Banking operations in the state were paralysed as employees of the public sector banks (PSBs) under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions (AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO), supported by private sector banks began their two-day strike Wednesday.
Protest demonstrations were held in Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung against a meagre 2% salary hike offer and delay in resolving charter of demands by Indian Banks Association (IBA).
In Dimapur, the protest demonstration was held at SBI RBO Supermarket. AIBOC Nagaland secretary, T.A. P. Paul, stated that all private banks that are not members of UFBU also extend their support and solidarity to the cause. “Our members have met some of the Pvt Banks in Dimapur and they have cooperated with us and extend the same till tomorrow,” Paul said.
Further, he informed that since all member banks were closed normal transaction was affected.
In Kohima, the striking employees staged protest demonstration at SBI main branch Kohima. Addressing the gathering at the protest site, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Nagaland convenor, A Lolly Moses, highlighted the demand of the bank unions. He said the strike could go on for an indefinite period if the government failed to take necessary action in favour of the bankers’ demands.
The agitating employees shouted slogans demanding early wage revision settlement, adequate increase in salary and wage revision settlement upto scale VII.
In Mokokchung, the public sector bank (PSB) employees of Mokokchung district held protest at the SBI (Bazaar Branch), Arkong Ward.
SBI officers association, regional secretary, Imtisanen, said that the UFBU demands included early wage revision settlement, inclusion of all bank officers in wage revision and adequate increase in salary and improvement in other service conditions.
As the strike, which would resume Thursday, coincides with the month-end, salary withdrawals from branches are likely to get affected.
Meanwhile, according to PTI report, the banking operations in the country were hit today as 10 lakh employees, primarily from PSU banks, went on a two-day strike.
The strike supported by employees of some old generation private sector banks and foreign banks would continue on Thursday.
All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), affiliate of UFBU, said in a statement that nearly 10 lakh employees, working in various branches of 21 public sector banks, 13 old generation private sector banks, six foreign banks and 56 regional rural banks across the country went on the strike as IBA offered them a nominal wage revision.
Operations in the new-generation private banks like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank were however almost normal, barring few activities including cheque clearance.
As several rounds of talks between banks and the unions of their employees did not make any headway, the UFBU, an umbrella body of nine bank unions, has gone on strike against the proposed wage hike of 2 per cent. In the last wage revision in 2012, the bank employees got a raise of 15 per cent.
IBA has asked the six banks including SBI, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Union Bank and Bank of Baroda to reconsider their decision and allow IBA to settle wages for bank employees up to scale seven instead of up to scale three employees.
There are about 85,000 branches of 21 public sector banks across the country having business share of about 70 per cent.
Most of the banks, including SBI, PNB and BoB, have already informed their customers about functioning of branches and offices due to strike.
Industry chamber Assocham said the two-day nationwide bank strike may affect customer transactions worth up to Rs 20,000 crore.