New Delhi, August 24
The banking services across the country were affected today as bank employees went on a day-long strike demanding an early decision on wage revision.
While the bank employee unions have demanded a 16 per cent hike in their salaries, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the umbrella organisation representing the management of all public sector banks in the country, has reportedly agreed to offer a 9.5 per cent rise in the salaries.
The strike call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions said the employees would intensify their agitation if their demands were not met.
All the major bank employee unions-AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, INBEA, NOBW, NOBO, BEFI-affiliated to various political parties are scheduled to meet tomorrow in Mumbai to decide on the future course of action.
The representatives of the unions claimed that banking operations worth Rs 50,000 were hit as a result of he strike. Over 10 lakh public sector bank employees observed the strike, they added.
General secretary of AITUC and Member of the Lok Sabha Gurudas Dasgupta said the issue would be taken up with the government.
The banks’ unions have asserted that the financial condition of the banks has improved considerably during the last few years. The representatives of bank unions said the last salary revision came with the introduction of extended working hours, thus, increasing the workload of bank employees as the customers were attended till 4 p.m.
Moreover, due to VRS, workload on the remaining staff had increased considerably, they added.
Meanwhile, thousands of bank employees in Chandigarh assembled at the LHO compound of
State Bank of India and took a rally to the Bank Square.
The rally was addressed by the representatives of various bank Unions. They condemned the attitude of the IBA and government regarding the wage revision, said Mr Amar Pal, convener of the Chandigarh unit of United Forum of Bank Unions.
In Maharashtra, banking transactions were hampered as an estimated one lakh bank employees, including officers, today joined the nation-wide strike to protest against the “anti-labour attitude” of the Indian Banks Association over the demand for the revision of wages.
The strike also had an impact on the foreign exchange market and money market. The inter-bank clearing of cheques was affected due to the non-participation of the member banks despite the normal working of the RBI and clearing houses.
West Bengal was no different as the banking services in the state came to grinding halt following the nation-wide strike observed by the bank employees.
CHANDIGARH: Thousands of employees of all banks at Chandigarh assembled
in the SBI, LHO, compound and took a rally to the Bank Square. The rally was addressed by the senior representatives of the unions. They condemned the attitude of the IBA and silence of the government regarding their salary revision, according to Mr Amar Pal, convener of the United Forum of Bank Unions, Chandigarh unit.
