The All India Bank Employees’ Association has given a call for an agitational programme, including bank-wise and state-wise strikes, culminating in a two-day all-India bank strike on January 19 and 20, to press its demand for adequate recruitment and to oppose outsourcing of regular jobs at public sector banks.

With the number of bank customers increasing manifold and business volumes rising, there has been a sharp increase in employee workload. However, recruitment has been inadequate, said CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA.

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“Vacancies arising out of retirements, promotions, deaths, etc, are not being filled up. Branches are not being provided additional staff to cope up with the increase in business.

“More and more Government schemes are being implemented through bank accounts…All these also add to the workload of employees in the branches,” he said.

Venkatachalam observed that an acute shortage of staff in the branches has adversely affected customer service. This has resulted in complaints from customers, he added.

K. S. Krishna, General Secretary, All India SBI Employees’ Association, said the lack of adequate recruitment in banks is a multi-dimensional issue, adversely affecting effective banking operations, satisfactory customer-service and workplace harmony. 

“...Unfortunately, policy-makers are advocating informalisation of permanent jobs in the name of cost-cutting,” Krishna said.

AIBEA will hold bank-wise strikes from December 4th to 11th. Further, it will hold state-level strikes from January 2-6, 2024.

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