A majority of banking transactions across India were hit on Friday as some one million staff struck work to protest proposals to divest government stake in state-run institutions, apart from demanding a host of welfare schemes.
"Nearly one million bank employees in state run, private sector as well as foreign banks have struck work today (Friday). The nationwide response for the strike call is good," the convener of the United Forum of Bank Unions, C.H. Venkatachalam, told IANS in Chennai.
"Cheque clearing operations have also been impacted," said the senior office bearer of the forum, which is an umbrella body representing nine unions in the banking industry, but admitted that some private banks were functioning.
"ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank are functioning. We do not have a presence in them," he added. "We find that the government's equity capital in public sector banks is being diluted and reduced and consequently the private capital in our public sector banks is increasing," said Harvinder Singh of the All India Bank Officers' Confederation.
"We demand that public sector banks should not be privatised and government's equity capital in our banks should not be reduced. Do not avail World Bank loan to capitalise public sector banks."
Other demands include no merger of state-run banks, no outsourcing of permanent banking jobs to private sector, resumption of recruitment in right earnest, give jobs to family members on compassionate grounds and frame guidelines for housing, car and other loans. The union officials said they will meet Aug 10 in Bangalore to decide on the next course of action.
Source: IANS
2 comments :
strike is a success but are the issues for the strike will be served?
Dear Nisachar,
I am not aware whether you have participated in the strike or not and also about the number of years of service you have put in.After serving in banking industry for more than 32 years,and after participating in each and every strike call given by unions, I would like to inform you as under:-
01. Except in few banks there are multiple unions in some banks resulting in ineffectiveness of strike calls though they are part of UFBU.
02. Some staff members are not participating in strikes
wholeheartedly due to various reasons such as frustration, anger, disappointment etc.
03. Some union leaders are more interested in achieving name game than the interest of ordinary members.
04.In some banks members are happy to participate in strikes especially ladies since they are forced to work throughout the month without any break and rest for 12 to 15 hours per day.
05.Some members like to utilize their leave during strike times.
If and when all these and many more points are addressed to properly by unions and members, definitely UFBU will be able to get all issues resolved.
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