3 hrs ago
Jharkhand Bank Services Hit as Employees Strike for Five-Day Week
Bank employees in Jharkhand stopped working as part of a nationwide strike.
They want banks to operate only five days a week.
This would make every Saturday a holiday for bank workers.
Customers had trouble with deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances and some office work.
The disruption mainly affected public sector, State Bank of India and Gramin banks.
Private banks continued working normally.
Employees also want changes to pensions and performance-related payments.
They said more strikes could happen if their demands are not accepted.
Public sector and Gramin bank services were disrupted across Jharkhand during a nationwide strike.
Employees demanded immediate implementation of a five-day workweek with all Saturdays declared holidays.
Cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances and administrative work were affected.
Private banks in Jharkhand were not affected by the strike.
Unions threatened further strikes from September 28 and an indefinite strike from October 26 if demands remain unmet.
- Who
- Employees of nationalised banks, State Bank of India and Gramin banks, represented by the United Forum of Bank Unions.
- What
- Employees held a nationwide strike demanding a five-day workweek and changes to pay and pension policies.
- Where
- Across Jharkhand, including branches in Ranchi and other parts of the state.
- When
- Friday, September 11; further strikes were threatened for September 28–30 and from October 26.
- Why
- The employees sought all Saturdays as holidays, uniform performance-linked incentives, improved pensions, a uniform dearness allowance formula and an option to switch from the National Pension System to the Old Pension Scheme.
Key facts
- Strike organizer
- United Forum of Bank Unions
- Main demand
- Immediate implementation of a five-day workweek with all Saturdays as holidays
- Affected services
- Cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances and administrative work
- Affected institutions
- Nationalised banks, State Bank of India and Gramin banks
- Unaffected institutions
- Private banks in Jharkhand
- Further action
- A three-day strike was threatened for September 28–30, followed by an indefinite strike from October 26
- Prior agreement
- The five-day workweek was reportedly agreed in the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks’ Association in March 2024, pending government notification
Quotes
Umesh Das
Deputy general secretary of the Bank of India Employees Union, Jharkhand
“We are also demanding uniformity in the performance-linked incentive (PLI) policy, besides updation and improvement of pension, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners and an option for employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).”
theprint.in
“Services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances and administrative work were hit at branches of nationalised banks, State Bank of India and Gramin banks in the state.”
theprint.in
Sources
Related news
Nationwide Bank Strike Disrupts Public Sector Branch Services
Public Sector Bank Services Face Disruption During September 11 Strike
Bank Unions Announce September Strikes, Threaten Indefinite Action
Indian Bank Unions Announce Strikes Over Five-Day Banking
Bank Strike Closes 7,000 Madhya Pradesh Branches; Services Resume Monday
Bank Strike Threatens Four-Day Disruption Across Telangana Branches
Telangana Employees Protest Pension Scheme, Demand Old Pension Restoration
Bank Unions Escalate Strike Over Five-Day Week, PLI, Pensions
