New Delhi, Dec 16 (Inditop.com) Banking operations across the country were affected Wednesday, as an estimated 450,000 workers of state-run and private banks proceeded on a day-long strike, although people were able to withdraw money from automated teller machines.
The strike was called by the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and the All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA). Their talks with the government had failed Tuesday.
“Our strike is to protest the proposed merger of State Bank of Indore with its parent. But we are also opposing the merger and consolidation of public sector banks,” said Balakrishna Shetty, a senior office bearer with the AIBOA in Bangalore.
“These mergers are not in national interest. It not only amounts to job loss, but also hampers banking services for small customers like agri business and small and medium enterprises,” Rajen Nagar, national president of AIBEA, told IANS in Kolkata.
“Twenty seven state-run banks and around a similar number of private sector banks are keeping their shutters down,” Nagar said, adding: “We want extension of public sector banks, not merger.”
In most cities across the country, while banks remained opened, services were severely affected, particularly those related to customer services and treasury operations. Money market operations were normal.
Long queues were also seen of people waiting in front of cash dispensing machines.
In August, over a million employees of state-run banks went on a two-day strike over better pension and wages, inconveniencing both individual and corporate customers, as automated teller machines had also run out of cash by the end of the first day.
The bank employees have also strongly protested moves by the government asking bank managements, especially those with smaller operations, to consider consolidations through mergers.
