Bank employees in Mangalore, Udupi go on strike
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal / Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Dec 18: At the nation-wide call for strike given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) comprising of nine different trade unions in the banking sector, more than 300 bank employees in the city held a demonstration in front of Canara Bank at Balmatta here on Wednesday December 18 urging wage revision and other demands.
In Udupi, the bank employees held their demonstration at Udupi Syndicate Bank Catholic Centre.
Across the country, approximately 10 lac bank employees and officers of public sector banks, private banks and foreign banks observed a one-day all India strike on December 18.
The protestors demanded immediate wage revision settlement and protesting against the ongoing banking sector reforms.
The UFBU stated in a release that it had submitted a charter of demand before the expiry of the previous wage accord on October 31 2012. "In spite of several rounds of discussion, there is no breakthrough in negotiations. During the Bipartite Settlement, theIndian Banks' Association (IBA) had agreed for 17.5% increase in the wage bill. The Sixth pay commission pay scales have made bank jobs least attractive in the market besides the additional burden of accountability, transfer-ability and late working hours in banks.
"In the light of the announcement of the seventh pay commission by the government, the bank employees feel let down by the government and the IBA. The IBA had met UFBU leadership on December 14 at Mumbai wherein they had offered a paltry increase of 5% in pay which was rejected by UFBU. The conciliation proceedings called by the chief labour commissioner Delhi on December 16 ended in a failure as there was improved offer from IBA.
"More than ten lac bank employees are hence observing a one day token strike on December 18 in response to the call given by UFBU demanding a early wage revision," the release stated.