A three-day nationwide bank strike has been called by the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) and the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) from March 11 to March 13.
The strike has been called after the unions’ talks with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) over wage revision failed.
The strike has been called ahead of the second Saturday of March, which is a bank holiday.
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Bank workings will be affected for five consecutive days including Sunday.
BEFI and AIBEA demanded a 20 per cent wage hike with adequate loading thereof.
The IBA, however, agreed on a hike up to 19 per cent including a performance-linked incentive.
Responding to a PIL filed at Gujarat High Court, the Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday said it has no role to play in disputes between concerned banks and their employees.
The PIL was filed seeking the HC’s direction to RBI to direct banks to take action against their employees for joining strikes.
The RBI further said the issue was not policy-related and hence so it cannot intervene.
RBI further informed the HC that each bank has its service rules. The RBI has no control over the staff of the banks.
The bank employees’ unions had called for a nationwide strike earlier on January 31 and February 1.
After the present strike from March 11 to 13, the unions have threatened to call an indefinite strike from April 1 if their demand for wage revision is not met.