Banking operations are likely to come under strain with bank employees calling a strike on December 21 and 26.
If they go ahead with the plans, it will only be on Monday that banks will function during these six days. While banks will be closed on December 22 (fourth Saturday) and 23 (Sunday), December 25 is a holiday on account of Christmas.
The All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), which says it has over 3.20 lakh members, has given a call for a nationwide December 21 strike in support of the demands pertaining to wage revision.
Mergers opposed
“No headway has been made in the process even after 19 months since the discussions begun,” AIBOC general secretary G. Subramanyam said.
Besides, on issues pertaining to the wages, the strike called by the Confederation is also against the proposed merger of Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank and the proposed amalgamation of Regional Rural Banks.
It is also in protest against the proposed merger that the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank employees and officers unions, has called a nationwide strike on December 26.
Officers and staff
An estimated 10 lakh employees and officers across the country would participate in the protest, C.H.Venkatachalam, General Secretary of AIBEA, which is one of the nine unions, said.
The strike stands on December 26, he said in a statement, sharing details of a conciliation meeting conducted on Thursday by the Additional Chief Labour Commissioner in Delhi.
Stock exchanges
A few banks, including Andhra Bank, Vijaya Bank and Corporation Bank, has intimated the stock exchange, through filings, about how normal functioning of the banks could be impacted.
