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Employees of State Bank of India, Regional Office in Supermarket, Dimapur, shout slogan during the strike on August 22.[/caption]
Staff Reporter
Dimapur, August 22 (EMN): Joining hands with the public sector bank employees across the country, employees of State Bank of India (SBI), Regional Office located at Supermarket, Dimapur, undertook a one-day strike to protest against reforms in the banking sector and other issues besides raising other demands.
The strike was called under the aegis of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), with affiliation of nine unions- All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW)and National Organisation of Bank Officers’ (NOBO).
In a circular submitted to the chairman of Indian Banks’ Association by the UFBU with the nine unions’ which was made available to media persons highlighted on their 17 issues and demands. The demands included not to privatise Public Sector Banks, stop plans of mergers and consolidation of banks, not to write off corporate Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), declare wilful default of bank loans as criminal offence, implement recommendations of parliamentary committee on recovery of NPAs, ensure accountability of top management/ executives for bad loans and put in place stringent measures to recover bad loans.
Other demands included withdrawal of proposed FRDI bill, abolish Banks Board Bureau, not to pass on the burden of corporate NPAs on bank customers by hiking charges, not to increase service charge in the name of GST, reimbursement of cost of demonetisation and other government schemes to banks by the government.
Besides, it also demanded settlement of employers and officers issues connected with demonetisation scheme, immediately fill up posts of employees/ officer director(s) in banks, implement compassionate appointment schemes in banks as per government guidelines, removal of gratuity ceiling under payment of gratuity act 1972 and total exemption of income tax on gratuity and leave encashment on retirement.
It further demanded for Improvement in Pension Scheme similar to RBI/central government including for past retirees-extension of erstwhile pension scheme in banks in lieu of NPS-follow up record note dated May 25, 2015, and adequate recruitment in all cadres.
The employees has planned to organise morcha and dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, and undertake procession to Parliament house on September 9 if their demand is not met followed with two-day strike in the month of October or November.
