State Sector Bank Employees’ Association went on strike today.

On the call of State Sector Bank Employees’ Association More than 40,000 workmen among 5000 branches of five Associate Banks of SBI (State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, State Bank of Travancore and State Bank of Mysore) went on strike today. Cash transactions including other banking transactions were completely paralyzed. ATMs at various places were dried up and clearing of cheques was badly affected. Strike was a total success but it was forced on us by SBI Management claimed Com. S K Gautam, Secretary SSBEA & General Secretary AISBOPEF.Massive Protest rallies were held here in Punjab at all district Head Quarters and employees gathered from the branches of respective districts. At Patiala the rally was held at SBOP Head Office, Patiala. Addressing the rally Com S K Gautam told that SBI Management is using Associate Banks as its colonial rule and interfering in small & petty decisions despite autonomy available to them under rules. Undue control is creating hurdles in progress of Associate banks, therefore we are demanding delinking of Associate Banks from SBI. He further told that despite the provisions of Trade Union Act & Industrial Dispute Act and present practice in whole of the banking industry, SBI Management is restricting right of representation and is not allowing negotiations by the elected retired representatives of the Union.
Com. Gautam said Increased Housing loan & Over Draft Limit which is basic need is already allowed to SBI Staff and Officers of Associate Banks but has been declined in case of workmen among all Associate Banks just to pressurize the employees to change their service conditions which are detrimental to their job security. Need based recruitment of Part Time Workers and Sub staff is not being done with a view to outsource these jobs in violation of industry level & bank wise agreements.On the intervention of Chief Labor Commissioner of India a meeting was held at Delhi between SSBEA and Management of SBI & Associate Banks. Management did not yield to any of the demand despite flexible attitude adopted by the Unions to avoid today’s strike. Com. Gautam told that our flexible attitude has been taken by the Management as weakness hence strike is forced on us. We regret inconvenience to our customers we are left with no other alternative. Now on 24th June AIBEA has given a strike call in our support resultantly 5 lac workmen throughout the banking industry will observe the strike against discriminatory attitude of SBI
Management.The rally was addressed by Com.Ram Kumar, President All India Oriental Bank Employees Fedn. ,
Com.Vinod Sharma, General Secretary, ABOA Pb.State Committee, Com.Yadvinder Gupta, Treasurer, AISBOPEF, Com.Brij Chowdhary, Chairman, Employees Union, Com.Lavleen Saini, President, Com.Ashok Sharma Dy. Secretary, PBEF, Com.Sanmeet Singh, Treasurer, Com. Balvir Sharma, Com.Shubh Karan Gill, Vice President, Com.Harjit Singh Org. Secretary, SBOP Emp. Union, Punjab Bank Employees Fedn (Patiala) also addressed the gathering.