tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Monday, January 4, 1999
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Bank strike on January 12
MADURAI, Jan 3 (PTI) — General Secretary of the All India Bank Employees Association Tarakeswar Chakraborti today said all the bank unions had decided to go on a one-day token strike on January 12 to press their demand for a wage hike by 20 per cent. He told reporters here that while the employees’ associations demanded 20 per cent hike in wages, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) offered only eight per cent. This was far below what was offered during the earlier wage revision, which was 13.2 per cent, he said, adding that the last wage settlement expired in October 1997 and a wage revision was long overdue. The demands of the bank employees, among others, are that privatisation should not be allowed and all employees should be given job security.

Dilip Kumar
MUMBAI, Jan 3 (PTI) — The condition of noted thespian Dilip Kumar, who had undergone a bypass surgery at a private hospital in the suburban Bandra area here on Friday last, was stated to be 'stable'. A cardiologist, Dr Ashwin Mehta of Leelavati Hospital, where Kumar had been admitted, said the actor had a cup of tea this morning after a long restful night.

13 die in mishaps
HYDERABAD, Jan 3 (UNI) — Thirteen persons were killed and five injured in two road accidents in Andhra Pradesh late last night. The police said today that nine persons were drowned when their jeep fell into a road side well near Japtisivanur village in Medak district last night. In the other mishap, four persons were killed near Chinnaharivaram village in Kurnool district.

Rebels jailed
BEIJING, Jan 3 (AFP) — Two Shanghai activists involved with the outlawed China Democracy Party (CDP) have been jailed for nine months for suspected involvement with prostitutes, dissident sources said today. The families of Han Lifa, 37, and Cai Guihua, 40, were both informed recently that the pair — who disappeared within a week of each other in October — will be held in detention until July, Hong Kong-based Information Centre of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China said.

RRBs' staff stir on Jan 11
NEW DELHI, Jan 3 (PTI) — More than 70,000 officers and employees of regional rural banks-(RRBs) have threatened to go on a countrywide strike on January 11 in support of their charter of demands. The employees would stage a demonstration on January 7 in response to the call given by the All-India Gramin Bank Officers Organisation and All-India Gramin Bank Workers Organisation in protest against the 'indifferent' attitude of the Central Government towards their demands. Though the sixth bipartite wage revision settlement has been implemented in the banking industry with effect from November, 1992, it has not been implemented in RRBs.