provider will be instrumental in appointing/engaging Gold Appraisers at the branches.
“The Corporate Gold Appraiser is instrumental in providing suitable appraiser in each and every branch, Pan India, as identified by Bank. This will not only help in ensuring sufficient availability of appraiser for all identified branches, but also ensure safety, uniformity in practices and reduced risk due to the availability of indemnity by the Corporate Gold Appraiser, for the losses occurred due to wrong appraisal/reappraisal of gold by its employee(s)/agent(s).”
While we are totally opposed to such a move, our concern is about the fate of existing appraisers who are with the bank for last several years and have been rendering services with commitment, loyalty and honesty. IT is not clarified whether the Service provider will allow the existing Appraisers to continue or replace them with new ones. Should the bank, through this new arrangement throw out the existing Appraisers and replace them with new ones we are to make it clear that we shall have to resist it. It is not fair for the bank to hit the people on whose services
Bank depended all along for effective and successful implementation of the Gold loan scheme all these years. It is not humane to forget their contribution and throw them to streets over night.
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While we are for all measures that would safeguard the interest of Bank and borrowers, we are however opposed to such measures that would result in loss of job and livelihood to anyone who has been serving the bank and instrumental in promoting the interest of the bank for several years. We are therefore compelled to demand withdrawal of the new arrangement and avoid any conflict.
We shall be thankful for your considered and urgent steps that would address our concerns as well as that of the existing appraisers. For your information such attempts/experiments in few other banks are also stalled due to the above said concerns and with the intervention of Unions like ours.
We also wish to add that we the representatives of AIUCBEF, the majority recognised trade union will be present in HO on 21st February for a meeting with HRM . We shall be thankful if you find it convenient to meet us to discuss the above matters in person.
Thanking you, Yours faithfully,
C. M. Patel General Secretary
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