Bank employee unions have called for a two-day all India strike on January 31 and February 1 after their negotiations with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) over wages failed. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella of nine bank staff unions, said the IBA took a rigid stand on their demands in bipartite talks held on January 13.

“IBA negotiating team, led by its Chairman, took a rigid stand on the demands like percentage of increase over the total wage bill, merger of special allowance with basic pay etc.,” said a circular from the Bank Employee Federation of India.

UFBU rejected the offer made by IBA and decided to launch agitation programme including bank strikes on multiple days.

The first bank strike will be held on January 31, when the finance ministry releases the Economic Survey, and February 1, when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget.

The bank unions have also called for a three-day strike, starting March 11, and an indefinite strike from April 1 to highlight the demands and express our protest.

"We are sure all our unions would understand the seriousness of the situation given the government policies towards labour and take all-out steps to implement the programmes," said C H Venkatachalam, general secretary, AIBEA.

"We have negotiated with the IBA for two and a half years. Last time they said the hike could be 10 percent and now they are suggesting that the increase in wages to be 12.25 percent whereas our demand is a 20 per cent hike. They should see that the inflation has gone up, bank employees are loaded with work, recovery of NPAs is happening," Venkatachalam said.

Here are the key demands of the bank employee unions:

1)

Wage revision settlement at 20% hike on payslip components with adequate loading thereof

2) Five-day banking

3) Merger of special allowance with basic pay

4) Scrap new pension scheme

5) Updation of pension

6) Improvement in family pension

7) Allocation to staff welfare fund based on operating profits

8) Exemption from income tax on retiral benefits without ceiling

9) Uniform definition of business hours, lunch hour, etc. in branches

10) Introduction of leave bank

11) Defined working hours for officers.

11) Equal wage for equal work for contract employees/business correspondents.

A central trade union strike last week had also affected banking services in several parts of India. Several public sector bank services were also hit after around five lakh employees joined a strike. Banking services cash withdrawal and deposits, cheque clearances were hit at several bank branches.

First Published:Jan 16, 2020 11:51 AM IST