Indian Bank Employees’ Union -Odisha calls for Strike on 7th March 2022

S.Harirao

Indian Bank Employees’ Union (IBEU)-Odisha affiliated to BEFI, representing about 80% membership in the state, had given a Strike Call on 7^th March 2022 to protest against the large scale closure of branches post-merger.  Further demands include new transfer and promotion policy for award staff pending for 2 years, uniform policy for special allowance carrying posts, regularization of temporary employees as per CGIT award and payment of bonus to them.

Earlier IBEU-Odisha wrote to FGM of Bhubaneshwar against closure of branches and about other issues and conducted various struggle programmes in the form of mass deputation, demonstration and dharnas.

REALITY AFTER MERGER:

Before the process of merger, both the bank managements had assured the employees of better service conditions of merged entity and not to close any bank branch. After the merger, the management went against its assurance and had closed around 300 branches all over India including Odisha, due to which the State would be left with lesser branches to serve the public. Further employees were transferred on account of this and those who were receiving permanent allowances were denied of the same in the new place of posting and thus their total wages got reduced.

In blatant violation of the assurance given by the Management, many of the benefits were not retained in the merged entity. For example, in Allahabad Bank the allowance carrying posts were permanent in nature, but the same is not protected after merger. 

Even after two years of merger, the Bank has not formulated a common transfer policy and promotion policy for Award Staff including Special Assistants.  Unilateral and arbitrary transfers were effected in violation of the existing transfer policies. 

In most of the branches temporary employees have been working performing the duties of permanent sub staff for 10 to 15 years with paltry daily wages and unbearable working conditions.  Indian Bank Employees Federation (IBEF) had already obtained a favourable Award from CGIT at Chennai to regularize the temporary employees which has to be implemented by the management. 

IBEU Odisha is taking the right lead by calling for a Strike on 7^th March 2022.