Banking services are likely to be affected as employees of public sector banks across the country will go on a two-day nationwide strike from August 6 to press for wage hikes and other issues.There was a meeting between employee unions and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in the presence of the Chief Labour Commissioner. However, it failed to yield any result, United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Convener C H Venkatachalam said.
"We are going ahead with the strike," he said, adding that the IBA has further reduced the rate of wage hike from the proposed 17.5 per cent to 13 per cent.
At the same time, the IBA further did not concede demands on pension and appointing dependants of deceased employees on compassionate grounds, he said.
Thus, employees are forced to strike work as the IBA continues its stiff stance, he said, adding that the legitimate demands are being neglected by the managements of banks, leading to hardship for customers.
The UFBU is an umbrella body of nine bank employee unions of the country and claims to have members from public, private and foreign banks.
As many as one million employees, including officers, will participate in the strike, affecting services in about 60,000 bank branches in the country, the UFBU claimed.
Unions have called for strike on August 6 and 7 pressing for an increase in wages and another option to join the Pension Scheme.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Rajya Sabha while replying to a question said, wage revision of officers and staff of the public sector banks are due since November, 2007.
"The wage revision of officers and employees is negotiated by Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) that represents the management of such banks, which have mandated it to negotiate on their behalf, with the Unions or associations representing the employees and officers," he said.
The unions present their charter of demands to IBA and thereafter several rounds of negotiations are held by IBA with unions to arrive at a settlement, he said.
Resolving the issue is a time consuming process, he said, adding "efforts are being made to arrive at a settlement."
Source : Business Standard.
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