Strike call: SBI asks customers to use payment alternatives

The country’s largest lender, SBI, on Friday advised customers to use alternative mediums for transactions after a strike call by staff for early next week.

SBI has requested its over 52 crore customers to use automated teller machines, customer service points, and prefer online banking services like YONO and UPI by the lender.

The bank, which holds about a fifth of the share in the country’s overall banking activities, said efforts are on to provide “essential services” in over 23,200 branches, as per a post on its handle on the micro-blogging platform ‘X’. It said the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation has given a notice for a two-day strike starting May 25. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused,” the post from SBI said.

The staff has threatened the strike to press for various demands, including the recruitment of adequate employees. If the strike materialises, it will affect SBI’s banking operations nationwide for five days, as the fourth Saturday and Sunday fall before the strike date. Besides, there will be a holiday in many states on account of Eid al-Adha on May 27, a day after the proposed strike ends.

The staff demands also include recruitment of messengers and armed guards, a change of pension fund manager option to NPS Employees, as per an AISBISF statement.

The body also demanded that the bank stop outsourcing permanent jobs, as it creates a direct risk of data leaks, misuse, fraud, and identity theft, endangering customer trust and exposing the bank to severe reputational and legal consequences.

Another demand concerns the appointment of the workmen’s employee director on the board.