Bank unions announce 2-day strike from Mar 24

Hyderabad: The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), representing over 8 lakh bank employees across public, private, and cooperative banks, has announced a two-day nationwide strike from March 24 to March 25. The strike, led by UFBU Telangana Convenor K Anjaneya Prasad, aims to highlight pressing issues affecting bank employees and the sector.

Several UFBU representatives participated in the press briefing, including K Anjaneya Prasad, Ram Babu, KS Sandilya, I Krishnam Raju, Hatkar Shankar, Venkataramaiah, Phani, and Arjun.

Among the key demands, UFBU is pushing for adequate recruitment across all cadres, citing severe staff shortages that have impacted customer service and increased workload. The forum is also calling for the implementation of a five-day work week, a practice already adopted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and insurance companies. Other concerns include the withdrawal of recent government directives on employee performance reviews, which unions claim threaten job security and disrupt workplace harmony. The safety of bank staff has also been raised, with UFBU demanding stricter measures to prevent customer abuse and assaults.

Additionally, the union is advocating for the amendment of the Gratuity Act to increase the gratuity ceiling to Rs25 lakh, tax exemptions on staff welfare benefits, and the government’s retention of a minimum 51 per cent stake in IDBI Bank. UFBU is also opposing the outsourcing of permanent banking jobs and calling for an end to micromanagement by the Department of Financial Services (DFS).