For the second time, Cong affiliated unions stay away from bank strike

For the second time, Cong affiliated unions stay away from bank strike
ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU

NEW DELHI, DEC 21: It's rather ironical that time and again in the various strikes called by the bank unions, while the BJP affiliated unions have supported the strike against the banking sector reforms being implemented by the NDA government, the Congress affiliated unions have stayed away from the strike.

For the second time on Thursday, while, the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliated National Organisation of Bank Workers took part in the strike, the INTUC affiliated Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC) and the National Organisation of Bank Officers dissociated from the stir.

The first major bank strike against the banking sector reforms and the government's move to dilute its equity to 33 per cent in PSU banks took place earlier on November 15. In that strike too, the Congress affiliated bank unions stayed away from the strike.

However, various organisations including Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), trade Union wing of BJP, and All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA), extended support to the strike on Thursday. Insurance company employees also expressed their solidarity with the striking bank workers.

Banking operations hit by nation-wide strike

Transactions at the Reserve Bank of India was also affected though it maintained skeleton services. According to bank union leaders, the call for the strike given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU, an umbrella body of nine unions, evoked good response. According to Delhi convenor of UFBU, V K Gupta, over 13 lakh bank employees took part in the strike.