Banking operations to be hit on Tues as unions go on strike seeking 5-day work week
New Delhi (PTI): Banking operations of public sector banks across the country are likely to be impacted on Tuesday with the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) deciding to go ahead with a nationwide strike on January 27 to press for the immediate implementation of a five-day work week.
The strike call by the UFBU, an umbrella body of nine unions representing officers and employees, comes after a conciliation meeting on January 23 with the chief labour commissioner failed to yield a positive outcome.
With banks remaining closed on January 25 (Sun) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on Tuesday will result in a disruption of branch-level services for three consecutive days.
"Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, there was no assurance on our demand. Hence, we have been compelled to proceed with the strike action," All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), a constituent of UFBU, General Secretary C H Venkatachalam told PTI.
All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) General Secretary Rupam Roy said the decision to declare all Saturdays as holidays was agreed between the Indian Banks' Association and UFBU during the wage revision settlement in March 2024.
"It is unfortunate that the government is not responding to our genuine demand. There would be no loss of man-hours as we have agreed to work an extra 40 minutes daily from Monday to Friday," he said.
According to another UFBU constituent National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) General Secretary L Chandrasekhar said, "This movement is not against customers, but for a sustainable, humane, and efficient banking system. A rested banker serves the nation better. A balanced workforce strengthens financial stability. 5-Day banking is not a luxury; it is an economic and human necessity."
Services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances, and administrative work are expected to be hit at branches of public sector banks (PSBs), including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), and Bank of Baroda.
However, operations at major private sector lenders like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank are expected to remain largely unaffected as their employees are not part of the unions that will be going on strike.
Digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, will continue to function, though ATM cash availability could face localised issues due to logistical delays.
Several public sector lenders, including banking giant SBI have informed stock exchanges about the potential impact.
"We advise that while the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the day of strike, it is likely that work in the bank may be impacted by the strike," SBI said in a regulatory filing on Friday.
The unions are demanding the declaration of all Saturdays as holidays, a key point that was reportedly agreed upon during the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) in March 2024 but is awaiting government notification.
Currently, banks remain open on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of every month.
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Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University, Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ passes away at 63
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Mangaluru: Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), breathed his last on Friday, April 10. He was 63.
Born in 1963, Fr Melwin Pinto completed his schooling and college education at St Aloysius before joining the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest on April 14, 1997.
Over the years, he held several academic qualifications, including an MA in English, a Master’s degree in Education, and diplomas in psychology and counselling as well as school administration.
He began his career in education as headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan, serving between 1996 and 1999.
He later founded St Joseph’s Indian PU College and served as its principal until 2007. He subsequently served as headmaster of St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011, and later as principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Hassan, until 2012.
Fr Melwin Pinto also worked with Vatican Communications and Radio in Rome, contributing to its English desk for Asia and Indian languages.
He later served as superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia for two years from May 2017, before being appointed as superior of the Jesuit study home ‘Vidyaniketan’ in Dharwad.
He was also closely associated with the development of St Aloysius Institutions and played a key role in securing the status of a Deemed-to-be University. His contribution to the education sector and efforts towards innovation were widely acknowledged. He was known for maintaining close relations with people from all sections of society.
Legislative Council MLA Ivan D’Souza, in a statement, said the demise of Fr Melwin J Pinto was a huge loss to the educational and religious fields and had created a significant void in society.
Dakshina Kannada District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also expressed grief, stating that his service and contributions to education would always be remembered.
Details regarding the funeral are yet to be announced.
