New Delhi, Banking services were affected across the country as bank unions have called for a two-day strike on January 8 and 9, demanding a better pay hike and rollback of Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank merger.

The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and the Bank Employees Federation of India have already informed the Indian Banks Association (IBA) about the two-day nationwide strike.

The IDBI bank in a stock exchange filing said: “It is advised that the bank is in receipt of notice of two days nationwide strike on January 08-09, 2019 from All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) & Bank Employees Federation of India addressed to the Chairman, Indian Bank’s Association (IBA), in support of their various demands.”

The Allahabad Banks also said the IBA has advised the bank that the AIBEA and the BEFI have served notice informing their decision to go on two days strike on 08th and 09th January, 2019 in support of their certain demands.

The issues and demands are of industry level and strike call is also given at industry level. Therefore, if the strike takes place, the functioning of branches of the bank may be affected. The bank is taking all the necessary steps in terms of the existing guidelines for smooth functioning of bank’s branches/offices on the day of strike(s), in the event the strike materialises, the bank added.

Besides AIBEA and BEFI, the bank union which are supporting the hartal included INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA.

Due to the strike, the banks would be functional only for three days — Monday, Thursday and Friday. Second Saturday is again a weekly holiday.

The bank hartal was the third strike within past 20 days. Prior to this, the bank unions have called for a strike on December 21 and December 26.