Members of the All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) staged a protest demonstration in front of the head office of the Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB) located near New Bus Stand here on Friday, condemning some of the decisions of IBA and the Union government, including the merger of nationalised banks.
The bank officers affiliated to the AIBOA held this demonstration as part of a nation-wide protest call given by the AIBOA. Officers of different banks from Dharwad city gathered in front of the KVGB head office and raised slogans in support of AIBOA, their demands and the alleged anti-labour attitude of IBA and the Union government.
All India Regional Rural Bank Officers Federation (AIRRBOF) extended support to the protest.
Addressing the protesters, KVGB Officers Federation general secretary M.V. Karer said that negotiations for uniform wage revision did not progress as IBA was adamant and wanted to divide the officers cadre. It was keen on negotiating wage revision for officers up to Scale III, i.e., up to senior manager level only, he said.
Mr. Karer condemned the proposed amalgamation of major nationalised banks, including Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, and said that it would be detrimental for public sector banking. This apart, the Union government was mulling over merging or amalgamating Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and this move was not in the larger interest of RRBs, which focus primarily on strengthening the rural economy, he added.
Cases of assault on bank employees have been reported in large numbers in the recent times. The government has to bring in strict regulations to prevent such attacks and assaults on bankers, he said and condemned the decision to introduce a steep increase in medical insurance premium for the retirees and the unilateral reduction of medical benefits of officers.
The protesters also condemned the decision of the government to effect a steep increase in medical insurance premium of retired employees and also for taking unilateral decision to reduce medical benefits of officers. Nearly 200 officers participated in the demonstration and sent a strong signal to the government and IBA regarding the strike call given on December 26.
AIBOA leaders S.V. Sunkad (SBI), Vasant Kaisare (SyndicateBank), Pradeep Yavagal (SBPRA) and others led the protest.