Employee unions of four Indian banks have threatened that they would go on strike on December 20, 2012. The strike would be in protest against the proposed Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill and mergers of banks.
Indian Bank, in filing on the BSE said, “If the strike materializes, a section of the bank’s employees may take part in the proposed strike on the said date (December 20), in which case, the normal functioning of the branches or offices of the bank may get affected”. The associations who have threatened to strike include the All India Bank Officer’s Association, the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), the Bank Employees Federation of India and the National Union of Bank Employees.
C.H. Venkatachalam, the AIBEA General Secretary said that ever since the government initiated neo-liberal economic reform policies, there have been repeated attempts to liberalize and privatize the banking sector in India. Venkatachalam also said that they have been constantly fighting against such policies and have conducted agitations and strike actions on various occasions.
Agitations have been conducted whenever the government took measures for bank reforms as it is not in the interest of the country and the economy. The unions have also said that about five lakh employees of various associations will participate in the strike.
