All India State Bank Officers? Federation (AISBOF) is observing one-day protest strike on August 18. This is against the Union government?s move for the merger of State Bank of Saurashtra and State Bank of India.
An indefinite strike is in pipeline in September, K Rajeevan, general secretary, AISBOF- Kerala said, here. AISBOF Executive Committee meeting soon after the Monday?s strike will finalise the date when the September strike will begin, he said.
The decision for Monday?s strike was taken in an emergency meeting of general secretaries and presidents of all Circle Associations and the Associate Bank Officers? Association in Patna.
AISBOF represents the officers in State Bank of India (SBI) and seven associate banks. It includes 80,000 officers working in over 15,000 branches all over the country. Where there is need to open more branches in rural and backward parts of the country, the merger is bound to affect the existing branch network, according to the federation.
The proposed merger, says the officers, will not help the size of bank since already the balance sheet reflects State Bank Group as a whole.
The federation is also demanding extension of superannuation scheme available to SBI for all officers in the Associate Banks.