Banking services paralysed on second day of strike in Bengal

Banking services across the state remained paralysed for the second and final day of the two-day strike today.

The strike was called by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella body of seven trade unions, to press for higher wage revision for the employees.

The Indian Banks Association (IBA), a body of the bank managements, offered a two per cent rise in wages which was rejected outright by the unions.

The IBA negotiates with the unions on wage revision issues.

"Only 10-15 per cent of the automated teller machines (ATMs), those installed in various institutions, were open," Siddhartha Khan, convenor of West Bengal chapter of UFBU said.

He said that the strike has been successful and hoped that IBA would return to the negotiating table again.

Not only the public sector banks, private sector and foreign ones also participated in the strike.