In order to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks, the bank unions have called for a two-day strike this week.
According to a report , Sanjay Das, general secretary of All India Bank Officers Confederation , said that privatising PSBs will hurt the priority sectors of the economy and also credit flow to self-help groups and to the rural economy.
Notably, the proposed bill for privatisation of 2 PSBs will be taken up in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.
The conciliation meeting organised on Wednesday by the Additional Chief Labour Commissioner Joshi has now been adjourned to December 14.
With no assurance coming from the government that the privatisation Bill will not be taken up in this session, the United Forum of Bank Unions have decided to go ahead with the bank strike as announced, CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), told a leading business daily.
“While Bank has made all arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices, it is likely that work in our Bank may be impacted by the strike,” PNB said in a statement to the stock exchanges.
Central Bank of India said it’s taking all necessary steps in terms of the existing guidelines to deal with the strike and for the smooth functioning of its branches and offices. “However, in the event of strike branches or offices may be impacted,” it said.
SBI services may be affected due to strike
The State Bank of India stated on Friday that the normal functioning of the bank, such as SBI branches, ATM services is likely to be impacted by the two-day strike on December 16-17 called for by the United Forum of Bank Unions.
As per an exchange filing by SBI on December 10, “We have been advised by the Indian Banks’ Association (lBA) that United Forum of Bank Unions has served a Notice of Strike, informing that the members of the constituent Unions of UFBU viz. AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF and INBOC propose to go on a nationwide Bank Strike on 16th & 17th December, 2021 in support of their demands.
We advise that while the Bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the days of Strike, it is likely that work in our Bank may be impacted by the Strike.”