All major bank unions to join September 2 strike

All the leading unions across the banking sector will join in the pan-India bank strike on September 2, said CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All-India Bank Employees’ Association.

The strike is to protest against the ‘anti-labour and anti-people policies’ of the Centre and in support of the call given by the Central trade unions.

“There are open attempts to amend the various labour laws in favour of the employers and to the detriment of the workers,” he said in a statement. “The neo-liberal economic policies are aggravating the problems of the workers and common masses.”

The labour-law changes were to empower the employers with unfettered ‘hire and fire’ rights and to strip the employees and their unions of their rights.

Venkatachalam alleged that there were continuous attempts at privatisation of banks as well as for consolidation and merger of banks. More and more private capital and FDI were being encouraged. Regional rural banks are sought to be privatised, and urban co-operative banks are under threat of de-licensing.

Several government schemes were being passed on to public sector banks without giving them proper infrastructure and manpower, causing harassment to the bank staff.

Venkatachalam said members of the All-India Bank Officers’ Association, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress, National Organisation of Bank Workers, Indian National Bank Employees’ Federation, National Organisation of Bank Officers, All-India Co-Operative Bank Employees’ Federation, All-India Gramin Bank Employees’ Association, All-India Gramin Bank Officers’ Association, All-India RRB Employees Association, All-India Reserve Bank Employees’ Association and All-India Reserve Bank Workers’ Federation would go on strike on September 2.


Source : Thehindubusinessline