Bharat Bandh: 2-day bank strike may cause cash crisis in ATMs – Know more
Bank employees are on a two-day strike post two-days of weekly off which implies a longer shut down on banking operations in some parts of the country
Joint forums of central trade unions came together with a call for protest against several government policies that are affecting the common man. As the country goes on a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29, many bank employees have also joined in support. Consequently, banking services are affected in various places.
The bank employees are on a two-day strike after two-days of weekly off. This is because March 26th was the fourth Saturday of the month and March 27 was a Sunday. The extended closures today and tomorrow will imply a shut down on banking operations for four consecutive days in some parts of the country.
According to the country’s largest bank, the strike may lead to a problem of cash availability at ATMs.
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As per All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) general secretary CH Venkatachalam, the strike has prominently impacted parts of eastern India, where many branches of public sector banks are shut.
He said that branches are open at other places as officers are present, but services remain affected as many employees are participating in the strike.
Notably, the private sector banks, including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank are hardly impacted with the strike.
One of the prime reasons for two days of Bharat bandh is reduced rate of interest on Employees' Provident Fund Organisation and rising fuel prices. The trade unions' demands include scrapping of the proposed changes in labour laws, privatisation of any form and the national monetisation pipeline. The general strike also includes protest against rising unemployment, lower pay, the privatisation of public sector banks, and the Banking Laws Amendment Bill 2021 amongst other demands.