Demands not accepted, bank employees protest in Mandi

Employees of Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank staged a protest against the bank management here today. The activists of the Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank Employees Union, along with the Himachal Pradesh Officer Organisation, organised a rally outside the bank’s headquarters in Mandi against the alleged harassment by the management.

Hundreds of employees from over 270 branches of the bank in the state marched from Seri Manch to the bank’s main office on the Jail Road. Under the banner of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the demonstrators accused the management of harassment and negligence.

Chander Veer Singh Katoch, president of the Himachal Pradesh Officer Organisation, outlined a list of grievances and alleged callous treatment of employees, irregularities in promotions and transfers and sought attention towards the issues concerning payment to sanitation staff.

Despite repeated notices, the management had not addressed these issues, the employees said. General Secretary of the Himachal Officer Organisation Vishal Sharma warned the management that if their concerns were not addressed, all branches of Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank would be shut October 28 onwards. A protest has also been planned in November outside the headquarters of Punjab National Bank in Delhi. The employees have vowed to intensify their protest if their demands continued to be ignored.