TWO DAY PAN INDIA REGIONAL GRAMIN BANK STRIKE STARTS TOMORROW

By D. Prasun (TNI Siliguri) ~ Edited By R. Subrata (TNI Siliguri)

Webdesk, TNI Siliguri, 9^th March, 2016: The regional rural banks employees’ unions have called a two-day nationwide strike from Thursday in support of their demands and to protest against alleged moves to denationalize RRBs. The strike, called by the United Forum of Regional Rural Bank Unions, for March 10-11, is expected to hit the RRBs’ working for four consecutive days as it is followed by the bank holidays on second Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, the Bank Employees’ Federation of India (BEFI) issued a statement on Wednesday in support of the proposed strike by employees and officers of RRBs. This is going to effect in North Bengal too with all the Uttarbanga Kshetriya Gramin Bank branches will remain shut in Siliguri and all of North Bengal. It is expected that maximum effect will happen in the rural areas of North Bengal. Today Uttarbanga Kshetriya Gramin Bank employees union’s Siliguri Unit’s Secretary Mr. Anil Biswas informed the press that the strike would be allout. For many years the Gramin Banks throughout the nation has served people parallel to the Nationalized Banks. The Nationalized banks are acting as sponsor of these banks but the state of the employees of the Gramin Banks remains jittery. Despite the verdict of the National Industrial Tribunal about at par facilities of the employees of the RRBs which are under the Sponsor banks, till date such facilities are not implemented. The employees don’t have pension, inappropriate employee strength, minimum security and the frequent drive towards privatization have made their situation grave.