Mumbai: Banking operations were partially
affected as a section of employees of public sector banks and
financial institutions went on a day-long strike called by
central trade unions today.
Banks in which employees owing allegiance to The All
India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees
Federation of India (BEFI) were affected to some extent but
the country`s largest lender, State Bank of India, remained
virtually unaffected.
Besides, private sector and foreign banks were also
unaffected.
The AIBEA, however, claimed the strike was a success
in Mumbai.
"The strike was a total success in Mumbai. Employees
of all the nationalised banks, including IDBI, state-run
lenders and RBI staffers have participated in the strike by
not reporting to work," AIBEA General Secretary, Vishwas
Utagi, told reporters here.
State Bank of India`s officers besides those of
several other public sector banks, have, however, not
joined-in the strike but are extending their "fraternal
support" to their striking compatriots.
This was announced yesterday by the All India State
Bank Officers` Federation and All India Bank Officers`
Confederation`s General Secretary, G D Nadaf.
Employees owing allegiance to the General Insurance
Employees` All India Association also participated in the
strike.
Nearly 40,000 employees affiliated with the GIEAIA are
participating in the strike, its Chairman, M S Upadhyay, said.
The AIBEA is strongly opposed to allowing FDI in
private sector banks, Utagi said, adding that it was also
demanding expansion of public sector banks` network from the
present 40,000 branches to 1,00,000 throughout India.
It is also opposing removal of the 10 per cent cap on
voting rights and making it up to 74 per cent and
consolidation of public sector banks.
The striking bank employees are also opposed to the
entry of new private banks as also the idea of handing over
regional rural banks (RRBs) to corporate houses.
The Central trade unions have called for the day-long
strike to protest the growing and unabated price rise, massive
job losses in the name of recession, violations of labour laws
and disinvestment in public sector undertakings, among others.
PTI
