Bank strike from Dec 16 as Centre refuses to assure bill will not be tabled in Parliament
Hyderabad/ New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI): With the Centre refusing to assure that the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill will not be tabled in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, the United Forum of Bank Unions, comprising nine unions in the banking sector will observe two-day nationwide strike from Thursday.
Over one million employees and officers of banks will take part in the strike affecting the normal banking transactions across the country.
All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary Ch Venkatachalam said further to the conciliation meeting held by the Addl. Chief Labour Commissioner S C Joshi in his office in Delhi on Wednesday, one more round of conciliation meeting was held by him at 4 pm.
Representatives of unions, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Finance Ministry have participated.
The UFBU representatives reiterated the stand that if the Government would assure that the Bank Privatisation Bill (Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021) would not be tabled in Parliament during this session, we would be inclined to reconsider the strike.
However, it could not give any such assurance to the unions.
Hence, as per the call given by UFBU, it has been decided to go ahead with the strike action on December 16 and 17.
“We tried our best to avert the strike to avoid inconvenience to banking public. But because the government was not forthcoming, we have to go ahead with the strike call,” he said.
The strike is to defend and preserve public sector banks and oppose privatisation of banks.
“We request all the customers and general public to stand with us in preserving the Banks and the huge savings of the people therein,” the AIBEA General Secretary said.
