Bank employees to go on strike on Nov 12

Banking services and automated teller machine networks across the country are likely to be affected on November 12 as the United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella organisation comprising various employee bodies, has planned to go on a day's strike pressing for wage revision.

United Forum of Bank Unions, representing five workmen unions and four officers' association, has planned to observe one day token strike on November 12 demanding immediate settlement of wage revision for bank employees, All India Bank Employees Union, General Secretary, Ch Venkatachalam said.

"We will go for a strike on November 12. Again we will be conducting strike in zone wise in December 2", he told reporters.

He said the bank employees never lagged behind in various implementation of schemes. "In spite of the wholehearted support in implementation of the government schemes announced from time to time, the bank employees are not being comparatively paid adequately", he said.

According to Association officials, Indian Banks' Association offered only a 11.5 per cent increase in hike compared to 17.5 per cent offered in 2011-12.

"Indian Banks' Association have said that the banks are reporting losses due to huge Non-performing assets.

“We are not ready to accept it. We are forced to stage this protest", an official said.

Meanwhile, according to Venkatachalam, the protest in South zone would be held on December 2, North zone the next day, Eastern zone on December 4 and Western zone on December 5.

In Tamil Nadu alone thousands of employees would abstain from work and transactions of several cheques and ATM services would be affected, he said.