EON Bank is closing 31 loan processing/collection centres nationwide and maintaining only 3 under its so called centralisation exercise.  This centralisation will disrupt and affect the livelihood of approximately 91 NUBE members. Obviously, centralisation and decentralisation has become a playful business tool for the bank. 

We emphasised on the need to redeploy them within the respective states or in a worst of scenario applying the industry practice i.e. the transfer sequence of single male, single female, married male and lastly married female.  We also emphasised on the payment of transfer allowance for the duration of the transfer to enable these members to find accommodation at the new location or be able to travel if it was possible.

In order to assist the bank, we also requested for the names of NUBE members subjected to transfer.  Unfortunately, the bank has unilaterally decided to proceed with its first transfer on 6-7-2009.  Eight (8) NUBE members, 7 married and a single parent will be transferred from Melaka to Johor approximately 224 km away.   This is despite our appeal to the bank and the availability of 15 single employees at 7 of its branches in Melaka.

In spite of the 8 families providing evidence of their undue hardship and cost factor which was verified and confirmed by the bank’s Branch Manager who visited their homes, the bank, knowing and ignoring their plights, arrogantly insist on the transfer.

Pretending to care, the bank is apparently providing hotel rooms costing RM50.00 per day in Johore Baru for a maximum period of 2 weeks.  One can imagine the condition of such hotels and its vicinity where the bank wants the 8 families to reside.   On the other hand, the bank has embarked on re-branding and renovating 147 of its branches in the country at an average cost of RM3Million per branch.

NUBE members lament the unfair transfer and victimisation.  They are now in a state of panic, dreadful over the sudden surge of cost that will befall them and worried about the disruption to their family lives. 

Obviously, this is an underhand tactic by the bank to force these members to resign, retrenchment in a subtle form. 

We have written to Bank Negara Malaysia and the Finance Minister on the conduct of such local employers who torment and abuse our very own Malaysians who contribute toward the profits of the bank and the economy of the country.   In the meantime, NUBE has given the bank a deadline till 5pm tomorrow to be humane and reconsider the transfer.

J Solomon

General Secretary