Financial services were crippled in Mysuru and surrounding districts on Tuesday as a result of a strike by bank employees. The employees were opposing labour reforms and seeking the removal of the ceiling on gratuity.
The strike was part of a nation-wide one-day agitation called by various associations and unions of bank employees under the United Forum of Bank Unions, in support of their long-pending demands.
The protesters gathered in front of the Zonal Office of the State Bank of Mysore and raised slogans against the policies of the government, calling them ‘anti-people’ and condemned the “infringement of trade union rights”.
The agitating employees also opposed the merger of the associated banks with the State Bank of India. Their key demands were for the removal of the ceiling on gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, exemption of income tax on gratuity and leave encashment on retirement, adequate recruitment of staff, immediate introduction of five-day banking, improvement in pension schemes along the lines of the RBI or the Union government, among others.
There are 512 branches of various banks in the district. Nearly 3,000 employees stayed away from work. These included those drawn from officers cadre as clerical staff. However, employees of the regional rural cooperative banks did not participate in the strike.
Officials said the one-day stir would have little public impact as ATMs had been replenished though industries and only businessmen keen on ATM withdrawals beyond stipulated limits were affected.
