Banking operations came to a standstill in the city as over 4,200 employees of various nationalised and private banks went on a strike on Wednesday to press their charter of demands.
Over 30 banks, including 19 nationalised ones, were shuttered during the day, landing the common people in trouble. However, the ATMs remaining open gave the people reprieve. The issues that triggered the strike are the demand for salary restructuring and the apprehension of several State-run banks being privatised.
The bank employees assembled at Parade Ground and later took out a rally to press their demands.They alleged that as per the norms, their salary is to be revised every six years, but things keep stagnating since November 2012. Indian Banking Association (IBA) participated in at least 15 meetings with the Government, but the latter is adamant on the point of giving mere 11 per cent while it was decided that there would be a rise of 17.5 percent. last time, salary was hiked by 17.5 percent, the bank employees affirmed.
They further said the salary of the bank employees is less than that of the Central Government, State Government and even the corporation employees. “We are not being given bonus while the duty entails risks,” one of them said.They further alleged that friendly as the Centre is with the capitalists, they are hell bent on privatising and merging the nationalised banks. They had also sent letters to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister through IBA.
They reiterated that they have no other option but to resort to strike with the Centre not being inclined to address their grievances. If the situation warrants they would go for indefinite strike, they warned.They also demanded the State Government to start recovery of outstanding loans worth about Rsfive lakh crore. Things would turn dead as the Government is not serious about the recovery.
The office bearers of many associations addressed the employees while venting ire against the Centre mulling privatisation of State-run banks. Among others was Kapil Mehrotra, zonal secretary of Bank of Baroda.