UFBU to go for indefinite strike if talks fail

Jamshedpur, Sep 15 (UNI) The United Forum of Banks Unions (UFBU), an amalgamation of nine bank trade unions, has threatened an indefinite nationwide strike if its three-point charter of demands were not fulfilled.

Talking to newspersons here today, UFBU General Secretary Prafulla Kumar Patnaik said the agitation was called off earlier as the government had assured to consider their demands and invited the Indian Bank Association (IBA) and UFBU for talks.

However, if the talks failed, they would launch a nationwide strike within a week, he said.

The UFBU had demanded to introduce second option of pension schemes for employees, introduction of Compassionate Appointment Scheme for employees' relatives and scrapping of the government's decision to outsource the routine work of the bank.

He said the last option would allow the non-government organisations to participate in the banking work which would encourage a parallel banking system.

Mr Patnaik, also the general secretary of the National Confederation of Bank Emplpoyees (NCBE), flayed the Finance Ministry for adopting ''dilly-dallying tactics'' to confront the problems of private sector bank employees.

''Our demands are being overlooked again and again by the government. Therefore, we would have no option but to go for indefinite strike if the government does not change its attitude,'' he said.

Earlier, the first triennial general council meeting of Jharkhand NCBE was inaugurated at Asonboni near here by Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto.

National level office bearers of the NCBE and about four thousand bank employees of Jharkhand participated in the state body meeting.

UNI