Bank strike day 2: Services hit, few ATMs go dry

LUCKNOW: Banking services were hit across the state for the second day on Thursday as employees continued their strike to protest a “meager” 2% salary hike offered by the Indian Banks Association (IBA).

Banking operations are likely to become normal from Friday, after the two-day strike by the United Forum of Banking Unions (UFBU), an umbrella organisation cpmprising all nine unions of the banking sector.

In the last 48 hours, business of ₹1,900 crore in the state capital and ₹24,000 crore across the state was affected in the absence of cheque clearance, electronic transfer of money, cash transactions, accounts opening, closing etc.

Bank employees threatened of indefinite strike if their demand for 25% hike in wages, instead of 2% offered by the government, was not met in 15 days.

Dileep Chauhan, general secretary, All-India Bank Employees’ Confederation, said: “The NPAs of banks are not because of bank employees. They are because of higher management and political masters, so why should bank employees suffer.”

Anil Tewari, media in-charge of United Bank Employees’ Forum, admitted that cash crunch was felt at some places on Thursday as a few ATMs out

of 1,070 in the state capital and 6,900 all over the state ran out of cash.

As many as 730 branches of banks in Lucknow and 6,600 banks all over the state remained closed.

All the 10,500 employees in Lucknow and 84,000 bank employees all over UP remained on strike.

Traders in markets like Aminabad, Alambagh, Charbagh, Hazratganj and Chowk admitted a slight drop in sales because of the bank strike.

Sandeeep Bansal, president of Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Mandal, said, “Traders are always affected whenever banks are closed. People feel the pinch when ATMs go dry.”