Three-day nationwide bank strike from March 11 to March 13: BEFI

GUWAHATI: Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) and the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) have called for a three-day nationwide bank strike from March 11 to March 13.

The strike has been called after the unions "talks with the Indian Banks Association" (IBA) over wage revision has failed.

The strike has been planned ahead of the second Saturday of March when banks observe a holiday. Overall the strike will be in place for five consecutive days including Sunday.

BEFI and AIBEA are demanding a 20 percent wage hike along with other demands.

However, the IBA agreed on a hike up to 19 percent with a performance-linked incentive.

On Tuesday responding to Public interest litigation (PIL) filed at Gujarat High Court, the Reserve Bank of India said, "We have no role to play in disputes between concerned banks and their employees".

To take action against their employees for joining strikes the PIL was filed seeking the HC's direction to RBI to direct banks.

The RBI further said, "The matter was not policy-related and hence so it cannot intervene".

Reserve Bank of India also informed the High Court that each bank has its service rules and the RBI has no control over the staff of the banks.

After the present strike from March 11 to 13, if their demand for wage revision is not met, the unions will call an indefinite strike from April 1 onwards.

Earlier on January 31 and February 1 the bank employees' unions had also called for a nationwide strike.

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