NewsKarnataka – Mangalore

Mangalore/Udupi: Bank employees of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district, are  on a day long strike  on December 18, Wednesday  as per the call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) along with nine different trade unions demanding wage revision settlements and protesting against the on-going bank sector reforms.

Hundreds of bank employees also staged a protest outside the Canara Bank branch at Balmatta in Mangalore and outside the Syndicate Bank branch close by Catholic Centre in Udupi.

Across the country, approximately 10 lac bank employees and officers of public sector banks, private banks and foreign banks are observing a strike.

It has been learnt that the UFBU had submitted a charter of demand before the expiry of the previous wage accord on October 031 2012.

The Union said, “In spite of several rounds of discussion, there is no breakthrough in negotiations. During the Bipartite Settlement, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) had agreed for 17.5% increase in the wage bill.”

The Sixth pay commission pay scales have made bank jobs least attractive in the market besides the additional burden of accountability, transfer-ability and late working hours in banks, the Union pointed out.