Bank employees threaten indefinite strike on pension issue

The national executive committee meeting of BMS-affiliated National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) was organised in Pune recently. The meeting passed a resolution stating that if government does not consider the demands of bank employees they will have to resort for indefinite strike. Restore compassionate ground appointments, stop outsourcing in public/private sector banks and go for recruitment, stop attack on trade union rights and privileges, stop merger and acquisition of banks are some of their demands. The bank employees will be on strike on October 27 for pressing upon these demands. All the nine unions of bank officers and employees under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) will observe one-day token strike on October 27. If the government does not consider these demands, the banks employees may go on indefinite strike. The NOBW'scentral executive also passed a resolution opposing the merger of Lord Krishna Bank (LKB) with Centurion Bank of Punjab, which is also a loss-making bank. LKB should be merged with any nationalised bank. The central executive opposed the grand alliance of Corporation Bank, Indian Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce as such an alliance is considered first step before merger. As per the agreement of grand alliance initially there will be common understanding on rate of interest, service charges and commission. But sooner or later the same alliance will resort to inter bank transfers amongst the employees.