AHMEDABAD: If you have an account with a public sector bank, then avoid scheduling your banking activities between March 13 and March 16.
Around 55,000 public sector bank employees from 18,000 branches from across Gujarat are planning to participate in the nationwide bank strike on March 15 and 16, according to the MahaGujarat Bank Employees’ Association.
With March 13 being a second Saturday and March 14 being a Sunday, banks are expected to remain shut over the weekend.
The United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella body of nine unions, has given a call for the two-day strike against the proposed privatization of two-state owned lenders.
In an UFBU meeting held in Hyderabad on Tuesday, various announcements made in the union budget regarding reform measures like privatization of IDBI Bank and two public sector banks, setting up a bad bank, disinvestment in LIC, privatization of one general insurance company, allowing FDI in insurance sector up to 74%, aggressive disinvestment and sale of public sector undertakings.
On February 19, a day-long dharna will be held by bank employees in all state capitals whereas relay demonstrations will be held from February 20 to March 10 across various towns and districts of Gujarat. According to bankers, the strike will bring transactions worth at least Rs 60,000 crore to a standstill.