New Delhi, January 27: Banking services across India were affected on Tuesday as employees and officers of government banks went on a national strike. The strike was called to demand a five-day workweek for bank employees; this has been a demand bank unions have been raising for many years.
The strike was conducted by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which represents nine major bank unions with their officers and employees. Because of the strike, many public sector branches across the country remained closed completely or partially. This caused trouble for customers while visiting banks for cash, deposits, cheques, and other services.
The decision of the union was taken after a conciliation meeting with the chief labour commissioner on January 23, but failed to bring a positive result; hence, union leaders said the government did not accept their demand for a five-day workweek, leaving them with no choice but to go on strike.
C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary of the All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), said the strike was “forced” on bank employees. The staff was offended and was being treated unfairly, as other government offices are already following a five-day work schedule. The bank employee’s workload is increasing; they have long working hours, yet fail to maintain a work-life balance
The banking employee groups have raised concerns about staff shortages and heavy workloads. They believe that a five-day workweek will help employees work better and serve customers well. The strike affected customers who rely on bank branches for regular financial needs. Some customers went back without help, while others relied on digital banking and ATMs. Services may restart after the strike, though the five-day workweek issue remains unsolved.
