Bank Unions calls for support to SBI staff

Chennai, Apr 8: With a view to step up support to striking SBI employees, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Tamil Nadu unit appealed to its national body to call for a day's All India strike by employees and officers of various banks unions.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held under the Chairmanship of V Eswaran.

The strike call should be given at the earliest in support of the indefinite stir by the All India State Bank Officers' Federation and All India State Bank of India Staff Federation demanding revision in pension, according to a press release here today.

The meeting also decided to stage protest demonstrations at centres wherever alternate arrangements were made by other banks to conduct clearing house operations or government treasury business was conducted by the SBI.

Mr Easwaran said the meeting also decided to observe April 11 as 'Solidarity Day' by all bank employees and officers synchronising with the call already given by the AIBEA.

A day-long dharna and rally at various centres would be organised on April 12.

Meanwhile, CPI MP K Subbarayan sought the intervention of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to bring an end to the strike.

In a letter to Dr Singh, he described the situation as grave.

Such unrest in the most vital sector of the economy did not augur well.

'The issue should be addressed with all seriousness', he said and urged the Prime Minister to immediately hold talks with the Union and the SBI management to resolve the issue amicably without any further loss of time.

UNI

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