Banking services to be affected from March 22 to 25 as union calls for nationwide strike

The United Forum of Bank Unions UFBU has called for a nationwide twoday strike on March 24 and 25 demanding better recruitment across all cadres regularisation of temporary employees and the implementation of a fiveday workweek in the banking sectorUFBU is a collective that includes nine bank unions representing more than eight lakh employees and officers in public sector banks private sector banks foreign banks coop banks and regional rural banksPankaj Kapoor VP All India Bank Officers Confederation AIBOC told ANI Banking services will be interrupted for four days starting from March 22 and March 23 is a bank holiday and 2425 March is a strike Due to this banking services like clearing house cash transactions remittances and advances will be affected for four days starting from March 22The demands include adequate recruitment in all cadres regularise all temporary employees implementation of a fiveday work week immediate withdrawal of the recent DFSgovernment directives on performance review and PLI which threaten job security create division and discrimination amongst employees and officers violate the Eighth Joint Note and undermine Public Sector Banks PSB autonomy safety of bank officersstaff against the assaultabuses by unruly banking public filling up the post of workmenofficer directors in PSBs resolution of residual issues pending with IBA amending Gratuity Act to increase the ceiling to Rs 25 lakh on the lines of scheme for government employees along with exemption from income taxThe demand said Do not recover income tax on staff welfare benefits given to employees and officers on concessional termsManagement to bear the same a statement by the union saidOther demands include maintaining a minimum of 51 per cent of Equity Capital in IDBI Bank by the government stopping Micromanagement of PSBs by DFS on policy matters affecting service conditions of employees and officers and undermining bilateralismOther demands listed are stopping outsourcing permanent jobs in banks and stopping unfair labour practices in the banking industryIn a press release issued by the UFBU they demanded adequate recruitment should be made to provide sufficient staff in all Branches to extend satisfactory customer services and to reduce the undue workload on the existing staffIn the entire financial sector including RBI insurance companies etc they follow a days work week In the government too it is five days workingEven in many private sectors including IT it is five days working in a week Hence we demanded five days working per week in banks also Indian banks agreed to the same and recommended it to the government one year ago but still the issue is pending with the government Hence we are demanding implementation of five days working in banks without any further delay the release statedOther demands include immediate withdrawal of the recent unilateral instructions of the government on the monthly review of the efficiency of staff and modifications in the incentive scheme without any discussions with the unionsTo press the above demands and seek an amicable resolution of the same United Forum of Bank Unions has given the call for an All India Bank strike for two days from midnight of March 23 to midnight of March 25 2025Since the management or the government are not coming forward to settle these issues the agitation and strike have been forced on us We seek the support of the people for our strike and request them to bear with us for any inconvenience caused to them said the release signed by Rupam Roy General Secretary of the UFBUThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever