DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 20 (MExN): All banking services would be hit across the country on December 21 as the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), the apex body of the bank officers’ trade union movement has decided to go on strike.
The Nagaland State Unit of AIBOC will also observe the nationwide strike.
In a statement, AIBOC, Nagaland Unit secretary, T.A.P. Paul informed that as part of its agitation programmes against what it termed as the “adamant attitude of Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Central government on pending wage revision of bank officers and employees, it decided to go for a series of protest actions.”
It started with the poster campaign on December 10, badge wearing from December 12 till 2, evening time demonstrations at all major centers across the country on December 7 and 11, demonstrations at all corporate/head/zonal/regional offices on December 17 along with a protest rally to be organized by each of the affiliates in all major cities/towns as a warm up action for the eventual strike on December 21.
The AIBOC asserted that the wage revision is due since November 1, 2017 but there have been no sincere efforts on the part of the IBA and the government to finalize and give effect to the revision. To the contrary, the IBA has humiliated the entire banking fraternity by offering 2 percent in the first place and increasing it at a snail pace to 8 percent, much lower than what has been demanded through submission of a charter of demands, it alleged.
Meanwhile, the AIBOC has expressed regret for the inconveniences that the general public will face due to non-functioning of banking operations. It however stated that at this juncture, it was helpless as the “government is least bothered to grant us our dues and concentrate on pure banking rather than being an agent of insurance and mutual fund companies to deprive the public in general from what they expect from a bank and bankers to do and not to force them towards cross selling that ends up with miss selling of products.”
December 21 being a Friday, bank services will be severely hit till December 26-except for December 24 which is Monday-as bankers will enjoy weekend holidays as well as Christmas on December 25.
Banks will remain closed on December 22 as being the second Saturday.
