Services in the public sector banks across the State were on Wednesday severely hit as employees took to the streets as part of a two-day nationwide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).
Holding banners and shouting slogans, staff of the banks staged demonstrations at various places including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Rourkela pressing for various demands, including pay revision.
Since the strike coincides with the month-end, salary withdrawals from branches are likely to get affected. However, the stir did not affect online banking transactions such as net banking and mobile banking.
As the ATM staffs joined the stir, there were complaints of the public sector bank ATMs running out of cash.
This caused great inconvenience to people, who had to run from one ATM to another and stand in queues to withdraw cash.
However, an agitating banker said, “People did not face any inconvenience in withdrawing cash as ATMs have been filled up. Also, private banks like Axis, ICICI and HDFC are functioning normally.”
But it was estimated that the strike on the first day caused a loss of more than Rs 500 crore in the State.
The UFBU called for the two-day strike after the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) failed to make any improved offer over the two-per cent wage hike made earlier, said a member of All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA).
