Bharat Bandh on March 28-29: likely to hit Banking & other services

A joint forum of central trade unions have given a call for nationwide strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against the various policies of the Central government affecting workers. The All India Bank Employees Association has said on Facebook that banking sector will be joining the strike too. The call for a nationwide strike was taken after a meeting of the joint platform of central trade unions on March 22, 2022. After taking stock of preparations in various states. The bank unions are participating in the strike to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks, as well as the Banking Laws Amendment Bill 2021. Banks have said that the pensions of workers who are about to retire, would not be affected if they participate in the strike. 

The State Bank of India (SBI) in a statement said that the banking services may get impacted as various employee unions have called for the strike on March 28-29. The SBI said it has been advised by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) that All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) and All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA) have served a notice about their decision to go on a nationwide strike. Workers from various other sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, and insurance are expected to participate in the strike.

in West Bengal, the government said all its offices will remain open on those days and mandated employees to report for duty. "It has been decided that all state government offices including those provided with Grants-in-Aid by the state government shall remain open and all the employees shall report for duty on those days," read the state government memorandum, adding that the absence of employees in those days will be treated as 'dies-non' and no salary will be admissible.