Bankers protest at Fountain Chowk

On the call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a massive protest demonstration was organised by UFBU Ludhiana outside a branch of the State Bank of India at Fountain Chowk this evening.

Naresh Gaur, convenor, UFBU, while addressing the protesters, said they were continuing their agitation as per the schedule given by the UFBU and that they would keep the agitation going until their demands were met. He said they would hold a two-day continuous strike (for 48 hours) on March 24 and 25, finally. The demands being raised by the protesters include adequate recruitment in all cadres, regularising of all temporary employees, implementation of a five-day work week in the industry, provision for the immediate withdrawal of recent DFS directives on performance review, which threaten job security, create division and discrimination amongst employees and officers, safety of bank officers/staff against assault/ abuse by public, filling up the posts of workmen/officer directors in PSBs, resolution of residual issues pending with IBA, amends in the Gratuity Act to increase the ceiling to Rs 25 lakh on the lines of scheme for government employees, along with exemption from income tax.

The employees asked the government not to recover income tax on staff welfare benefits given to employees and officers on concessional terms and that managements should bear the same. The employees also asked the government to maintain a minimum of 51 per cent of equity capital in IDBI Bank.

The demonstration was addressed by Gaur, Pawan Thakur, president, Punjab Bank Employees’ Federation (PBEF, AIBEA) Ludhiana, Rajesh Verma, PBEF, AIBEA, Narinder Kumar, Kulwinder Lohat from AIBOC, Vinay Dogra, Pawan Suman from NCBE, Gurmeet Singh and Chiranjeev Joshi from AIBOA and Rohit Kapoor from INBOC.