Bob Unions Protest Mandate For Gartner

Bank of Baroda's decision to appoint the US-based Gartner Group to chalk out and implement the business strategy has run into rough weather with the trade unions opposing the mandate.

The unions are planning a day-long dharna at the zonal offices of the bank across the country on February 15. They are also drawing up plans to call a one-day strike.

Initially, Gartner was appointed only for providing advice for IT consultancy. Said All India Bank of Baroda officer's association general secretary, K K Nair, "When the bank appointed Gartner for providing IT consultancy, the trade unions supported. Subsequently, this mandate was widened to providing and implementing a business strategy. How can a US consultant advise an Indian bank on its business strategy?"

Nair added, "This is the first time the a US company is going to provide a strategy for a public sector bank in India. It does not have the expertise or any experience in advising a large public sector bank like Bank of Baroda. Also, the consultant is now asking for positions in the various decision making bodies in the bank. This whole proposal will entail a huge capital expenditure. And also, Gartner is not sure on the profit-level of the bank after restructuring."

He said the success of the strategy of Gartner is subject to various factors such as availability of management, rationalisation of urban / semi-urban branches etc.

All the employees have written letters to the chairman in this regard, Nair said.