In a regulatory filing on 7 November, Bank of Baroda said that the General Secretary of All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) has sent a notice to the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) stating that the members of AIBEA have proposed to go on a nationwide strike on 19 November, in support of their demands.
Being the third Saturday of November, banks are supposed to be operating on 19 November. Across India, they are supposed to be closed only on the first and second Saturday of the month.
While Bank of Baroda has prepared itself in case the strike does take place on the said date, it has cautioned that some banking services may be hit on that day.
CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of AIBEA recently told the media that the Union is protesting against the targeted victimisation of bankers for being active in the union. He mentioned that AIBEA wishes to protest against the systematic attacks on the members of the Union and revealed how Sonali Bank, MUFG Bank, Federal Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and others have dismissed the Union leaders of AIBEA.
The AIBEA has been raising its voice against banks such as Bank of Maharashtra that have denied their employees trade union rights. It is also disapproving of
banks such as Canara Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and IDBI Bank that have outsourced many of their banking activities. The Association wishes to draw attention to the indiscriminate transfers that have taken place at the Central Bank of India —about 3,300 in number — in violation of the bipartite and bank-level settlements.
The Association intends to continue protesting and demonstrating in various ways and on different levels till 19 November.
