CHANDIGARH: On a call given by All India State Bank Officers Federation in protest against the government's decision of merging State Bank of Saurashtra with State Bank of India, all the officers of the State Bank of India here on Monday observed strike, bringing the banking services to halt.
A large number of officers gathered in front of State Bank s Local Head Office here and held demonstration against the anti- employees policies of centre
Addressing the gathering Vijay Magan, the General Secretary, SBIOA, Chandigarh Circle and the Vice President of All India State Bank Officers Federation, criticised the Bank s Chairman as well as Centre in going ahead with the merger despite protests by the officers.
He declared that the strike was complete in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh.
He warned the Chairman against adopting divide and rule policies aiming at dividing the associations and Federations.
He further threatened that the officers would be forced to go on indefinite strike in case the government fails to put a halt to all merger proposals.
MK Virmani, President of SBIOA Chandigarh Circle and Deputy General Secretary of AISBOF said that merger was neither in favour of Bank nor the customers. All the associate Banks must be allowed to grow independently as they have great potential to grow, he said.
The merger will result in reduction of number of branches and will ultimately end up with retrenchment of staff. The allurement offered to associate Banks employees by the Chairman will not deter them to oppose the merger he added.
Meanwhile, complete strike was observed by officers in State Bank of Patiala in Patiala and state bank of India in Ludhiana against the merger of State Bank of Saurashtra.
While talking to media persons, Amar Singh, General Secretary, Associate Banks Officers Association, Unit State Bank of Patiala cautioned the Indian Banks Association and Government of India that if the demands are not settled to the satisfaction of officers, the agitation will be intensified and the officers will go on indefinite strike in the month of September 2008 as per directions of All India State Bank Officers Federation.
