CITU's strike affects banks and rail services in Mumbai
Mumbai, Dec 14 (UNI) Banking and rail services in Maharashtra were today partially affected by the strike called by CPI(M) affiliated CITU, CPI-backed AITUC and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha, to protest the ''anti-people'' economic and labour policies adopted by the UPA Government at the centre.
Even though all banks, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) functioned normally, a comparatively low-turnout of bank employees as well as customers was observed in the commercial capital of the country in response to the strike.
A RBI spokesperson told UNI that normally, 102 banks participate in the high-value clearing, which was held here today. However, as an impact of the left parties' strike, 26 banks did not participate and as a result, only 8,000 instruments were cleared. Under normal circumstances, 16,000 instruments are cleared on a single day, she said.
An official from a local administrative office of the Bank of India said the impact was 50:50, as only half of the clerical staff registered their attendance in various branches of the bank in the city today. Similarly, the total number of customers who turned up at the bank's various branches were also almost half in number as compared to a regular day. However, as most of the senior and managerial level staff attended office there was no major impact in the day-to-day functioning of the banks, he added.
''While 5-10 per cent of banking transactions were affected by the strike call in the metropolis, the impact was 35-40 per cent in other parts of the State,'' general manager (HR) of the Union Bank of India Mr TP Balakrishnan said.
''Suppose if there are 100 units working on a normal day, then only 90 per cent of the units functioned today,'' he added.
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