BANK EMPLOYEES to observe strike on Feb 20-21

Ludhiana,  February 5, 2013: One million bank employees and officers working in all the public sector banks as well as in old generation private banks, foreign banks, co-operative banks and Regional Rural Banks will join the 2 days nationwide continuous general strike on February 20 and 21.

According to Naresh Gaur, secretary, Punjab Bank Employees Federation, Ludhiana- affiliated to AIBEA, the Workers’ Parliament and Convention held at Delhi on September 4 last year had given the call for this first ever two days general strike jointly by all the central trade unions in our country to protest against the Central Government’s anti-people, anti-labour and the pro-corporate neo-liberal economic policies. 

Further, Gaur said the government has been increasingly succumbing to the pressures of the profit greedy corporate and business houses and consequently, the workers are facing problems for their jobs, job security, legitimate wage payments, and genuine trade union rights. 

He said prices are galloping alarmingly and the Government has totally failed to control price-line.  This has adversely affected the common masses and the salaried sections.  Unorganised sections of the workers, predominant of whom are women, are subject to inhuman exploitation of lower wages and denial of decent livelihood.  While the Government’s is so keen the bail out the corporates, it has no time or mind to mitigate the sufferings of the people and working masses.  Hence this strike has become necessary to express our serious concern and opposition and to demand remedial measures.

He told that Punjab Bank Employees Federation will join this two-days strike under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions comprising of all the 9 bank unions in the country.

Demands:

·         In support of the 10 point Charter of Demands of Central Trade Unions.

·         Control alarming price rise

·         Stop anti-labour policies and Hands off trade union rights

·         Stop Banking Reforms

·         Stop Outsourcing

·         Early wage revision

·         Settle pending issues like compassionate appointment scheme