The CPI-led All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) along with the CPM-backed Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) -- as constituents of the National Platform of Mass Organisation -- have already extended support to the general strike on December 11.

The IBA has declared the strike call as illegal under the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, since proper notice has not been given. ``The bank employees are therefore liable for action in addition to the wage cut for December 11, if theyparticipate in the strike,'' an IBA release said on Tuesday.

This will be followed by a countrywide banking industry strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UBFU), comprising five workmen and four officers' unions, on January 12. They are demanding expeditious negotiated wage settlement in the banking industry for employees and officers.

Representatives of all the nine unions, which met in Mumbai on Monday, decided to go in for a nation-wide strike after taking stock of the developments in industry-level wage negotiations.

In a joint statement here on Tuesday, the UBFU accused the IBA of adopting a "dilatory attitude" on the issue and warned of intensifying the agitation if their demand was not met soon.

In the wage negotiations, IBA referring to policies of globalisation, privatisation and ever-increasing portfolio of non-performing assets (NPAs), offered an 8 per cent wage increase with a prospective effect. The unions have rejected the offer demanding a 25 per cent hike in wages.

``Ourdemand has been rejected by the unions. Our efforts for a reasonable settlement has fallen on deaf ears. We are left with no option but to take recourse to agitations. We reiterate that we are for a negotiated settlement, but the same must be expeditious and reasonable commensurate with the expectation of employees and officers,'' the UBFU release said.

The country-wide strike would be preceded by a series of agitation programmes on December 22, January 4 and January 11. Top UBFU leaders would meet in Calcutta on December 15 to review the developments after the strike and decide further course of action.

The IBA has appealed to these organisations to desist from calling their union members to observe the one day strike on December 11 to ensure that bank customers and other public availing of the bank services are not caused any inconvenience.