Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 28: Like other parts of the country, banking operations across Jammu and Kashmir were paralyzed today as officers and employees of several banks, under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and Jammu Province Bank Employees Federation, observed a day-long strike to lodge protest against outsourcing of permanent jobs and alleged anti-labour reforms in banking sector.
A number of Public Sector Banks, Cooperative Banks and some private sector banks took part in the strike by shutting down their operations while workmen held massive demonstrations in support of the demands.
In Jammu, demonstrations were held at State Bank of India, Zonal Business office, Rail Head Complex, Jammu and also at Shalamar Chowk, where a number of bank employees and officers assembled.
The UFBU- an umbrella organization of nine associations representing officers and workmen in the banking industry, is demanding proper compensation to the employees and reimbursement of related costs to banks by Government on account of demonetization, improvement in superannuation benefits, total exemption of Income Tax on superannuation benefits, early initiation of process of next wage revision which is due w.e.f. November 2017, proper implementation of compassionate appointment, adequate recruitment in all cadres, five day banking and stringent measures to recover bad loans and criminal action against the willful defaulters.
The protest under the banner of UFBU, was addressed by Suresh Wali, Dy general secretary, SBI Officers’ Association J&K and S L Hans, Dy general secretary, SBI Staff
Association J&K. They said that IBA and Government have shown total apathy towards the demands and concerns of the bank employees, which has precipitated today’s strike.
At Shalamar Chowk, the protest demonstration was addressed by Com Arun Kumar Gupta, general secretary of Jammu Province Bank Employees Federation, who said that the banks were facing challenges as Government has announced recapitalization of just Rs 10,000/- crores in the year’s budget. “This means that either the business of the banks will get choked or banks will be compelled to tap private capital from the market thus diluting public sector character,” he explained.
Com Ashwani Pradhan, general secretary, PNBOA, while addressing the demonstrators, explained how the Government was bulldozing all protests and oppositions by issuing gazette notification on merger of five Associate Banks with SBI unmindful of its adverse implications.
“While bad loans are bulging every quarter without any let up, no stringent measures are being taken to recover the NPAs. Instead of filling up the vacancies of employees and
officers with permanent staff, every effort is being made to outsource regular jobs,” said Comrade Gupta and alleged that there were intensified proposals to amend all labor laws to suit the employers and private corporate.
The gathering was also addressed by Com R K Bamba, Com Ganesh Kumar
Com Tej Krishan Tikoo, Com Yogesh Kumar, Com Kamal Kumar, Com
Rama Kant, Com Vinod Gupta, Com Rakesh Gupta, Com V K Dutta and Com Nazir Ahmed.
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