Operations in public sector banks here were completely hit on Monday as employees and officers commenced their two-day strike opposing the proposed privatisation of two public sector banks as announced in the Union Budget 2021. Employees and officers participated in a demonstration that was held in front of the State Bank of India main branch here opposing the privatisation of public sector banks. The demonstration was led by the All India Bank Employees Association district general secretary G. Ramaraj.
Employees and officers belonging to five unions All India Bank Employees Association, All India Bank Officers Confederation, All India Bank Officers Association and the National Confederation of Bank Employees heeded to the nation-wide strike call. They termed the privatisation of public sector banks as ‘anti-worker’, ‘anti-people’ and a ‘anti-social’ step. The public sector banks had been built with the toil of lakhs of workers over the decades using public funds.
If banks were privatised, it would be sold to big corporate business houses and handing over public money to them was not in the national interest, the AIBEA said. Further, if banks were privatised loans for agriculture and other priority sectors would be stopped. Private management of banks would attack trade union rights, employees’ jobs and job security, the association further said. The strike paralysed normal business operations in all public sector banks as employees and officers joined the strike which was total, said Mr. Ramaraj.
Published - March 15, 2021 05:30 pm IST
