Private ,public sector banks on nationwide strike onon December 20

 ibnlive:

INDIA, Posted on Dec 17, 2012 at 05:34pm IST

Mumbai: Around 700,000 employees and officers of the public sector, private sector and foreign banks will strike work all over India on Thursday,Dec 20th, an official said in Mumbai on Monday. Work in 27 public sector banks, 12 old generation private sector banks and eight foreign banks shall come to a standstill due to the strike, said Vishwas Utagi, secretary, All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA).

"We are protesting the central government's move to push amendments to the proposed banking laws bill which is placed before Parliament. We have already served a strike notice to the Indian Banks' Association," Utagi told mediapersons.

He said the banking community was opposed to the proposed amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which are aimed at handing over Indian private sector banking to multi-national banks and increasing presence of Indian corporate and foreign direct investment in public sector banks.

According to Utagi, the proposed amendments would allow acquisition and merger of banks, infuse more foreign capital banks, unrestricted voting rights and granting licenses to corporate business houses to launch banks.

"There is an attempt to close down rural branches and resorting to large number of ultra-small branches, thereby privatising rural banking operations, lack of stringent measures to recover increasing non-performing assets and bad loans," Utagi said.

Demanding large-scale recruitment in the banking sector, Utagi said the banking employees are also protesting outsourcing of regular banking jobs, thereby jeopardising permanent jobs and job security.

As part of the day-long strike, bank employees shall take part in rallies and processions in all cities in the country. A massive rally is also scheduled at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

BL : mumbai :17 th Dec 2012

MUMBAI, DEC 17: 

Employees and officers from 26 public sector banks, 12 old-generation private sector banks and eight foreign banks will observe an all-India strike on December 20 to protest the UPA Government’s move to push amendment to the banking laws.

The All-India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), the Bank Employees’ Federation of India and officers’ unions such as the All India Bank Officers’ Association have called for a strike in which nearly 7 lakh bank employees and officers are expected to participate, said Vishwas Utagi, Secretary, AIBEA.

“The present generation of politicians must raise their voice in Parliament against the proposed amendments to the banking laws which are aimed at handing over Indian private sector banking to multinational banks and increasing the presence of Indian corporates and FDI in public sector banks,” said Utagi.

The proposed amendments to the banking law are aimed at effecting the merger of banks, allowing more private and foreign capital in banks, and upping the ceiling on voting rights. Further, the amendments will enable the central bank to grant licenses to corporate business houses to start their new banks.

“There is an attempt to close down rural branches and resort to a number of ultra small branches thereby privatising rural banking operations through contractual business correspondents and lack of stringent measures to recover increasing NPAs and bad loans,” said the trade union leader