Bank employees to go on a 2-day strike from today: Here’s how banking services will remain impacted

New Delhi: Bank employees across the country are on a two-day strike starting from today (December 16). Banks will remain closed during the two-day strike on December 16 (Thursday) and December 17 (Friday). 

In some parts of the country, banks will remain closed for four days straight from December 16 to December 19. For instance, on Saturday (December 18), banks will remain closed in Shillong on the Death Anniversary of U SoSo Tham. 

Why bank employees are on a strike? 

The two-day strike was called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of 9 bank unions, to protest against the proposed privatisation of banks. Earlier this month on December 1, trade unions had initiated a protest campaign ‘Bank Bachao, Desh Bachao’ at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 1. 

Sanjay Das, general secretary of All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), had told news agency PTI that besides the two-day strike, a series of other agitational programmes will be held if the government does not give up the idea of privatisation of the banks.

How banking services will remain impacted? 

More than 60,000 bank employees of various state-owned and private banks in India are participating in the bank strike to show off their dissent against the government’s plans of privatising public sector banks. 

Unions claimed that about nine lakh employees of state-run banks are observing strike across the country. UFBU's Convenor (Maharashtra) Devidas Tuljapurkar said that public sector banks are on the forefront in implementing all government schemes, such as Jan-Dhan Yojana, social sector insurance scheme and Mudra schemes, meant for the economically and socially backward sections of the society. Also Read: Supriya Lifescience IPO opens today: Check GMP, subscription dates, price band

As a result, all public sector banks including the State Bank of India (SBI) have warned customers of the possible suspension of banking services for a limited time period. On the other hand, Canara Bank, PNB, Punjab and Sind Bank had reached out to bank unions requesting them to call off the strike, as it’ll impact day to day operations. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: UP hikes DA for govt employees, check by how much salary will increase

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