Bankers protest merger, merit based pay scale

 Ongole: The employees of various banks in and around Ongole, called off work and participated in a protest at the State Bank of India main branch on Friday, under the leadership of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation. 

The officers organised a meeting and discussed the issues behind the strike and explained the other members.

B Adinarayana, assistant treasurer of the Amaravati Circle State Bank of India Officers Association, demanded the government to implement the 11th pay revision, which is pending for the last two years. 

He also demanded the government to call off the proposed merit based pay scale and implement the uniform minimum pay scale and warned that they are ready for the indefinite strike also. 

V Srinivasa Rao, the SBI officers Association regional secretary demanded the government to call off the proposed merger of the banks immediately. 

He said that the merger forces closure of many branches, particularly in the rural areas and the farmers, women self help groups will be affected by it.

R Rajarao, All India Andhra Bank Officers Association leader demanded to regulate the individual pension and family pension schemes. 

He demanded the government to list out the NPAs in public and collect the money from the responsible to save the banking system in the country. 

SBI Officers Association Guntur module assistant general secretary D Venkateswarlu condemned the physical attacks on the bankers. He demanded protection from the government and bank management.

The officers announced that about 3.20 lakh bankers from the rank of assistant manager to the general manager in all banks in the country are participating in the strike on Friday. 

They alleged that five banks didn’t gave their consent yet to the pay revision proposals and are implementing the divide and rule policy. 

Various bank union leaders K Janaki Ramaiah, Sriharsha, Chandrasekhar, Suresh Babu, Bhattu Murthy, Rajesh, Pradeep, Manikantha, Jhansi, Gowriswari, Madhurima and others also participated in the protest.