Chennai, Jan 1 (IANS): A total of 26 employees of Japan's MUFG Bank in India who have put in two-three decades of service with the bank were terminated on December 29 without any reason, said two bankers who had lost their jobs.

"Some employees - like us - were terminated over phone. Owing to Covid-19, employees attend office in a planned manner. Some employees who were in the office were escorted out with the help of bouncers," H.S. Chaudhary, General Secretary and Virender Singh, Vice President of All India MUFG Employees' Association told IANS over phone from Delhi.

"The bouncers had even forcibly snatched the identity cards from the necks of some employees," Singh added.

The two bankers said those who were dismissed include eight workmen and 18 officers. The dismissed officials would be in the age group of late 40s and 50s, and also included women.

"The bouncers were there at the Delhi branch on Friday as well," Singh added.

According to the employees, those bankers who were in the office and were dismissed were not allowed to collect their personal belongings - including medical reports - and were curtly told that these would be couriered to them.

It is not that the bank has been making losses or in the process of downsizing.

"The bank has been hiring in Mumbai. The management did not give the option to the dismissed employees to get a transfer to Mumbai," Chaudhury said.

The MUFG Bank has about 400 employees in India. It has five branches - one each in New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Rajasthan's Neemrana.

Contacted for a response, Cherry Singh, Head, Human Resource at the bank's Delhi branch, declined to comment.

"Earlier this Bank was Bank of Tokyo-Mitshibishi and now, after its takeover, it is called MUFG Bank. Twenty years bank, Bank of Tokyo suddenly closed its Kolkata Branch overnight without any notice," All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam told IANS.

"All rules, laws and norms have been thrown to the wind and the bank is terminating permanent employees in this brazen manner just like throwing tissue paper in the dustbin in the washroom," he said.

Venkatachalam said AIBEA members have been asked to express their condemnation and strong protest against the illegal termination of the employees by writing to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.