Bank employees across the nation will strike work on 8 January, 2016 to protest against the violation of an agreement between Indian Banks Association (IBA) and employees union applicable to the five associate banks of State Bank of India.
The five associate banks are State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Travancore and State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur.
"Nearly 340,000 bankers would strike work on January 8. The strike is to protest against the violation of bilateral settlement by the five associate banks of SBI and their attempt to force unilateral service conditions on employees," C H Venkatachalam, general secretary, All All India Bank Employees' Association, said.
"It is the AIBEA that has given the strike call," he added.
The IBA and the AIBEA had signed a common settlement in May this year on the duties and remuneration of employees working at the five associate banks, which are different from those existing in State Bank of India, Venkatachalam said and added that the five banks are parties to the settlement.
"But the managements of the five associate banks are implementing the service conditions of the SBI, which is illegal and violation of the settlement," he said.
"The bank management is forcing its rules without any discussion with the unions from the New Year onwards and hence we are forced to respond," Venkatachalam said, reports India Today.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE on 28 December, Bangalore-based public sector lender Canara Bank said that Canara Bank Employees' Union, affiliated to the AIBEA, would participate in the strike.
Earlier in February, bank unions and IBA had signed a wage agreement for 15% hike in salaries effective from 1 November, 2012, benefiting about 8 lakh bank employees.
