The union representing Wells Fargo employees released a statement Monday after a Wells Fargo employee died at her desk this summer and was found days after she clocked in.
“We are saddened and outraged by the devastating tragedy and loss of our coworker, Denise Prudhomme, who worked as a Business Execution Consultant in Corporate Banking in Tempe, Arizona,” read a statement by Wells Fargo Workers United.
Prudhomme, 60, was found dead at her desk on Tuesday Aug. 20, four days after clocking in at her Tempe office.
Tempe police reported that no foul play was suspected.
“Wells Fargo monitors our every move and keystroke using remote, electronic technologies – purportedly to evaluate our productivity – and will fire us if we are caught not making enough keystrokes on our computers; however, Denise went unnoticed at her desk for four days. The contradictory nature of electronic surveillance versus an unnoticed death sheds light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo,” the statement continued.
During the four days that Prudhomme was in the office, her key card showed no record of her leaving the building. No missing persons reports were initiated during that time, according to police.
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Sources that spoke with The Arizona Republic said that Prudhomme worked in a part of the building where people typically worked from home and the area was unpopulated.
“Denise was the only person on her team in Tempe. This may be one of the reasons why her desk was located in an underpopulated area in the building and nobody checked on her for four days,” the union’s statement read.
Security rarely checked between cubicles during their patrols, one source told The Republic.
The union detailed that Wells Fargo had been implementing mandatory return-to-office policies even though their teams or supervisors worked in other states forcing some employees to move to “hub cities.”
Wells Fargo released a statement reiterating its commitment to supporting employees and their families during difficult times.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we have been in touch to ensure they are well supported during this difficult time,” the statement read.
The union made four demands, citing a lack of communicating about Prudhomme’s death to employees and calling for improved transparency.
Wells Fargo policy required notifying the family before communicating the death to employees, and it took the police some time to complete the next-of-kin notification, according to the bank.
The death of Prudhomme also prompted a call for enhanced safety precautions that would alleviate stress for employees.
“The solution is not more monitoring, but ensuring that we are all connected to a supportive work environment instead of warehoused away in a back office,” the statement read.
The union also demanded that Wells Fargo reevaluate its arbitrary “hub city” relocation plan and its “return to office” policy.
“These plans and policies have only further damaged employee morale,” the statement read.
In Arizona, Wells Fargo has more than 13,00 employees and the company said being together in person is key to its success and building community.
“For any employees with specific concerns, we encourage them to continually share their feedback, as this helps us build a stronger company,” a company statement read.
This story was updated to add new information.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Union gives statement on death of Wells Fargo worker Denise Prudhomme
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