Bank unions have deferred their proposed January 30-31 nationwide strike after the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) agreed to initiate talks on the demands of workers.
The United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of several bank unions, had given a nationwide strike call to press for issues related to pension and the demand for five-days-a-week work.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has deferred the two-day nationwide bank strike on January 30-31 following an understanding at the conciliation meeting held in Mumbai, news agency IANS reported citing C.H.Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA).
According to Venkatachalam, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has agreed to hold a meeting with the unions on January 31.
At the conciliation meeting held on Friday, it was decided that the three common issues — five day banking, updation of pension and restoration of old pension scheme — will be discussed on January 31, the report said. The other residual issues will be discussed with respective officers and workmen unions separately.
The strike was to press for the following demands: five days banking, updation of pension, residual issues, scrapping of National Pension System (NPS), immediate starting of negotiation on charter of demands for wage revision, and adequate recruitment in all cadres.
Eralier, country’s largest public sector lender bank State Bank of India (SBI), which has around 42 crore account holders, has said that normal services at its branches may be impacted due to the strike.
“We have been advised by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) that United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has served a notice of strike, informing that the members of the constituent Unions of UFBU viz. AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF and INBOC propose to go on a nationwide bank strike on 30th and 31st January, 2023 in support of their demands,” SBI had informed the stock exchanges.
