Bank Strike: Unions and Associations expresses concern over privatisation of banks

Guwahati, March 28: As the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and various sectoral Independent Trade Unions are on strike on March 28 and 29 protesting against the "anti-people" economic policies and "anti-worker" labour policies of the Central Government, the All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), extended solidarity to the striking workforce.

Expressing concern over the privatisation of IDBI bank, the AIBOA in a statement said that the strike is to save the nation, save jobs and jobs security for the total workforce in the Industry.

"The strike is forced upon us by the Government at Centre, in spite of our convincing arguments, failed to get the firm assurance to halt the privatisation of public sector banks and sale of IDBI to private players," read the statement.

While opposing the economic and labour policies pursued by the present Government at the Centre, the AIBOA stated, "Due to bad loans, the 58 years old Institution is sold to private players. LIC and Government own 98% share in the capital. The Government of India is pulling down this public sector Bank of 58 years old to dust. We stoutly oppose the move."

The other demands of the AIBOA and associations supporting the two-day bandh call are implementation of the five-day week for banks, upgradation of the pension scheme, facility of child care leave, restoration of the old pension scheme, and removal of the anomaly in dearness allowance (DA) between LIC and bank employees.

Meanwhile, according to C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees' Association AIBEA, the strike was observed by bank employees in public, private and cooperative sectors, foreign banks and regional rural banks across the country and the strike has been a success.

"We could observe that employees are particularly unhappy with the decision of the government to privatise the banks. Lakhs of young employees and officers have joined the public sector banks after a very tough recruitment process and many of them have left IT and other private sector jobs and joined the Government owned banks only due to the job security available in these banks," Venkatachalam said to media.

Hence the Government's plan to privatise the banks is a rude shock and highly demoralising, he added.