Bank strike today

New Delhi: Bank unions will go ahead with their planned nationwide strike on Friday, after talks with the government over key demands, including service conditions, failed to break the deadlock.

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has said it will not defer the strike unless there is a favourable decision or a definite timeline on its principal demand for a five-day banking week.

It may noted here that banks are closed on the second Saturday (September 12), followed by Sunday (September 13) and Monday (September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi) in some states.

The latest conciliation talks were held at the office of the chief labour commissioner (central), with representatives of the UFBU, Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), Department of Financial Services (DFS) and labour authorities.

The DFS representative appealed to the bank unions to reconsider the strike call in view of the BRICS Leaders' Summit during 11-13 September in New Delhi. The unions, however, maintained that they could not defer the strike in the absence of a favourable decision or a definite timeline for implementation of the five-day work week.

“Two rounds of online meetings were held today. There has been no concrete outcome on the five-day work week. The strike stands," said Rupam Roy, general secretary, All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC).

The September 11 action is the first in a wider programme announced by the UFBU.

The unions have also called a three-day nationwide strike during September 28-30 and have announced an indefinite strike from October 26 if their demands remain unresolved.

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The Hans India