On 25 January 2025, Kerala workers at Union Bank of India (UBI) are getting ready to go on strike for one day. This strike is being organised by the Joint Forum of Union Bank Unions, which is a group that includes four unions in the bank.
They have a list of 14 demands they want addressed. Some of the demands include hiring enough clerical staff through Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) exams. They also want the appointment of substaff and to make sure that contract, casual and temporary staff in the substaff category are made permanent.
The bank employees are planning to go on strike due to various issues, such as not receiving minimum wages, problems with staff transfers and insufficient recruitment. Before the strike plan, they were organising protests across the country.
The Union Bank of India (UBI) has grown to become one of the largest public-sector banks with over 8,700 branches after merging with Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank, in 2020.
Even though the bank’s profit increased by 90 per cent in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, employee unions claim that there are still many unfilled positions, particularly in clerical and substaff roles. The lack of staff in these positions is affecting the smooth operation of the bank, leading to increased work pressure on existing employees and a decline in customer service.
The union emphasised the urgent need for the bank to fill these vacancies in the clerical category to ensure proper functioning and better customer service.
