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Internal Movement at Itaú Reignites Debate on Layoffs, Goals, and Use of Technology in the Banking Sector, Amid Billion-Dollar Financial Results and Reports of Increasing Pressure in the Work Environment.
Itaú Unibanco began 2026 with a reported increase in layoffs by workers across different areas of the bank, both in administrative hubs and in the branch network.
In light of the complaints received, the Union of Bank Workers demanded a formal explanation from the institution regarding the layoff movement and called for an end to the cuts.
According to the union, the concern grew because the dismissals occurred at the beginning of the year, a time when employees report insecurity about job retention and internal organizational changes.
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The entity also states that the scenario increases tension in teams subjected to productivity goals and recurring pressure.
According to the Itaú’s Union Relations department, the justification presented to the union movement associates the layoffs with restructuring, workforce reduction for efficiency, and dismissals due to low performance.
The bank, according to the union’s report, maintains that this is a process linked to structural adjustments and individual results.
Financial Results Enter the Center of the Union Challenge
The union’s demand occurs in a context where Itaú reported high profits in 2025, used by the entity as a central argument against the layoffs.
Union investigations based on the bank’s financial statements indicated managerial net income of R$ 34.5 billion in the first nine months of 2025, with an increase of 13.1% compared to the same period the previous year.
In parallel, reports on Itaú’s performance in the third quarter of 2025 also highlighted recurring profit of R$ 11.9 billion in that period.
The divergence, for the union, lies in the fact that the bank indicates “efficiency” and “low performance” as justifications for layoffs while presenting significant results.
For the entity, the numbers reinforce that the construction of profit depends on the daily work of teams, including those in administrative and service areas.
In a statement attributed to union leader Sergio Francisco, coordinator of the Employee Organization Commission of Itaú in the state of São Paulo, the entity challenged the bank’s arguments and demanded a change of conduct.
“Nothing justifies these layoffs, which intensified at the beginning of the year. Itaú has astronomical profits.”
The leader also mentioned, in the same speech, concerns about the use of technology and potential cuts associated with this process.
“Moreover, we know about the advancement of artificial intelligence in the bank and we condemn any workforce reductions resulting from it.”
Pressure for Goals and Reports of a Dysfunctional Work Environment
Reports of pressure for goals are at the center of the union’s criticism, which describes a routine marked by intense demands and fear of punishments.
The entity claims that layoffs, combined with abusive goals, directly affect the health and emotional stability of those who remain.
According to the union, the increase in cuts reinforces the perception of constant risk among workers who continue in the bank.
This perspective was reinforced by leader Maikon Azzi, a bank worker at Itaú, who defended that the bank stop the layoffs and reconsider its work management approach.
“We demand that Itaú stop the layoffs and respect the bank workers, who already face absurd pressure to meet abusive goals.”
Subsequently, he linked the cuts movement to a collective impact.
“The increase in the number of layoffs, besides taking away jobs and income from those dismissed, intensifies the atmosphere of insecurity among the workers who remain at Itaú.”
In the union’s assessment, the combination of frequent layoffs and abusive goals creates an extremely unhealthy work environment.
The entity argues that the threat of dismissal is compounded by increased demands for performance.
As a result, there would be an acceleration of the work pace and increased pressure in areas that already operate with reduced teams.
Artificial Intelligence Increases Tension Over Restructurings
The discussion about artificial intelligence and automation also emerges as one of the axes of conflict between the bank and the workers’ representation.
The union argues that the adoption of AI tools in the banking sector needs clear rules and greater transparency.
According to the entity, the use of these technologies can directly interfere in work organization, performance evaluation, and job retention.
The topic had already been addressed in discussions and meetings between the union and the bank throughout 2025.
In these discussions, the entity claims to have requested regulation of technology use and guarantees related to health in the work environment.
For the union, restructurings associated with digitization and automation cannot result in indiscriminate cuts or the transfer of pressure to smaller teams.
On the other hand, the justification provided by Itaú to the entity mentions efficiency and restructuring as reasons for workforce reduction.
So far, according to the union itself, no public details have been presented regarding the extent of the layoffs.
Lack of Public Data on the Scope of Layoffs
Although the union reports an increase in the volume of layoffs, there has been no release of an official layoff count for the beginning of 2026.
There have also been no numbers presented on which areas may have been most affected or whether the movement occurs uniformly across the country.
Likewise, there is no public information on any internal programs that may have preceded the dismissals.
In practice, the union’s demand focuses on two central points.
The first is the cessation of what the entity classifies as the intensification of layoffs at the beginning of the year.
The second is the presentation of justifications that align with the bank’s financial performance and commitments to respecting working conditions.
Meanwhile, the version reported by Itaú to the union continues to focus on restructuring and individual performance.
Without a detailed public statement from the bank, the controversy remains in the contrast between billion-dollar profits, technological advancement, and the impact felt by workers in their daily lives at the branches and administrative areas.
With the pressure for goals and automation at the center of the debate, what kind of concrete commitment can workers and the bank establish to reduce insecurity and preserve work conditions without increasing cuts?
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