By Our Reporter
Shillong, March 17: The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) announced a 48-hour nationwide strike from March 23 after a discussion with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) over several demands failed to reach an agreement.
UFBU Meghalaya unit convener, Wanraplang Mawroh, on Monday, informed that they would join in the strike demanding better recruitment in all cadres, regularize all temporary employees, and a five-day work week among others.
He said that the immediate withdrawal of the recent DFS/Govt. Directives on performance review and Performance-Linked Incentive, which threaten job security, create division and discrimination amongst employees and officers, violate the 8th Joint Note, and undermine PSB’s autonomy.
Mawroh said that they are asking to amend the Gratuity Act to increase the ceiling to Rs 25 lakhs on the lines of the Scheme for government employees along with exemption from income tax.
He said the government should maintain a minimum of 51% of Equity Capital in IDBI Bank.
According to him, the government should stop the micro-management of PSBs by DFS on policy matters affecting service conditions of employees and officers and undermining bilateralism.
Meanwhile, the UFBU Meghalaya State Unit convener said that they are also demanding the state government to stop outsourcing permanent jobs in banks and stop unfair labour practices in the banking industry.
He observed that banks are public utility organisations serving people in the country daily.
Mawroh stressed that banks need to be provided with adequate staff to serve the customers and the general banking public. But in the last decade and more, we find that the banks are not recruiting adequate staff.
“Hence there is an acute shortage of staff
in the branches and hence employees are unable to extend satisfactory customer services,” he said.
UFBU Meghalaya State Unit convener also observed that public sector banks are implementing all the government schemes and PSBs are not provided with sufficient staff to serve the customers.
According to official figures, there has been a reduction of 1,51,835 clerical staff in the past 11 years from 3,98,801 in 2013 to 2,46,965 in 2024.
Similarly, there is a reduction of 59,280 sub-staff from 1,53,628 in 2013 to 94,348 in 2024.
Meanwhile, there is a reduction of 1,39,811 staff in the public sector bank from 8,86,490 in 2013 to 7,46,679 in 2024.
However, there is an increase of 6,17,406 in the private sector banks from 2,29,124 in 2013 to 8,46,530 in 2024.