MP SBI staff on strike today

Protest against ATM handling, transfer policy

As many as 10,000 employees of the State Bank of India will observe a day-long strike in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh tomorrow.

The bank observed its foundation day recently and the local head office in Bhopal is being spruced up at a heavy price.

With the advent of computers and ATMs (automatic teller machines), employees in the Bhopal circle of the SBI are being "forced" to withdraw money without verifying the signature of the customer.

"Barely a few signatures have been scanned and stored in computers, and they open currency chests at any time to replenish ATMs--a clear violation of RBI norms. A slightest mistake in making entries can cause a heavy damage since the ATMs of the Bhopal circle are controlled and maintained by the Belapur control centre," said a Workmen Union office-bearer.

If connectivity fails, "the entire daily transaction data have to be freshly entered, at no additional remuneration," an employee said.

The employees are protesting against the "discretionary attitude" of the local management on re-deployment/transfer policy in both the states, where the bank has a vibrant presence through its almost 700 branches and more than 140 ATMs. Though they have presented their 23-point demand, the management "has not spared a single minute for a discussion with them".

"We are protesting against the management's attitude in the Bhopal circle and we have decided to go on a token strike on July 6. The strike can become indefinite if our 23 demands are not met," Pramod Naramdeo, general secretary of the SBI Workmen Union, Bhopal circle, told Business Standard.

The union resents the "careless" attitude of the Bhopal circle management towards the orders of the assistant labour commissioner, Jabalpur, issued on June 13 to the chief general manager, SBI Bhopal circle, to maintain the status quo on redeployment/transfer policy.

"We have signed a pact with the management on transfer policy but strangely the local management has issued transfer orders to workers exempted from redeployment and transfers," Naramdeo said.

According to the pact, employees who are ailing, disabled, office-bearers, and have turned 57 are exempted from redeployment and transfers.

Further, redeployment and transfers should be only when there is need and surplus staff. A seniority list should be prepared and the surplus staff should be transferred within the centre. If needed, people can be transferred within the district and, at a pinch, within the region.

"The local management has transferred people to adjoining regions and spared none--even widows of SBI staff have been redeployed, " Naramdeo alleged.