Nationwide Bank Strike On July 29

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), consisting of nine trade unions of bank employees and officers, has called a one-day strike on July 29 to oppose the banking reform policies of the Central Government. 

In a statement, CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees’ Association, said the notice for the strike was served on the Indian Banks’ Association on July 11 by the UFBU.

Close to 10 lakh bank employees and officers working in public sector banks, old private banks, regional rural banks, foreign banks and co-operative banks are members of one of the nine trade unions.

On July 11, the Delhi High Court had restrained the State Sector Bank Employees' Association (SSBEA) and the All-India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) from proceeding with their strike notice.

The court also restrained the associations as well as their members from proceeding with a strike on July 12-13; the ruling effectively accepted a plea by SBI associate banks.

The AIBEA and the All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA) had planned to hold joint programes to protest against the proposed merger and consolidation of banks, particularly the five associate banks with SBI, and the privatization of IDBI Bank.

S Nagarajan, General Secretary, AIBOA, said the strike on July 29, among others, is to oppose privatization of public sector banks and regional rural banks, consolidation among public sector banks and licenses to corporate to start banks.