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Dismissals of service managers at Santander provoked a union reaction in different regions of the country and increased demands on the bank amid the preparation of the 2026 bank workers’ salary campaign, with requests for formal explanations, suspension of dismissals, and prior negotiation.
Santander has been pressured by union entities following reports of dismissals of Retail Service Managers in different regions of the country, in a movement that mainly affected workers linked to the position of Service Specialist.
In light of the information received, the Santander Employees’ Organization Committee requested the immediate suspension of dismissals and asked for formal explanations from the bank’s management about the scope of the measure.
The reaction occurred after the workers’ representation received reports about dismissals carried out on June 2, 2026, according to statements released by entities related to the banking category.
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According to Fetec-CUT/SP, the cuts were recorded in different locations and began to be treated by the entity as a national issue, as they involved employees of a financial institution operating in various regions of Brazil.
Demand for suspension of dismissals at Santander
In a statement sent to the bank’s management on June 3, 2026, the COE Santander demanded the interruption of the process and the opening of dialogue with the workers’ representatives.
In the same document, the entity requested clarifications about the situation of the affected employees and any potential reorganization of positions in the branch network.
For the unions, the main point of contention is the lack of prior negotiation before the dismissals.
Employee representatives state that the issue had already been brought to the bank in May 2026, when rumors emerged about the possible elimination of the Service Specialist position.
In the meeting mentioned by the entities, according to the union’s account, Santander’s negotiator allegedly denied the existence of a process to eliminate the position.
Still according to Fetec-CUT/SP, the response given at the time indicated that any movements would be isolated, a version that began to be questioned after reports of dismissals in different locations.
Customer Service Specialist Position was Already Monitored by Unions
The role of Customer Service Specialist had been monitored by employee representation due to doubts about its permanence within the branches.
This position is linked to the routine of retail banking, an area that focuses on customer service, execution of internal procedures, and support for operational demands in the units.
With the communication of dismissals, unions began to question whether the layoffs are part of a structural change in the network or if they correspond to isolated decisions.
Until the disclosure of the consulted union statements, no formal public position from Santander detailing the reasons for the cuts or the scope of the process had been found.
In a statement released by Fetec-CUT/SP, the coordinator of COE Santander, Ana Marta Lima, stated that the bank needs to clarify what is happening and suspend the dismissals.
The leader also related the demand to the understanding of the Supreme Federal Court on union participation in collective dismissals.
STF’s Understanding of Collective Dismissal Enters the Debate
The Supreme Federal Court established, in General Repercussion Theme 638, that prior union intervention is an indispensable procedural requirement for mass dismissals.
This understanding does not establish the need for union authorization nor obliges the signing of a collective agreement for the implementation of the dismissals.
The thesis began to be cited by worker entities in discussions about cuts affecting groups of employees in different units or locations.
In the case of Santander, unions claim that reports of dismissals in various regions require transparency and negotiation with the representation of bank employees.
The demand includes requests for information on criteria, impact on units, and any permanent change in the design of functions, in addition to contesting the communicated dismissals.
The discussion takes place on the eve of the 2026 National Bank Workers’ Campaign, a period when workers and banks usually negotiate demands related to employment, remuneration, working conditions, and collective bargaining.
For the category entities, dismissals carried out during this period make the topic part of the national mobilization agenda of bank workers.
Impact of Dismissals in Bank Branches
Union entities claim that changes in customer service positions can affect the dismissed professionals and also employees who remain in the units.
Among the concerns cited by the workers’ representatives are the redistribution of tasks, the increase in demand, and the reorganization of teams in agencies undergoing changes in the service model.
In the banking sector, changes in the physical network often interfere with the work routine, as the agencies focus on commercial targets, in-person service, customer support, and the use of internal systems.
For this reason, according to unions, any change in front-line functions should be discussed with employee representations.
Fetec-CUT/SP also related the episode to the broader context of restructuring at the bank.
In May 2026, the São Paulo Bank Workers Union cited data from Santander’s financial statements according to which the institution closed 575 units between branches and service points in 2025, in addition to 63 units in the first quarter of 2026.
The numbers were used by the union entities to reinforce the demand for information about the future of the network and jobs at the bank.
Despite this context, the communications about the Service Managers remain focused on the suspension of dismissals, formal explanation of the layoffs, and respect for dialogue with worker representation.
Union pressure for formal response from the bank
Until the disclosure of the consulted union demonstrations, COE Santander awaited a formal response from the financial institution.
The entity stated that it will continue to monitor the cases and take measures to defend jobs, collective bargaining, and the rights of workers affected by the layoffs.
The demand on Santander occurs because the institution has a national presence and operates in different segments of the Brazilian financial market.
When internal decisions involve service employees in various regions, the issue becomes part of the agenda of the category’s union entities, especially during the salary campaign period.
The main point of divergence pointed out by the unions is the information attributed to the bank in a previous meeting, where the extinction of the position was allegedly denied, and the subsequent reports of layoffs on a national scale.
For the entities, this sequence requires an objective clarification about the extent of the measure and the future of the function in the agencies.
The category should follow the next developments based on Santander’s responses and the actions of the union entities.
For the affected workers, the central demand remains focused on transparency, prior negotiation when applicable, and guarantee of rights during the layoff process.
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