July 3: Tomorrow's one-day bank strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions forms the battleground for the first major confrontation between the Shiv Sena's freshly inducted Bank Karmachari Sena Mahasangh and other banking unions.

The Mahasangh, which is the federation of Sena unions in different banks, has decided to oppose the planned strike. After an unusually aggressive Uddhav Thackeray exhorted all bank employees to join the Sena movement in banks, this is seen as an opportunity for the party to make significant inroads into the banking industry's white-collared workers' unions.

Communist party-affiliated unions like the AIBEA, NCBE and BEFI and Congress and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh-affiliated unions like NOBW, NOBO, INBEC and INBOC have called the strike to protest against the establishment of Local Area Private Banks and demand removal of ceiling on gratuity and bonus.

Other demands include withdrawal of the clause in pension regulations denying pension to employees for `participation in strike' and making provisions of the sixth bipartite settlement available to rural bank employees.

However, the Sena union's working president, Ravi Kuveskar, argued: ``These very unions which signed the pension settlement are now opposing the clause denying pension to employees for participation in strike. These very unions which signed and sealed the 6th bipartite agreement are now demanding its re-opening, that too after labelling it as a `historic settlement.' This has made them a laughing stock. Bank employees should realise they are being misled by a `retired' leadership struggling for survival and bent on making a show of its fast-depleting strength.''

But Vishwas Utagi, joint secretary of AIBEA told Express Newsline the Sena's opposition would have no effect on the strike as its strength was ``almost non-existent.'' He said the Sena would, in fact, be ``condemned tomorrow for betraying the people's cause.''The saffron party is of the view that irked by frequent strikes, most bank customers have become antagonistic toward bank employees who would further lose public sympathy due to the strike. Besides, the Sena believes, the reasons for giving a call for strike are not concrete enough. ``Take the case of rural banks. Instead of demanding implementation of a separate bipartite settlement for them, efforts should be made to include them within the purview of regular bipartite settlements. "Since the Central government has the support of the left parties, the leftist unions can negotiate with MPs and get the demand for bonus and gratuity conceded. Why take the extreme step of resorting to a strike? This only shows the hypocrisy and the struggle for survival of these unions,'' Kuveskar added.

He said none of the dominant unions had made an effort to ensure that better services were provided to customers. ``Nor have they fought for a hike in the salaries of bank workers. We have, in fact, even suggested measures to prevent frauds in banks. Have they done anything of the sort?'' he queried.

Claiming that work in banks would not be allowed to be completely stalled tomorrow, Kuveskar expressed confidence that the Sena union's decision to oppose the strike would send a message of impending doom to the `self-serving' leftist unions and endear the Mahasangh to bank customers.

``Over 33 per cent of the total bank employees in India are in Mumbai. We are now beginning to gather strength. If we can win the support of 90 per cent of Mumbai's bank employees, we will be able to wield considerable clout at the national level and ensure benefits for both bank employees and customers,'' he added.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.