EON Bank is closing 31 loan processing/collection centres nationwide and maintaining only three 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 emphasise on the need to redeploy them within their respective states or in a worst-case scenario, apply the standard industry practice of transferring single males first followed by single female, then married males and lastly married female.

We also emphasise on the payment of transfer allowances for the duration of the transfer to enable these members to find accommodation at the new location or be able to travel there.

In order to assist the bank, we also requested for the names of Nube members subjected to transfer. Unfortunately, the bank unilaterally decided to proceed with its first transfers effective July 6.

Eight Nube members, seven married and one single parent will be transferred from Melaka to Johor approximately 224 km away.

This despite our appeal to the bank and the availability of 15 single employees at seven of its branches in Melaka.

In spite of the eight families providing evidence of their undue hardship and cost factor which were verified and confirmed by the bank’s branch manager who visited their homes, the bank, ignored their plight and arrogantly insisted on the transfer.

Only pretending to care, the bank is apparently providing hotel rooms costing RM50 per day in Johor Baru for a maximum period of two weeks. One can imagine the condition of such hotels and their vicinity. And the bank wants the eight families to reside there.

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 RM3 million per branch.

Nube members lament the unfair transfer and victimisation. They are now in a state of panic, dreading the sudden surge of costs that will befall them and 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 towards the profits of and the economy of the country.

In the meantime, Nube has given the bank a deadline till 5pm tomorrow to be more humane and reconsider the transfer.

The writer is general-secretary, National Union of Bank Employees (Nube).