Bank strike deferred
C H Venkatachalam, Gen. Secretary, AIBEA
The proposed 4 days’
continuous strike by 10 lacs bank employees under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions
has been put on hold and deferred.
During the last round of meeting held on 6th instant, IBA improved their offer of wage
increase from Rs. 3465 crores to Rs. 3938 crores i.e. from 11% to 12.5%. Though it is not an acceptable offer, since
IBA offered further improvements during further negotiations, the proposed
strike on 7th instant was deferred.
Further discussions have
continued in the Sub-Committees on 14th and 19th instants wherein issues
other than wage increase and pertaining to other service conditions like
introduction of a better medical expenses reimbursement scheme, five days
banking, regulated working hours for officers, leave benefits of employees,
etc. have been discussed.
In the meantime, IBA today assured
to hold further talks during first week of February, 2015 and continue the
negotiations. Hence, in the interest of
the banking public, the 4 days strike has been deferred and put on hold till
further talks. We expect that this
goodwill be reciprocated by the Government and IBA and that they would expedite
the settlement with fair increase in wages which is pending for more than 2
years. Otherwise Unions would be constrained to revive the strike call.
C.H.VENKATACHALAM GENERAL SECRETARY