Two-day bank strike on March 15,16; services likely to be affected

Concerned with the scale of the strike, Canara Bank on Thursday said that the strike may impact the banking services in the country.

Upset with the government's decision to privatise public sector banks, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called for a two-day strike in the banking industry on March 15 and 16. UFBU also made it clear that the strike is for issues relating to the industry and not for any specific bank-level issue.

UFBU also made it clear that the strike is for issues relating to the industry and not for any specific bank-level issue. (HT Photo)

Concerned with the scale of the strike, Canara Bank on Thursday said that the strike may impact the banking services in the country.

"We have been informed by the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) that the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has given a call for strike in the banking industry on March 15 and March 16, for issues relating to industry level and not for any bank-level issues," PTI quoted Canara Bank as saying in a regulatory filing.

Here is all you need to know about the bank strike:

> Unions that have called for a strike against the proposed privatisation of public sector banks as stated during the presentation of the Union budget 2021-22 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), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees' Federation Federation of Canara Bank Employees' Congress (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW), National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO), All India Nationalised Bank Officers' Federation Canara Bank Officers' Association (Regd.) (AINBOF).

> Earlier on February 22, the bank workforce in all cadres sported black badge as a way to protest against the privatisation of public lenders and as a precursor to the strike called for two days in March, as per the Twitter users.

> The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has also called for phase-wise agitation against the disinvestment and privatisation of the banks.

Canara Bank further said that it is taking measures to maintain the smooth functioning of the banking services in all branches and offices on the proposed days of the strike. "However, in the event of strike materialising, the functioning of the branches/offices may be impacted," the bank added, reported PTI.