Banking operations across the country could be impacted on Monday and Tuesday as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has given a call for a nationwide strike to protest against the proposed privatisation of two State-owned lenders.
Services such as deposits and withdrawals at branches, cheque clearance and loan approvals would be affected.
The UFBU, an umbrella body of nine unions, in a statement claimed that about 10 lakh employees and officers will participate in the strike.
Many public sector lenders, including the SBI, have informed their customers that their normal working could be affected.
Banks have also informed that they are taking necessary steps for the smooth functioning of branches and offices.
In the Union Budget presented last month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) as part of the disinvestment plan.
The government has already privatised the IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake in the lender to the LIC in 2019 and has merged 14 PSBs in the last four years.
Conciliation meetings — before the Additional Chief Labour Commissioner on March 4, 9 and 10 — did not yield any positive result, so the strike stands, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) general secretary C H Venkatachalam said.
Members of the UFBU include All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI).
Others are 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).
