9 bank unions to observe one-day strike on February 28

Highlights:

1. Nine bank  unions-AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO -- bank employees and officers in all public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), all old-generation private banks, foreign banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks will observe one-day strike on February 28

2.  The bank unions will conduct the strike to protest the government`s "anti-people banking reforms" as well as to demand compensation for employees for extra work done on account of its demonetisation move announced in November last year 

About nine bank unions of India will go on strike on February 28 this year to protest the government`s "anti-people banking reforms" as well as to demand compensation for employees for extra work done on account of its demonetisation move announced in November last year, IANS reported citing the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). 

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"United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), comprising nine unions in the banking sector -- namely AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO -- bank employees and officers in all public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), all old-generation private banks, foreign banks, Regional Rural Banks and Co-operative Banks will observe one-day strike on February 28," IANS reported on Sunday quoting All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam, as saying in a circular.

 AIBEA in a statement said, "The unions in the banking industry have been fighting for more than two decades against the reform measures of the government as these are against the interests of general public and labour force in the country." 

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"Further, every effort is being made to outsource permanent jobs in the banking industry, too, which is fraught with risks," it added. 

The news report citing Venkatachalam further said the strike call comes after all attempts to find a solution to the demands raised by the unions yielded no results.

The conciliation meeting before the Chief Labour Commissioner of the Central Government on February 21 failed to break the deadlock as the bank management body -- Indian Banks Association (IBA) -- did not agree to the union demands.

"The only way we can respond to this negative attitude of IBA-Government combine is to make the strike a massive success with all our unity and strength," Venkatachalam said in a circular.

Most state-run banks have informed customers that functioning of branches and offices will be hit if the strike goes ahead on Tuesday. 

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