Several customers of Bank of India (BoI) were subjected to hardship on Friday as a section of workmen resorted to a two-day strike across the country on various issues.
The customers have to wait till Wednesday to carry out normal banking transactions such as depositing cash, getting demand drafts and knowing the status of their loans or opening new accounts, as some of the branches are closed on Sunday, Monday for Ugadi, and Tuesday for the new accounting year.
Customers of other banks too will be affected as the branches will be closed for normal business transactions from Saturday afternoon onwards. However, some of the branches will be kept open on Sunday and Monday to receive Income Tax payments.
According to sources, Friday’s strike paralysed BoI functions at 4,800 branches that has over three crore customers. In Tamil Nadu, BoI has 216 branches and 1,300 staff. However, some of the Association members flayed the BoI employees union for the timing of the strike.
More than 26,000 workmen participated in the protests and demonstrations demanding the management to solve issues by recruiting clerks and armed guards to meet actual manning needs of bank branches; extending petrol expenses reimbursement, and health check-up facilities to workmen employees; initiating promotion process for subordinate staff; and stopping outsourcing beyond the provisions of bipartite settlement.
All India Bank Employees’ Association extended its support to the strike call. The strike would continue on Saturday also. Addressing the protest meeting, AIBEA general secretary C.H. Venkatachalam said if the BoI management failed to resolve the issue amicably by mutual discussions, the AIBEA would be compelled to give a call for solidarity actions by all other bank employees. The management can easily implement these demands and financial implications would be about Rs.10 crore to Rs.15 crore.
