KOCHI: Back in April, 38-year-old K Swapna, manager of the Thokkilangadi branch of Canara Bank in Kannur, was found hanging inside the bank. A suicide note by her stated that she took the extreme step unable to withstand the work pressure. It was a shocking revelation about stressful atmosphere prevailing inside the banking industry, where employees have to achieve difficult targets.
The suicide of widowed Swapna, which orphaned two kids, shed light on similar plights of many other employees, who were either forced to resign due to work pressure or became depressed. To help women in the banking sector, the Kerala Women’s Commission took a bold step by initiating a listening platform.
Officials from the commission said they received more than 50 emails within days after they opened the channel. The complaints include threats of transferring, lack of stipulated working hours, a work culture that forces them to man the counter for more hours during the pandemic, the officials said. Complaints are pouring in from Punjab National Bank, Catholic Syrian Bank, Canara Bank, and Union Bank of India, etc they added.
“We will collect the complaints for six months and then submit them to the state government with special directions,” said Jaimon A John, senior superintendent. Commission chairperson M C Josephine stated the panel would investigate and collect evidence against complaints of extended working hours. Bank timings are restricted to 2pm during the pandemic.
The commission promised to visit the banks and collect evidence as soon as a complaint is filed. Complaints can be sent to keralawomenscomission@yahoo.co.in