Private banks' officers form union, to join September 2 strike

The All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) on Monday said it has launched a new wing called the Private Sector Bank Officers' Forum which will also join the all-India general strike called for September 2.

"The growing concern of the existing workforce is hovering around host of issues viz. contractualisation of permanent jobs, compulsory conversion of Scale III officers under C2C concept, the outsourcing of banking functions, discrimination in performance linked bonus, non recruitment of staff against permanent vacancies, tax exemption in the matter pension," the AIBOA said in a statement here.

It said the new wing was formed in Bengaluru on Sunday to deal with issues faced by officers in private banks, majority of which do not have employees' unions.

Employees' and workmen associations of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have also decided to join the general strike called by 16 central trade unions for September 2.

"The labour code on the Industrial Relations Bill that seeks to replace the Industrial Disputes Act and the Trade Union Act will declare virtually all strikes illegal," S.V. Mahadik, general secretary, All-India RBI Workers Federation told reporters on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram.

The All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has given a call to all bank employees in all the banks to observe nationwide strike on September 2 to protest against the proposed amendments to the labour laws to the detriment of the workers and to favour the capitalists and employers.

"AIBEA has given a strike call to all bank employees to observe a nation-wide strike on September 2 to protest against the proposed amendments to labour laws, which are detrimental to workers," AIBEA general secretary C.H. Venkatachalam said in Rajkot last month.

"Some five lakh workers and employees of the banking sector, including co-operatives, private and foreign banks, will join the strike," he said.

"There are so many labour laws like the Provident Fund Act, the Minimum Wages Act, and now the government wants to bring a comprehensive Bill by amending all these laws, which will affect trade unions and workers and benefit only the management," he added.