Banking operations to be affected as trade unions call for strike on January 8

Banking operations are set to be hit on Wednesday (January 8) as several bank employees across the country will be joining an all-India general strike or ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by Trade Unions.

It is learnt that 10 central trade unions, with support from Left parties, will be on a day-long strike to protest against the economic policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

The one-day strike means that a number of bank branches will remain closed on Wednesday and it is likley that ATM services will also be affected due to the strike. The strike, however, will not affect netbanking because NEFT online transfers are now available 24×7.

The State Bank of India (SBI) officials said that the general strike will not have a major effect on its banking operation but the Bank of Baroda officials said that its banking operations will be affected by the strike.

The SBI released a statement saying very few of its employees will participate in the strike and necessary steps have been taken by the bank for smooth functioning on the day of the strike.

Meanwhile, the 10 central trade unions said that around 25 crore people will participate in a nationwide strike on January 8.  The trade unions who will be taking part of the strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC. It is to be noted that these unions along with other federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September 2019 to go on a nationwide strike on January 8, 2020.

“We expect participation of not less than 25 crore of working people in the forthcoming National General Strike on January 8, 2020, to be followed by many more actions seeking reversal of the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government,” the 10 central trade unions (CTUs) said in a joint statement.

“The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions,” the joint statement further stated.