The All India Bank Officers’ Confederation has threatened to go on a nationwide strike on February 24-25. A steering committee, including state-run banks and private lender IDBI Bank, has been set up.
“The group has been formed to insulate the banking system against all uncertainties, including strikes,” said the official, who did not wish to be identified, adding that the move was not specifically related to the announcement regarding the proposed February strike.
A bank executive said on the condition of anonymity, “There is a crisis management plan (CMP) and this new steering committee will also interact with individual banks to formulate SOPs based on their geographical presence and other critical installations.”
Crisis management plan for nationwide bank strikes
The key components of the CMP will include replenishment of ATMs and branch services, besides ensuring no disruption to online services. If the bank officers’ union proceeds with the planned strike, lenders will effectively remain closed for four consecutive days.Union demandsThe strike will lead to banks not operating on February 22 (holiday on account of fourth Saturday) and February 23 (Sunday), followed by the proposed two-day strike. The last successful strike for state-run banks was a two-day strike in December 2021, when more than 900,000 employees had protested against government plans to privatise public sector banks.
The AIBOC has demanded implementation of a five-day work week in the banking industry and immediate withdrawal of the recent directives by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) on performance review and performance-linked incentives. The association says these threaten job security, create division among employees, and undermine state-run banks’ autonomy.
