All-India Bank Strike Looms; Check Likely Dates

New Delhi: Bank employees may cease work for two days next week.

The Union Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called a two-day strike on January 30 and 31 (Monday and Tuesday).

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest public sector lender bank with 42 crore account holders, has said that normal services at its branches may be impacted due to the strike.

“We have been advised by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) that United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has served a notice of strike, informing that the members of the constituent Unions of UFBU viz. AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF and INBOC propose to go on a nationwide bank strike on 30th and 31st January, 2023 in support of their demands,” SBI informed the stock exchanges.

The bank unions are demanding talks on a fresh five-year settlement for revision of wages and service conditions as the previous one (2017-22) has expired. The unions also want the government to fill around 2 lakh vacant posts and settle some other residual issues.

A conciliation meeting took place on Tuesday after the Union Finance ministry directed public sector banks to hold negotiations on wages with bank unions to avoid a strike just before the Union Budget.

However, that meeting, called by Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner in Mumbai, offered no concrete assurance on resolution of unions’ demands, IANS reported quoting All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA).

AIBEA said the strike call for January 30 and 31 stands.

Another round of conciliation meeting with the unions is scheduled to be held on Friday to try and pacify the unions and deter them from going ahead with the strike on the last two days of January.