Kamal Ghorui
SBI employees’ strike: Employees of State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest public sector lender, have announced a two-day nationwide strike on May 25 and 26, raising concerns over staffing shortages, outsourcing, pension-related issues and working conditions, according to an ET report.The strike has been called by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF), which said employees in the workmen category will participate in the agitation under provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.Banking operations across all branches are likely to be affected as a consequence of strike, but as of there has been no official statements from bank regarding services disruptions. In a notice dated May 2 addressed to SBI Chairman, the federation alleged non-implementation of agreements and unresolved staff grievances.“The rights of workmen are being systematically crushed. Hard-earned protections, won through decades of struggle, are being diluted, bypassed, and ignored. Agreements are reduced to mere formalities, and voices of dissent are being sidelined,” AISBISF said.The federation has listed 16 demands, including recruitment of messengers and armed guards, adequate staffing, stopping outsourcing of permanent jobs, pension-related reforms under the National Pension System (NPS), and inter-circle transfers for employees recruited after 2019.Other demands include review of the career progression scheme, improvement in medical reimbursement facilities, resolution of HRMS issues, appointment of a workmen employee director and stopping alleged “mis-selling in the name of cross-selling”.The federation also raised concerns over the lack of recruitment in the subordinate cadre.“For nearly three decades, the recruitment of messengers has been completely halted,” the federation said, adding that this had denied opportunities to poorer and underprivileged sections of society.On recruitment of armed guards, the federation referred to a recent robbery at SBI’s Surat branch and said neglect in filling such posts posed security concerns for employees and customers.“Such blatant negligence is unacceptable and will be met with united resistance,” AISBISF said.The federation also flagged concerns regarding pension fund management under the NPS framework.“SBI employees and officers are being unfairly deprived, as their retirement savings lag behind other Public Sector Bank employees who have changed their fund manager,” it said.AISBISF further alleged disparity in wage revision between officers and workmen staff. According to the federation, while the 12th Bipartite Settlement and 9th Joint Note provided for a 17 per cent increase across the industry, SBI officers effectively received close to 22 per cent due to additional special pay, whereas workmen staff remained capped at 17 per cent.Ahead of the strike, the federation has announced a series of protest programmes, including lunch-hour demonstrations, social media campaigns, silent sit-ins, dharnas and submission of memorandums to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The employees plan to submit a memorandum to the finance minister on May 19 and to the prime minister on May 21. If either May 25 or 26 falls on a holiday, the strike will be observed on May 27, the federation said.
