The growing anxiety at Agricultural Development Bank PLC is fast moving towards a point where it could explode into a full-blown public spectacle, as workers grapple with uncertainty over a planned staff rationalisation exercise expected to take place in the final quarter of 2026.
What has particularly intensified concerns among workers is the absence of details on who could be affected, although insiders say about 400 employees could lose their jobs under the planned rationalisation exercise.
The notification does not identify specific employees, positions, departments or the termination arrangements that could apply, leaving many workers to speculate about their future and that of their colleagues.
Against this backdrop, the Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) Local Union (LU) has stepped in to calm the situation, urging staff to remain united, professional and disciplined while it engages Management and other stakeholders over the proposed exercise.
Management serves formal rationalisation notice
According to the PMSU/LU, Management formally notified its mother union, the Union of Industry, Commerce & Finance Workers (UNICOF), of its intention to rationalise the workforce in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The notice was dated August 24, 2026 and served on UNICOF on August 28, 2026, pursuant to Section 65(1) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) and relevant provisions of the Collective Agreement.
Management has explained that the proposed exercise follows a review of the Bank’s organisational structure and workforce requirements.
It says the exercise is intended to improve operational efficiency, optimise growth opportunities, align the workforce with evolving business needs and respond to regulatory and sustainability considerations.
Implementation, Management indicated, is expected to take place between October and December 2026.
However, the broad nature of the notification has left staff with unanswered questions over the scale and scope of the proposed rationalisation.
Workers face uncertainty
For employees, the prospect of a rationalisation exercise is understandably unsettling, particularly in the absence of clear information on which areas of the Bank could be affected.
The PMSU/LU acknowledged that the development had created anxiety among staff and their families, but cautioned employees against allowing fear, rumours and speculation to dictate their response.
It stressed that the notification currently represents a formal statement of Management’s intention and does not, at this stage, constitute a declaration of which employees will lose their jobs.
The Union therefore urged workers to continue performing their duties diligently while the consultation process unfolds.
It also warned staff against circulating unverified information, engaging in unnecessary confrontation or making premature decisions based on rumours.
Union demands clarity
The Union said it would use the consultation process to seek comprehensive information about the rationale and business case underpinning the planned rationalisation.
It intends to engage Management, the Board and other relevant decision-makers on the organisational and workforce assessment that informed the proposal.
Among the issues it wants addressed are the criteria that would be used to determine surplus positions, the evidence supporting those decisions and whether alternative measures could significantly reduce job losses.
The PMSU/LU said it would not limit its engagement to determining which employees might leave the Bank.
Instead, it would push for alternatives that could preserve jobs and valuable institutional knowledge, including redeployment, reassignment, retraining, reskilling and natural attrition, where appropriate.
‘Job losses must not be automatic’
The Union said where positions were eventually determined to be surplus, it would insist that the process be based on objective and transparent criteria.
It also demanded procedural fairness, respect for workers’ rights and dignity, and appropriate arrangements for affected employees in accordance with the law and the Collective Agreement.
The Union said it would also advocate for measures capable of retaining critical skills, experience and institutional knowledge needed to keep ADB competitive and resilient.
Its position is that the interests of employees and the long-term sustainability of the Bank should not be treated as competing objectives.
“These objectives are not mutually exclusive; a fair and prudent process must recognise both the legitimate interests of employees and the institutional interest of the Bank,” the Union said.
Bank’s stability also at stake
The PMSU/LU stressed that the future of ADB extends beyond its employees. It said the Bank’s stability matters to customers, depositors, shareholders, the Government and the wider economy, making it necessary for all parties to approach the rationalisation process responsibly.
The Union therefore said its strategy would be constructive rather than confrontational, while maintaining that constructive engagement would not mean compromising the legitimate rights and interests of workers.
It said its overriding responsibility was to safeguard the rights, welfare, dignity and reasonable job security of its members while contributing to measures that strengthen ADB as a viable and sustainable financial institution.
Union asks staff to remain calm
With anxiety mounting, the Union has appealed to workers to give its leadership the necessary6 space to engage Management and other relevant stakeholders.
It assured members that it would obtain and scrutinise the information required to assess the proposal, test the issues against applicable laws and the Collective Agreement, explore credible alternatives and advocate for what it described as fair, sustainable and prudent outcomes.
The Union said it would neither rush to conclusions before the facts were established nor allow anxiety and speculation to determine its response.
It also promised to keep staff appropriately informed as consultations progressed, particularly on material developments and outcomes.
That, it said, would allow workers to rely on verified information rather than rumours when making decisions about their employment and future.
‘Remain calm, united and professional’
The Union further appealed to employees to avoid any conduct that could unnecessarily undermine the Bank, individual workers or the ongoing engagement process.
It said the current situation required unity, discipline and responsible leadership from all sides.
“Remain calm, remain united, remain professional,” the Union urged staff.
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The intervention comes at a critical point for ADB, as employees await further clarification on the proposed workforce changes and the consultation process between Management and organised labour.
For now, the absence of names, positions and departments affected means that the precise scale of the proposed job rationalisation remains unclear.
But with the October-December implementation window approaching, pressure is likely to mount on Management and the unions to provide greater clarity and ensure that the process does not allow uncertainty among workers to develop into a wider institutional crisis.
