Banks to go on 2-day strike from March 15; J&K banks’ work to be affected

Srinagar, March 14: United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions, has called for a two-day bank strike starting from tomorrow i.e March 15. The planned strike is anticipated to affect work in most of the banks in Jammu & Kashmir as well.

Pertinetly, UFBU has called for the strike to protest against the Centre’s proposed privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs).

Although it is unclear at this stage whether J&K Bank employees would join this strike, sources confirmed to Ziraat Times that banks like SBI and Punjab National Bank are joining the 2-day strike.

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam, in a statement, said, “About 10 lakh bank employees and officers of the banks will participate in the strike”.

Since the employees of many banks will be on strike, services are bound to be affected. Most banks such as State Bank of India (SBI), Canara Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, among others, have already informed their customers about the bank strike and the impact it can have on the functioning of offices and branches of these banks.

Banks have said they are making all the necessary arrangements to ensure the smooth running of bank offices and branches on the days of the proposed two-day bank strike.

All nine members of the UFBU are expected to take part in the two-day bank strike. These are:

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO).

Most of the bank employees, including officers, of the banks operating in J&K, who are members of these associations, are participating in the strike, sources told Ziraat Times.