STATE BANK STAFF, OFFICERS TO STRIKE WORK ON NOV 25, 26

Employees of State Bank of India, including officers, will strike work on November 25 and 26 with a threat to ‘go indefinite' unless outstanding issues are settled.

The strike call has been given by both the All-India State Bank of India Staff Federation and the All-India State Bank Officers Federation.

MAIN GROUSE

The main grouse of the unions pertains to the dragging of feet by the management in implementing fully an industry-wide agreement of April 27 promising rise in wages of up to 17.5 per cent.

The agreement has only been partially implemented in State Bank of India, giving effect to a hike to just 11.74 per cent, the unions said.

A pension payout of 50 per cent of the wages last drawn is also another major demand. The basic family pension in the bank has been set to a floor of a minimum Rs 375 and capped at Rs 4,784 in the bank.

These need to be raised and made on par with the levels applicable in the Government sector.

MODULE SYSTEM

The unions have also raised their voice against the practice of penal deductions from wages from time to time as also the purported move to close down the local head office of the bank here.

They have also protested the move to break down the ‘module' system introduced as part of decentralisation exercise recommended by one of the premier management institutes in the country.

RETROGRADE MOVE

Along with this, the cadre of a deputy general manager and other associated positions created as part of the exercise are also sought to be dismantled.

The unions have described these moves, made according to the prescriptions made by a foreign agency contracted subsequently by the management, as retrograde.

With increasing automation in banking services, there has been a massive mark-down in the number of employees in the bank.

But the number of branches has only gone up - from 9,039 as on March 31, 2002, to 12,476 as on March 31, 2010.

On the other hand, the clerical cadre has seen an equally big reduction in numbers - from 1,02,427 to 87,356 - during the period under reference.

A purported move to recruit 25,000 employees has not taken off even after the lapse of a year since it was proposed, the union said.

SOURCE: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/11/08/stories/2010110850531000.htm