Two-day strike: Banking services hit across state
THE UNITED FORUM OF BANK UNIONS, AN UMBRELLA BODY OF NINE UNIONS IN THE BANKING SECTOR, HAD GIVEN THE STRIKE CALL FOR JANUARY 31 AND FEBRUARY 1.
JALANDHAR: Banking operations were hit on Friday across the state on Day One of the two-day nationwide strike called by the employee unions to press for early settlement of wage revision.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine unions in the banking sector, had given the strike call for January 31 and February 1. The striking employees are protesting the “anti-people banking reforms” and demanded 20% pay hike, five-day week, improvement in pension and family pension schemes. Union leaders said they are demanding scraping of new pension scheme, equal wage for equal work for contract employees and business correspondents.
Services in nationalised banks remained hit in the Doaba Region comprising Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur,
Kapurthala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Around 400 employees gathered at the State Bank of India main branch at civil lines and took out a protest march to Company Bagh Chowk.
Pawan Bassi from SBI said 720 branches across Jalandhar district remained closed.
Around 25,000 cheques for ₹230 crore were not cleared while cash transactions of ₹220 crore were affected. They claimed business worth ₹800 crore was hit in Jalandhar district.
In Gurdaspur, bank employees assembled at the GT Road branch of the Punjab National Bank and shouted slogans. Protests were also held in Barnala.