Bank unions have warned to intensify their agitation if Indian Bank's Association-IBA and the government does not come forward to resolve their pending issues
United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella organisation of five employee unions and four officer unions of state-run banks in the country, has called its two days strike as 'total success'.
About 10 lakh bank employees from nine unions, All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation Of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation Of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), National Organisation Of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation Of Bank Officers (NOBO) participated in the 48-hour strike between 10-11 February.
"The strike was called to demand immediate wage revision for bank employees and officers and to protest against retrograde banking sector reforms like privatisation of public sector banks, granting licence to corporate houses to start their own banks, encouraging foreign banks to take over our banks and siphoning out huge amounts through write off of bad loans of corporate defaulters," said CH Venkatachalam, general secretary, AIBEA in a statement.
Commenting on finance minister P Chidambaram's statement that entire profits of banks cannot be utilised for enhancing wages of employees, Mr Venkatachalam said, "That is not our demand also. We are only asking for a reasonable increase in wages that too when banks are making good profits."
Reiterating that bank employee unions are ready to resolve the issues by discussions, he said, "UFBU is always open to resolve the demands by discussions and negotiations but Indian Bank's Association (IBA) and the government should also be forthcoming. If the same negative attitude will continue, we will be left with no alternative than to further intensify the agitation. UFBU will be meeting shortly for this purpose."
Inside story of the National Stock Exchange’s amazing success, leading to hubris, regulatory capture and algo scam
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
1-year online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
30-day online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.
Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
Complete access to Moneylife archives since inception ( till the date of your subscription )