City bankers respond to bandh call

Warn of snap stir in December

Banking services were paralysed for a day in the city on Wednesday, following the nation-wide strike call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions, pressing for the fulfilment of their demands.

The bank employees who gathered at their respective main branches here, staged a token protest demanding a pay hike. Close to 100 employees of State Bank of Mysore, gathered at their main branch on Irwin road, at Nehru Circle, while Canara Bank Employees gathered at their zonal office on Mahadeshwara road in Nazarbad.

The striking personnel dispersed, but not without warning of taking to the streets again in the first week of December, if their demands are not met. The Wednesday’s strike was a result of failure of talks between the government and bank employees associations.

In Mysore city alone there are 236 banks branches totalling up to 451 in the district. Barring cooperative banks and private banks, the nationalised banks called it off for a day to take part in the strike.

However, keeping in view the customers needs, ATM centres in the city were loaded with sufficient cash on the eve of the strike, on Tuesday, Lead Bank Manager Shivalingaiah told Deccan Herald.