Bank employees to go on strike on Jan 20 & 21

They are demanding early wage revision and protesting against banking reforms

Bank employees across India are to go on a two-day strike on January 20 and 21, followed by further strikes in February and March 2014.

The decision was taken at a high power committee meeting of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) held in Hyderabad on Monday.

Speaking to Business Standard after the meeting, C H Venkatachalam, convener, UFBU and General Secretary, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), said it was decided to urge the Indian Banks Association and government to resume talks with a better and reasonable offer of wage increase and expedite the settlement at the earliest. Talks between unions and banks had failed on December 14

“Failing which the UFBU has decided that there would be a 48-hour strike in banks on January 20 and 21 to be followed by further strikes in February and March,” he said.

The UFBU, apart from AIBEA, includes All India Bank Officers' Confederation, National Confederation of Bank Employees, All India Bank Officers' Association, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Employees Federation, Indian National Bank Officers Congress, National Organisation of Bank Workers and National Organisation of Bank Officers.

In a meeting it was decided to urge upon the Indian Banks Association and Government to resume the talks with a better and reasonable offer of wage increase and expedite the settlement at the earliest.

Earlier, a million employees had gone on a strike on December 18, demanding early wage revision and a stop to banking reforms. The decision comes after talks between Unions and Banks was failed.

C H Venkatachalam, General Secretary All India Banks Employees Association (AIBEA) said talks between Indian Banks Association (IBA) and AIBEA on Saturday did not yield any positive result so the Union decided to call for a strike.

The Union was demanding early wage revision, which he claims its pending for almost an year.

"They (IBA) said economy is in bad situation and cannot revise wages now, which we don't agree," said Venkatachalam.

The Union is also against banking reforms including privatisation, mergers, giving license for Corporate houses, rising NPAs and others, said Venkatachalam.