Bank unions call for strike on November 12

Financial transactions across the country are set to get hit once again, this time in the month of November. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) representing 9 unions has called for a nationwide strike on November 12 demanding immediate settlement of wage revision for bank workmen/officers.

“There have been 9 bipartite settlements for wage revision between Indian Banks Association (IBA) and UFBU. 13 rounds of unsuccessful talks for the 10th bipartite settlement subsequent to the expiry of the last bipartite settlement on October 31, 2012 have taken place already. Since there has been no settlement as far as wage revision is concerned,” UFBU convenor Vishwas Utagi said.

The all India strike will be followed by a relay zonal strike of the South Zone on December 2, the northern zone on December 3, the Eastern zone on December 4 and the Western zone on December 5, Utagi added. “We had been given a proposal for 11 per cent wage hike which we have rejected. The government is not willing to consider the inflation and the increase in gross profits of banks due to the work put in by the employees in the wage revision proposal given so far. We are demanding a 25 per cent wage hike which can be negotiated a little lower if the government is ready for talks,” Utagi said.