All India Bank strike on September 12

New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) All banking transaction throughout the country would come to a standstill on September 12 following a daylong strike call by the United Forum of Bank Employees (UFBE), the umbrella organisation of the nation's 8.5 lakh bank employees.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the UFBE in Mumbai this afternoon, according to Delhi State Bank Employees Federation joint secretary Ramanand.

''The strike call follows 'backing out' of authorities from the understanding reached earlier on implementing the employees' four demands on pension, outsourcing, employment offering on compassionate grounds and defreezing the recruitment process.'' All nine unions of the country, comprising of four officers' unions and five of the workers, encompassing 100 per cent of the workforce of the banking sector would participate in the strike, he said.

Earlier, denouncing the government's anti-people policies which were against the spirit of nationalisation of banks, Mr Ramanand told a press gathering that growing inequality and resentment among people stemmed from this.

''Instead of opening new branches in rural areas to help the weaker sections and the farmers, in the last fiscal of the 933 branches opened only two were opened in the under-developed areas.'' The pro-rich and corporate favouring policies of the government were ruining the common man and widening the chasm between the haves and have-nots, he said.

Striving for benefits of nationalisation to reach the common man, the All India Bank Officers Association and the Delhi State Bank Employees Federation would hold a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar here on August 31 and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister accompanied by the signatures of about a crore people to press for their demands, Mr Ramanand added.

UNI