Five bank employees unions have called for a countrywide strike on January 8 to protest against the government’s labour policies and a proposed merger of ten state-run banks. Several PSU banks, including State Bank of India, Syndicate Bank and Bank of Baroda, said that the bank strike may impact their daily banking operations across the country.

Syndicate Bank said it has received a notice served by All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees' Federation (INBEF) and Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC) on the proposed strike on January 8.

Reasons for bank strike

As many as central trade unions have called a nationwide general strike on January 8 "to protest against anti-labour policies" of the government, reported PTI on January 10. The bank unions are protesting the recent decisions of the Modi government, its labour policies and banking reforms. They are also demanding a salary hike and other benefits, the report added.

BEFI said that labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar invited the leaders of the central trade unions on January 2 and has informed the unions that the government has been taking all steps for the welfare of the workers.

“The constituents of united platform of trade unions viz., AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC who were present in the meeting strongly contradicted and protested the statement of the Minister and stated that the entire Labour Codes are a design of imposing slavery on the workers and it is not acceptable to the trade union movement of the country and they will not surrender,” said the union in a circular, dated January 4.

The unions are also protesting against the proposed merger of 10 PSU bank to create four entities as announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in August 2018.

"The reasons being offered for the merger are utterly false and deceptive," said AIBEA in a circular dated January 2.

Bank strike to impact operations

“The bank is taking necessary steps for smooth functioning of its branches/offices on the day of the proposed strike,” Syndicate Bank and Bank of Baroda said in separate regulatory filings.

“However, in the event the strike materializes, the functioning of the branches/offices may be impacted by the strike,” they added.

SBI said, “The membership of our bank employees in unions participating in the strike is very few, so the impact of the strike on Banks operation will be minimal.”

First Published:Jan 6, 2020 1:30 PM IST