Strike Paralyses Banking Operations In Odisha; Customers Suffer

Bhubaneswar: Services in public sector banks remained paralysed today, frustrating customers, following a strike call given by All India Bank Officers’ Confederation.

The confederation is demanding immediate revision of salaries and opposing merger of state-owned banks. Operations, however, remained normal in private sector banks.

The strike came on a day when customers made a beeline to branches before they downed shutters for an extended Christmas weekend holidays, save for Monday.

“I returned disappointed this morning as my bank had put up a notice announcing the bandh. I wanted to give a skip on Monday to avoid the crowd and the queue, but it was a frustrating experience for me to return back today,” said P K Das, a retired Government employee.

What could make matters worse for customers is that the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of the top nine bank unions, has threatened to strike work on December 26 (Wednesday) as well.

UFBU is opposing the proposed merger of Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank.
Services in ATMs continued to remain normal on Friday, but a few officials admitted cash could dry up soon if banks fail to replenish the currencies.

“We have demanded wage revision based on the minimum wages formula without linking to profits or paying capacity,” said AIBOC joint general secretary Ravinder Gupta.

Sources said only a few banks so far have reached out to the Indian Banks’ Association for negotiating salaries of officers.

Dates on which bank services will be hit:

December 21: Bank officers’ union strike

December 22: Fourth Saturday Off

December 23: Sunday Weekly Off

December 25: Christmas holiday

December 26: Strike by United Forum of Bank Unions (Tentative)