MUMBAI, FEB 23: Buckling under pressure, the bank unions may call off the proposed two-day bank strike on February 25-26. In the first sign of a "conciliatory" mood, Indian National Bank Officers' Congress -- a constituents of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) -- on Monday said the bank employees are "not interested in the strike as it is neither in their own interest nor in the interest of the bank customers."Inboc general secretary KK Nair ecohoed the sentiment of the All India Bank Employees Association (Aibea) general secretary Tarakeswar Chakrabory who had said on Monday that the unions have not rejected the IBA offer of a 10 per cent wage hike and they want the association to improve it further.
According to trade union sources, the forum is willing to come down from its demand of a 18 per wage hike.
The IBA management committee will meet in Mumbai on Wednesday to take stock of the situation. The meeting will be followed by the last round of reconciliation meeting at the regional labourcommissioner's office.
According to sources, if the IBA management committee agrees to raise the wage hike offer to 10.5 per cent, the unions may call off the strike. At the last wage pact, the hike was 10.5 per cent. However, IBA chairman AT Paneerselvam told The financial Express, "it is impossible for the bank managements to give anything higher than a 10 per cent rise. We hope the unions will be considerate enough to see reason in our stand.."
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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