The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : SBI strike hits transactions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

SBI strike hits transactions

Special Correspondent

More unions warn Government that stir will spread if issues are not resolved

INDEFINITE STRIKE: Chennai Main Branch of State Bank of India wore a deserted look on Monday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: Workmen, officers and senior executives of State Bank of India on Monday began an indefinite strike, demanding revision of pension ceiling and family pension, even as more unions warned the Government that if it did not resolve the issue amicably, the stir would spread to other banks.

The unions, in a release here claimed that banking transactions in SBI branches in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry had come to a halt. In Chennai, employees, officers and senior executives, staged a demonstration in front of the zonal office. General secretary of the State Bank of India Officers' Association G.Santhanam said the strike was for a just and fair cause. The plight of several pensioners, particularly family pensioners, was pitiable.

General secretary of the State Banks Staff Union (SBSU), Chennai circle, V.R.Udaya Shankar, said the struggle would be sustained till its logical conclusion. The Centre's attitude in ignoring the demand of the employees was provocative.

Pledging support to the strike, general secretary of the All India Bank Employees Association and convenor of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), Tamil Nadu unit, C.H.Venkatachalam, said although the Reserve Bank had directed transfer of clearing house operations to other banks, the UFBU had asked them not to take up the work.

If the Government did not resolve the issue within a few days, the strike would spread.

AIBOC deputy general secretary J.D. Sharma; founder-president P.S. Santhanakrishnan; SBI Pensioners Association general secretary P.P. Sankaranarayana Murthy; vice-president H.Ganapathi; SBSU president P.Balasubramanian and office-bearers of other officers' associations spoke.

Federation warning

In a statement here, Bank Employees Federation of India-Tamil Nadu, general secretary A.Rengarajan warned if the SBI management indulged in any vindictive action against the leaders and members of the striking unions, employees and officers of other banks would resort to direct action.

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