Work was stalled across branches in Karnataka on Tuesday as thousands of bank officers and workmen launched a four-day zonal relay strike, beginning in the south zone, according to bank sources. The strike mainly affected corporate clients who make large cheque-based transactions, the sources said.
The one-day southern strike is the second phase of the agitation, coming after the country-wide strike on November 12. Banks in the north, east and west zones are due to follow on December 3, 4 and 5 respectively.
Employees of 27 public sector and a few private banks, led by the 11-union United Federation of Bank Unions (UFBU), are agitating for a 23 per cent increase in wages.
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In Bengaluru, UFBU convener for Karnataka H. Vasanth Rai said employees went in a procession from Town Hall to State Bank of Mysore on Kempe Gowda Road.
In Mysuru, bank employees gathered outside the SBM’s main branch at Nehru Circle and demonstrated in support of their demands. “We hope the IBA [Indian Banks’ Association] and the government combine will initiate positive steps to resolve the issues without further aggravation. In the event of our issues remaining unresolved, we may be forced to resort to more strikes, including an indefinite strike in the days to come,” said a statement issued by the Mysore District Bank Employees’ Association.
A bank source said the impact of the strike was expected to spill over a total of eight days.
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This, the source said, is because the common clearance grid for banks in the south and east is in Chennai, while the Mumbai hub manages transactions in the west and the north.
“As such, the strike in the south will be felt in Kolkata in the east, and when the strike is held in the east, the south will be hit again. A relay strike has not been seen earlier. There could be a big mess,” the source added.