Strike gets support, but not much worries for public

Not struck: ATMs come to rescue; barring rly station, bus terminal, autos ply as usual

However, some sections were inconvenienced by the All India Bank Employees’ Association’s support to the strike.

Cash transactions and cheque clearances were affected. Harsha, a customer, complained that his business was affected as he depended heavily on bank transactions.  ATM users, however, were spared of any problems.

Employees of all the PSU banks, with the exception  State Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank, responded to the strike call. The bank employees were also protesting an amendment in the Banking Regulation Act Section 12(2) that seeks to remove 10 per cent cap on voting rights. They are also opposing FDI in private sector banks and entry of foreign banks into the country.

Auto strike

The autorickshaw strike too did not cause much of an inconvenience to people in the City.
Even as the strike was called between 6 am and 6 pm on Tuesday, there seemed to be no shortage of autos on City roads except at railway stations and bus terminals.

While no autorickshaws were spotted outside the City railway station and Majestic bus terminal, auto drivers outside Cantonment railway station staged a protest an  refused to ferry passengers.

These places aside, commuters had no problems travelling in autos on Tuesday.
Some auto drivers, as usual, made the best of the strike by charging exorbitant amounts for even short distances.

For instance, Amuda, a resident of Rajajinagar, had to shell out double fare for travelling short distance. Striking auto unions claimed that they had extended the support to the stir.

Hindu Mazdoor Sabha  (HMS) Joint Secretary Manchegowda, said: “At least 500 drivers from our union have gone on strike.”

Unorganised sector

Over 1,000 workers from different trade unions extending their support to the  strike.
Workers from the INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, All India Bankers’ Association, Central and State Government employees’ unions, anganwadi workers, poura karmikas and construction workers took part in procession from Mysore Bank Circle to Town Hall. They raised slogans against the Union Government. The strike did not really have a huge impact on the industry in the City.

The Peenya Industrial Area alone had more than four  lakh employees working at different shifts.