Banking services hit on second day of strike

Public Sector Banks (PSBs) remained closed on Tuesday as bank employees participated in a strike against the privatisation of State-run banks.

The second day of the two-day protest called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) saw bank employees taking to the streets and raising slogans such as ‘Save PSBs’, ‘Sustain social banking’ and ‘Safeguard people’s savings’. Bank employees said that their protest will continue until the government withdraws its proposed privatisation and disinvestment plan.

Banking services like cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances and remittances were impacted.

Members of UFBU include All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO).

The UFBU is organising the nationwide strike in the backdrop of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement during the budget presentation last month that the government will privatise two public sector banks.