VISAKHAPATNAM : Over 3,000 bank employees in Visakhapatnam took part in the nation-wide strike on Tuesday, called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). The bank employees of public and private sectors, cooperative and Grameena bank branches in and around Visakhapatnam and the members of banking forums participated and discussed various topics that the government has to work on.
Speaking to the , convener of UFBU, Visakhapatnam chapter, CAS Prabhakar said, “the strike is total except AGMs and DGMs who did not take part in the strike.
All the employees from the 650 bank branches, including a few from the private banks, in the district struck work. Transactions worth over `200 crore were affected and around `70-crore cheque clearances were stalled in the city.”
The employees and the forums’ members highlighted the issues relating to the demonetisation for which they are demanding compensation to employees who worked extra time and reimbursement of related costs to the banks by government.
They also demanded improvement in superannuation benefits and total income tax exemption, early initiation of next wage revision, proper implementation of compassionate appointment scheme and adequate recruitment in all cadres, five-day banking and stringent measures to recover bad loans and criminal action against wilful defaulters.
“We have demanded removal of ceiling and gratuity and early process of wage revision as it takes longer time. Besides, we demand immediate appointment of workmen director and officer director in all banks and further action will be decided by the UFBU depending upon the reaction from government and Indian Banks Association,said the convener of UFBU.”
Along with the demands, the forum members and employees opposed anti-people banking and labour reforms, the moves of government infringing on the trade union rights and outsourcing of permanent jobs.