Banking services sustained a body blow across Madhya Pradesh on Friday as employees barring those of the State Bank of India were on strike in response to a call by the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA).
Officials of the public sector, private and even foreign banks were part of the nationwide agitation. Some of the services, like cash handling at branch level and clearing of checks were hit in the banks where presence of AIBEA is strong. AIBEA sources said that the demands include checking violation of bilateral agreements and one-sided implementation of terms of service besides maintaining sanctity of collective bargaining and initiating a compassionate appointments scheme in accordance with the Government road-map.
The Association claimed that business of approximately Rs 3.5 lakh crore and about 9,000 automated teller machines were affected as 20,000 employees refrained from work at about 4,000 branches in the State. The local figures were more than 3,000 officials and in excess of 360 branches.
Agitators from the city and its surroundings gathered at Maharana Pratap Nagar at 1030 hrs. After sloganeering and a demonstration, a rally was taken out and a meeting followed in MP Nagar itself. However, officer grade of staffs did not take part in strike called by AIBEA, one of the nine employee organizations of public sector banks.
The strike call was given on December 28 to protest violation of the bilateral settlement by five associate banks of the SBI and their attempt to force unilateral service conditions on the employees, AIBEA sources said.
Five subsidiaries of SBI are State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Hyderabad and State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur.