With branches in remote villages, the staff has to work under great hardships, sacrificing work-life balance
The bank unions have called for a nationwide strike demanding to expedite the process of wage settlement due since November 2017
After the two-day strike, bank unions are planning to hold a three-day strike from March 11 to 13 and indefinite strike from April 1 onwards
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which represents nine trade unions, said they will also hold a three-day strike from March 11-13
Cash deposit and withdrawal, and cheque clearances have been impacted due to the nationwide strike
Banking operations across India could be hit today as employees of two bank unions are sitting on a 24-hour bank strike
While banking operations are expected to be hit due to the strike, many banks, including branches of SBI are likely to remain open
Bank union is protesting against the government's decision to merge ten public sector banks into four banks
For long, banks' managements resisted officers' attempts to unionise
The All India Bank Employees Association and Bank Employees Federation of India has informed the Indian Banks' Association of the two-day nationwide strike
PSBs need to get over the vexed issue of wage negotiation, and collectively work to promote an institutional environment
In the afternoon, over 5,000 bank staffers staged a rally at Mumbai's Azad Maidan and raised slogans opposing the proposed merger
With branches closed, cash transactions are also set to take a hit
According to AIBEA General Secretary C H Vekatachalam, the strike is effective across the country and employees are fighting for a right cause
The nation-wide strike would impact banking services like deposits and withdrawal at branches, cheque clearances and issuance of demand drafts
Private sector banks will continue to function as usual
The strike call comes on the heels of an officers union of state-run banks observing a day-long strike last Friday
Given that the public sector banks alone control 75 per cent of the total business in the country, the public is sure to face some inconvenience
The unions have opposed the Indian Banks' Association's offer of a 2% pay hike
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions, called for a two-day strike that started on Wednesday