The normal banking services like — deposit, cheque clearance and cash withdrawal — crippled as the employees, under the aegis of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), struck work for two days demanding immediate wage revision and better working conditions.
The strike left the life of businessmen as well as the common man in lurch for the second consecutive day. Due to strike the traders were not able to carry out their business effectively; senior citizens could not withdraw their pension money and patients struggled to pay for their treatment.
Highlighting the problem faced by businessmen in the strike Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) President Bikash Singh mentioned, “Although most traders avail Internet banking facilities but for national electronic fund transfer and real time gross settlement requires bank visit. The strike has put everything on halt affecting the business very badly.”
As many as one lakh employees and officials of public sector observed two day strike. Though the banks and Automated Teller Machine (ATMs) services stocked enough cash before the weekend in the view of two day strike but many are running out of cash.
Vijay Kumar a student at Marwari College who also provides tuition to children said, “My mother is hospitalized suffering from cardiac problem. I ran from pillar to post to arrange money for her treatment but to no avail. The Upper Bazar situated Union Bank ATMs is running dry so was trying to somehow withdraw my savings but only wasted my time and energy.”
Meanwhile, protesters are planning to go for indefinite strike. Manager of Union Bank of India KantaToli Branch Dhanendra Jain said, “The Government has been delaying the matter from one year. With such inflation, workload has gone up due to steep increase in business volumes, there is an urgent need to increase the wages of the employees and the attitude of bank management seems very casual.” He further added that employees are planning to go for indefinite strike from next week.