Bank employees to observe strike on March 9

Bank employees to observe strike demanding restoration of appointments in public sector banks on compassionate grounds.

Nearly 10 lakh bank employees across the country would observe a day's strike on March 9, to demand restoration of appointments in public sector banks on compassionate grounds.

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All bank employees would observe strike on March 9 to protest the government's 'anti-labour' policies, general secretary of All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) RJ Sridharan told reporters in Kolkata.

He said Finance minister P Chidambaram had stated in a meeting of public sector banks'(PSB) chief executives on November 18, 2006 that 'no more compassionate appointments' would be made in case of an employee's premature death while in service.

Sridharan countered Chidambaram saying that court verdicts favoured extending employment to a dependant following death of the bread-winner of the family and demanded restoration of the scheme.

The association is also opposing the eight am-to-eight pm working hours scheme announced by the Finance Minister. Sridharan said the time should be negotiated with the unions and not unilaterally imposed by the managements.