Banking operations will be affected on March 15 and 16, with bank unions and officers’ associations calling for a strike against the privatisation of banks.
The strike call will mean that those paying advance tax through branches may have to do so a day earlier. As public gatherings are barred, bank staff will create awareness through social media and distribute ‘stop privatization’ masks to customers and tell them of the difference in charges between private and PSU banks.
The government has announced privatisation of two public sector banks in the Union Budget. The strike call is in anticipation that the government will introduce the legislation to facilitate privatisation in the current session.
Nilesh Pawar, Maharashtra, State Secretary All-India Nationalised Bank Officers’ Federation said the bank strike would be followed by a strike by public sector insurance companies. “At the time of bank merger, employees were the only ones protesting. We are now gathering general support by informing customers of the affordability issues that will come up with privatization and by highlighting the risk-taking and other work done by public sector banks in social schemes,” he said.
Surjitt Sahani
