The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has called for a nationwide strike on November 19. Banking services are likely to remain affected due to the day-long protest.
Bank of Baroda, in a regulatory filing on Monday said, “General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has served notice of strike to Indian Banks’ Association informing that their members propose to go on strike on 19.11.2022 in support of their demands.”
The bank said that it was taking necessary steps for the smooth functioning of the bank’s branches and offices on the days of the protest. In case the strike materialises, services may be affected.
November 19 is the third Saturday of the month. All banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. With a bank strike on Saturday and the next day being Sunday, people may face cash shortages in ATMs.
Earlier in October, IANS reported that the members of AIBEA would go on a strike against the “targeted victimisation of bankers for being active in the union”. AIBEA general secretary CH Venkatachalam reportedly said that the “attacks have not only increased lately but there is also a common thread in all moves.”
“There is a design in these attacks. There is some method in the madness. Hence, we have to resist, retort and repulse these attacks at the AIBEA level as a whole,” Venkatachalam told his members, as per the IANS report.
Meanwhile, PTI reported that the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) has also alleged a violation of HR practices by foreign bank Standard Chartered. AIBOC has submitted a detailed memorandum requesting the bank’s CEO for immediate remedial measures.
The union also alleged that despite several reminders, the bank was delaying in recognising the Association of Standard Chartered Bank Officers (Kolkata) ASCBO.
AIBOC general secretary Soumya Datta urged the management of Standard Chartered to initiate dialogue with the ASCBO to discuss various issues, including improvement of service conditions, emoluments, and stop the hire and fire policy. If the bank fails to do so, unions will be constrained to take action.