New Delhi, May 30: Imagine what if your life goes on a standstill! It indeed won’t, but for some especially people in constant contact with the banking sector, things have taken up a high toll. Employees of the public sector banks have called off for a nationwide strike. A two-day strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) to protest against the meager salary hike offered to bank employees.
Over 10 lakh bank employees will cease all official work for two days, on May 30 and May 31. It has been noted that this nationwide strike has not been well received as this will immensely affect the banking sector and crores of people across the country.
Earlier this month, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had offered a hike of a measly hike of 2% over the total wage bill of the banks. This was immediately rejected by the bank unions, thus prompting a nation-wide strike.
What actually prompted the nationwide two-day strike is that when the charter of demand was introduced before the bank employees, they were unhappy with the mere rise of 2% hike in their salary. The two percent salary hike was offered by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) earlier this month. However, the bank unions rejected the offer right away, demanding a quick and early wage revision. The offer also stated that the negotiations on officers’ demands would apply only up to Scale III officers. The unions also opposed the laid-back approach of government toward wage revision for bank employees.
The scale rise in the wages of the bank employees range from their grades of I to VII, the bank unions have demanded a suitable upsurge in salary and wage revision settlement that includes all officers up to scale VII. However, bank unions asserted that they would not be willing to accept a wage hike below 14 to 15 percent.
Amid the ongoing strike, some banks, mostly private sector banks, will not be impacted by the strike. ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, YES Bank and IndusInd Bank are some of the banks that will continue regular operations.