Bankers, who have planned to go on a nationwide strike on Wednesday (January 7), staged demonstration here on Tuesday pressing for 23 per cent wage hike and a few more demands.
While the unions demand a wage hike of 23 percent Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has so far agreed for only 11 percent hike, causing the stalemate, the warring unions allege.
While limited working hours should be ensured for the officers, the 5-days a week working system for the banks should be introduced. Family pension should be hiked, said the protestors, who staged demonstration in front of Federal Bank’s Palayamkottai branch on Tuesday.
Unions in the banking sector under the umbrella organisation UFBU announced a five-day strike this month demanding early resolution of their wage hike negotiations. The UFBU includes AIBEA, National Confederation of Bank Employees, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Employees Federation, Indian National Bank Officers Congress, National Organisation of Bank Workers, All India Bank Officers Association and National Organisation of Bank Officers.
The bank employees had gone on a day-long strike for the same issue in November last year and it was followed by a zone-wise strike in December.
“If the talks fail, UFBU has decided for a complete shutdown of banking industry from January 21 – 24 and we’re also planning an indefinite strike from March 16 over the wage hike issue,” said J. Edwin, Regional Secretary, National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.
