Employees of state-run banks threaten two-day strike from 31 January seeking wage revision; say IBA's approach rigid towards demands

New Delhi: Bank unions have threatened to go on a two-day nationwide strike beginning 31 January to press for early wage revision. The wage revision for employees of public sector banks (PSBs) is pending since November 2017. The strike call has been given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of the nine bank unions including All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW). [caption id=“attachment_4401507” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] If proposed strike materialises, it will coincide with beginning of the Budget session and presentation of Budget 2020-21. UFBU in circular alleged rigid approach of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) on demands for a fair wage revision settlement. “In this background, the meeting of UFBU held at Mumbai on 13 January came to the unanimous and inescapable conclusion that intensified agitational actions have to be resorted to press our demands for reasonable resolution and satisfactory settlement,” it said. Unions are demanding wage revision settlement at 20 percent hike on payslip components with adequate loading. In the past wage settlement, which was for the period 1 November 2012, to 31 October 2017, the employees got a 15 percent hike. Earlier this month, a section of bank employees had gone on a day-long strike on 8 January in support of 10 major trade unions’ protest call against the government’s “anti-people” policies.