2-day bank strike from today; salary withdrawal, ATMs likely to be hit
2-day bank strike from today; salary withdrawal, ATMs likely to be hit
NEW DELHI: Public sector bank (PSB) employees are going on a two-day long (30- 31 May) nationwide strike starting Wednesday. The strike called by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) is to protest against a 'meagre' 2 per cent salary hike proposed by the Indian Banks' Association (IBA).
UFBU is a parent body of bank unions, including National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI).
As the two per cent wage hike failed to convince the bank unions, nearly 1 million bank employees have gone on strike which kicked off at 6 am on Wednesday.
Reportedly, the ATM security guards are also likely to participate in the protest. With month-end salary credits expected on Thursday, ATM closures could impact cash withdrawals.
Bank officials said they will replenish ATMs before the strike, but are apprehensive whether the ATMs — which run dry due to the heavy month-end withdrawals — can be fed again with cash by private service providers. “Online bank operations will remain fully functional. If bank branches and ATMs are forcibly closed, cash transactions could be impacted,” a regional manager of a private sector bank said.
