Bank unions threaten two-day strike from Jan 20

Employee unions of public sector banks on Monday threatened to go on a two-day strike beginning January 20 to press for early wage settlement and other demands.

"In today's meeting at Hyderabad, it has been decided to urge upon IBA and the government to resume talks with a better and reasonable offer of wage increase and expedite settlement failing which the unions would go on a 48-hour strike from January 20," United Forum of Bank Unions convener C H Venkatachalam told PTI.

Staff of public sector banks had gone on a one-day nationwide strike on December 18.

General Secretary of National Organisation of Bank Workers, Ashwini Rana, said Indian Banks' Association held discussions with UFBU on December 14

on wage revision.

After discussions, IBA stated that they would be able to offer an increase of 5 per cent over the wage expenses.

As there offer was too low, the unions rejected it and went on strike on December 18. Since then, there has been no favourable response from IBA about the wage revision.

The wage revision of public sector bank employees is due from November 2012.

UFBU is an umbrella organisation of nine bank employees and officers unions.

There are 27 public sector banks in the country with employees strength of about 800,000.

There are about 50,000 branches of these banks across the country.