Bank strike on multiple days in January: Unions

Vadodara: Bank employees' unions have decided to go on strike next month on multiple days to seek early resolution of their long-pending demand for a wage hike. They have also threatened of an indefinite strike from March 16 onwards if their demand was not met.

A decision to this effect was taken by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) at their meeting on December 17, said C H Venkatchalam, General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA). "UFBU has decided to launch a strike programme from January 7," he told PTI. The one-day strike on January 7 will be followed by continuous work stoppage from January 21 to 24 and an indefinite stir from March 16, he said.

The meeting of UFBU expressed dissatisfaction over the "casual attitude" displayed by Indian Bank Association (which represents bank managements) towards the demand for wage revision, said Venkatchalam. AIBEA, which has five lakh employee-members, is a major constituent of UFBU. The UFBU is an umbrella organisation representing nine bank employees and officer unions.

The wage revision has been due since November 2012. The last bank strike on the issue was on November 12 followed by zone-wise relay stir early this month. Unions are demanding 23 per cent wage hike (scaled down from 25 per cent earlier), but IBA is willing to give only 11 per cent raise.