Page 240 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

bread and butter. Some of them got their side businesses adversely
affected due to strict punctuality and attendance norms.

Such vested interests used to try to set traps like offering money through
some planted "would be borrowers" and threatening serious
consequences if reforms at the branch were not stopped. They could not
trap him as he was clean and non-corrupt, enjoyed wider support of
officers, Managers and HoDs and was backed by Head Office for his right
initiatives.

One day, HoDs were in a meeting with the Chief. Three staff members
belonging to a section of employees entered the cabin and handed him
a letter seeking permission to hold a meeting of their union members
next day in the evening at the branch premises. He declined the
permission stating that no meetings were being allowed at the branch
premises by any group of employees in view of security issues. They left
the room fuming on his decision, leaving the application letter on his
table.

The next day, they wrote a complaint to the head Office stating that the
Chief head not only denied them just permission to hold meeting after
working hours at branch premises but also had threatened to dismiss us
if we held the meeting. I happened to have a look at the letter they gave
for permission. I found that at the end of the notice there was a post
script reading as under:

PS: Comrades are requested not to come drunk while coming to the
meeting.

He shared this letter with the Head Office. The matter went up to
Chairman of the bank. Staff Union pressed him to take action against the
Chief. But knowing the reality from the report of branch and independent
enquiries through other staff and officers, the Chairman did not proceed
against the Chief. The Staff union threatened to go on strike if the Chief

A Banker down the Rabbit Hole | 237