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Strike hits banking services
Bank unions threaten stir on May 21
Tribune News Service & PTI

New Delhi, May 2
Banking services in the country were severely crippled today as officers of public sector banks observed a one-day token strike demanding an increase in wages, among other things.

Employees of the All-India Bank Officers Association protest against government efforts resolving their issue and failure of the Indian Bank Association at the State Bank of India (Parliament Street) in the Capital on Friday. — Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal

The strike call was given by the All-India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) and the All-India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC). The two associations together represent about 90 per cent of the entire banking industry in the country.

The clearing house of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), however, was open, even though transactions were below normal. The All-India Reserve Bank Officers Association lent moral support to the strike, even though it did not directly participate in it.

A mutually acceptable solution to the outstanding issues on wage revision and other demands eluded the negotiations between the government and unions till April 30.

The Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the government failed to resolve other pending issues, such as a raise in halting allowances, reduction in interest rates on housing and consumer loans taken by staff, promotion of officers taking extra workload after reduction in workforce in banks through the VRS scheme of 2001, AIBOC president K D Khera said at a demonstration in the Capital.

“The last wage agreement of officers expired in October, 2002, but the IBA has not yet made any concrete offer on the charter of demands submitted by officers’ unions, though six rounds of negotiations have taken place,” he said.

Major unions also threatened to have yet another strike on May 21 in protest against “harsh” labour and banking laws.

Apart from bank unions, the proposed nationwide strike on May 21 is likely to witness the participation of central trade unions and PSU employees unions, AIBOC vice-president (Delhi) J.D. Sharma said.

“The proposed strike later this month will be in protest against amendments in labour laws, the Bank Nationalisation Act and Banking Regulation Act,” he said. If the government does not heed the demands, the unions have threatened to go on an indefinite strike, he added.

Today’s strike caused a loss of over Rs 100 crore in terms of productive business, Mr Sharma said.

“Over 2.5 lakh officers of 26 PSU banks observed the token strike today,” Mr S.K. Rathore, deputy general secretary of the National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO), told PTI from Jaipur.

Except the Bank of Baroda, private and foreign banks, employees of all other PSU banks, including the SBI, observed the strike.

Bank officers all over the country held demonstrations and protested against delay in wage revisions, exclusion of a second option for the pension scheme to existing employees and tax on perks.

Strike hits bank services
Tribune Reporters

Shimla, May 2
Bank services in Himachal Pradesh were paralysed as officers of various commercial banks observed a one-day token strike in protest against the failure of the government and the Indian Banks Association (IBA) to resolve pending issues, particularly wage revision.

The striking bank officers held a rally in front of the State Bank of India here. Mr D.K. Sharma, state secretary of the All-India Officer’s, Confederation, lamented that the government and the IBA had failed to come out with any concrete proposal for wage revision despite six rounds of negotiation.

He said the indifferent attitude of the authorities had forced bank officers to take direct action. He warned that the confederation would give a call for an indefinite strike if the demands were not settled. Other demands included second option on pension, compensation for late hours, removal of anomalies created by the last pay revision and increase in halting allowance.

BATALA: Officers of local banks observed a strike on Friday on a call of the All-India Bank Officers Confederation. A spokesman of the confederation said about 2.5 lakh members were on strike.

DHARAMSALA: Bank services in the district were paralysed due to the bank officers’ strike on Friday. No transaction was conducted and banks were closed.

HAMIRPUR: A near-total strike was observed in all banks here on Friday. While bank officers were on strike, other employees were present but financial transactions could not take place.

HISAR: Officers of local banks observed a strike in support of their demands here on Friday. The agitators gathered in front of their banks and raised slogans against the Central Government.

JALALABAD: Officers of all nationalised banks operating here observed a one-day strike on Friday. Officers of the State Bank of India staged a dharna.

PATIALA: A near-total strike was observed in banks here. Though some banks functioned with skeletal staff, with a few officers reporting for duty, people were inconvenienced at most branches, with no work being transacted. Officers of the Baradari branch of the Bank of Baroda did not join the strike.

AMRITSAR: Bank services in all branches of nationalised banks remained paralysed on Friday due to the one-day strike call. The striking employees took out a procession. Working in the clearing house also remained suspended.

JALANDHAR: The one-day strike call of bank officers, unions evoked a good response on Friday with working in most nationalised bank branches here remaining disrupted. Working in the clearing house also remained suspended.

SIRSA: Bank officers observed a strike on Friday. A spokesman of the bank officers said their pay scales were to be revised on November 1, 2002, but since no positive step had been taken, they had observed the strike.