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'Bank Bachao Desh Bachao': Bank Unions' 2 Day Strike Likely To Impact SBI Services
Writer: Tashafi Nazir
For most people, journalism sounds hectic and chaotic. For her, it's a passion she has been chasing for years. With an extensive media background, Tashafi believes in putting efforts on presenting a simple incident in the most interesting way.
India, 11 Dec 2021 11:22 AM GMT
Editor : Palak Agrawal |
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Creatives : Tashafi Nazir
For most people, journalism sounds hectic and chaotic. For her, it's a passion she has been chasing for years. With an extensive media background, Tashafi believes in putting efforts on presenting a simple incident in the most interesting way.
Bank officers and trade unions had launched a nationwide protest against the proposed privatisation of public sector banks at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The awareness campaign 'Bank Bachao Desh Bachao' rally was led by the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) and attended by officers and other stakeholders from various parts of the country.
Services at the country's largest public sector bank, the State Bank of India (SBI) branches may be likely affected during the two-day nationwide strike on December 16 and 17 called by the United Forum of Bank Unions.
While the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches strike days, the work may likely be impacted by strike, Mint reported.
Last month, bank officers and trade unions had launched a nationwide protest against the proposed privatisation of public sector banks at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The awareness campaign 'Bank Bachao Desh Bachao' rally was led by the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) and attended by officers and other stakeholders from various parts of the country. Following the campaign, the banks planned a two-day strike in protest against the government's plan to privatise public sector banks by introducing the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021.
Reportedly, the bill will bring down the minimum government holding in the PSBs from 51 per cent to 26 per cent.
As part of its disinvestment plan, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) while presenting the Union Budget in February.
The central government has already privatised IDBI Bank by selling its majority share in the lender to LIC in 2019 and merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years.
Strike On December 16 And 17
In view of this, United Forum of Bank Unions convener Mahesh Mishra said earlier this month that the forum will hold a sit-in against this Bill as part of the movement starting from December 3, and a two-day nationwide strike will be held on December 16 and 17.
Mishra added that bank unions support policies related to the country's economic development along with employee and friendly banking policies but not privatisation of banks.
All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) general secretary CH Venkatachalam said that in a developing country like India, where banks deal with wide public savings, and they have to play a key role to ensure broad-based economic development, public sector banking with social orientation is the appropriate and imperative need of the hour.
"For the last 25 years, under the banner of UFBU, we have been opposing the policies of banking reforms aimed at weakening public sector banks," he said.
Members of UFBU include All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) and Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI).
Others are the Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO).
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