Banking operations in 642 branches in Coimbatore district came to a standstill on Tuesday as the employees and officials went on a one-day strike.
The bank unions had announced a relay strike starting from Tuesday in the southern region (Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu).
According to J. Vanangamudi, District President of All India Bank Officers Confederation, the employees demanded revision of wages and expressed opposition to privatisation of the banking industry.
About 2,000 employees and officials participated in a demonstration that was organised in Coimbatore city on Tuesday.
Banking operations to the tune of Rs. 300 crore were affected by the one-day strike in Coimbatore district, according to sources here.
Our Tirupur
Staff Reporter adds:
Banking transactions to an estimated Rs. 200 crore were affected in Tirupur district on Tuesday as around 2,000 people from the sub-staff rank to Scale-III managers, affiliated to United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), struck work to press their multiple demands.
Due to the regional-level strike observed seeking wage revision, five-days-a-week work schedule and fixed working hours for staff, the handling of export bills, cheque transfers, cheque clearances and real-time transfer of funds were affected.
UFBU district convener D. Manoharan pointed out that the strike was observed only because that the new wage revision package was yet to be finalised despite the last bipartite agreement signed between the Indian Banks Association and the UFBU expiring two years ago.
“We have agreed to come down on the demand for a 25 per cent hike in wages, by two percent. But the IBA is still adamant on their stance of agreeing for only 11 per cent hike causing the delay in signing the new wage agreement,” he said.
Striking staff wanted the bank managements to regularise the working hours of the officers, thereby avoiding a situation in which officers spent “unfixed hours” every day at the bank.
The employees in some of the prominent new generation banks did not take part in the strike.
Our Udhagamandalam Special Correspondent adds:
Banking activities were seriously hit in various parts of the Nilgiris on Tuesday on account of the strike by employees of nationalized banks.
Police sources said that 599 officers and employees falling under various categories in 77 branches abstained from work.
Some of the members of the Nilgiris District Bank Employees Association led by their district secretary Rajkumar staged a demonstration opposite the State Bank of India here.
They raised slogans in support of their demands including a pay hike and reduction in the number of working days.
