In a major relief for crores of bank customers across the country, the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) has decided to call off its strike across the nation, it had called on November 19, 2022. The decision was taken after the Indian Banks’ Association agreed to resolve most of its issues.
Announcing the decision to call off the strike, IBEA general secretary C H Venkatachalam said that an understanding was reached on issues and that the IBA and banks have decided to solve issues in a bilateral manner. With this, all banks will now function as usual and transactions can be carried out as usual across the country.
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Banks are opened on November 19, the third Saturday of the month. Every month all banks remain open on the first and third Saturday unless it’s a holiday.
Bank employees were to go on strike on several issues including harassment of bank employees in the form of transfers, Industrial Disputes Act violation, an increase in attacks on trade unions, and the refusal to revise wages in CSB bank, among others.
Earlier, the strike was expected to impact the services of the banks across the country. A large number of banks, including Bank of Baroda and Punjab & Sind Bank, had informed their customers of the possible effect of their services in case of a nationwide strike.
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In a regulatory filing on November 17, 2022, Punjab & Sind Bank informed that in case of strikes a number of bank employees may take part in the strike which may lead to disruption of the normal functioning of the bank.
Venkatachalam also said that the outsourcing jobs by some banks are putting at risk the privacy of customers and their money. He pointed out that outsourcing is leading to a dip in recruitment at lower levels in several banks.
Several other unions were also supporting the AIBEA in its call for a strike earlier.