Bank unions firm on March 24-25 strike as talks with IBA fail
Kolkata, Mar 14 (PTI): The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) on Thursday said its two-day nationwide strike on March 24 and 25 will be observed as scheduled since discussions with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) over key demands failed to yield any positive outcome.
In a meeting with the IBA, all UFBU constituents raised issues, including recruitment in all cadres and a five-day workweek. Still, the key issues remained unresolved, National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) General Secretary L Chandrasekhar said.
The UFBU, an umbrella body of nine bank employees' associations, earlier announced the strike to press for these demands which included filling up the workmen and officer director posts in public sector banks.
The unions have also sought the withdrawal of recent directives from the Department of Financial Services (DFS) regarding performance reviews and performance-linked incentives, alleging that such measures threaten job security and create employees.
The UFBU has further opposed what it calls "micro-management" of public sector banks by the DFS, arguing that such interventions undermine the autonomy of bank boards.
Other demands include resolving residual issues with the IBA and amending the Gratuity Act to raise the ceiling to Rs 25 lakh, aligning it with the scheme for government employees and seeking exemption from income tax.
The UFBU comprises major bank unions, including the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), and All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA).
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Man launches attack with iron rod inside Golden Temple in Amritsar, injures 5
Amritsar, Mar 14 (PTI): A man wielding an iron rod went on an indiscriminate rampage on Friday here at Golden Temple, injuring two 'sewadars' and three devotees, police said.
The man was seen moving in the Guru Ramdas Niwas, also called Guru Ramdas Sarai, of the Golden Temple.
According to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Secretary Partap Singh, the man turned violent when asked about his antecedents and attacked the SGPC employees and the others.
Police said the man hailed from Haryana and was handed over to them by the SGPC after the incident.
The reason behind the attack is under investigation.
The three injured devotees had come to the temple from Mohali, Bathinda and Patiala, while the other two were 'sewadars' of Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Partap Singh said.
One 'sewadar' and a devotee from Bathinda suffered severe head injuries.
The injured were rushed to Sri Guru Ramdas Hospital at Vallah in a critical condition.
Partap Singh said the attacker and an accomplice of his were apprehended and handed over to the police.
In his appeal to the government and law enforcement agencies, the SGPC Secretary called for no leniency in taking action against the perpetrators.
