Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi (HB/ANK)
Mangaluru/Udupi, Aug 22: Employees of public sector banks (PSUs) across the twin districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi on Tuesday August 22 went on protest in response to the call for nationwide strike given by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).
A press note from UBFU stated that the unions in the banking industry have been fighting for more than two decades against the reform measures of the government as 'these are against the interests of general public and labour force in the country. In the name of reform measures, every effort is being made by the successive governments since 1991 to shift the control of public sector entities to the private and foreign investors'.
"In order to create a conducive environment to the private and foreign investors further efforts are being made by the government to amend the labour laws to suit their needs. Hence UFBU is opposed to the retrograde anti-people banking labour reforms, the moves of the government infringing the hard-earned trade union rights and the hazardous practice of outsourcing of permanent jobs," the press note stated.
Speaking to daijiworld, convener of UFBU Dakshina Kannada unit Vincent D'Souza said, "Today the UBFC consisting of nine unions covering the entire banking industry, with a membership of ten lac employees, is observing a day-long strike. We have placed 17 demands in front of the government. For the last 25 years we have been fighting against the banking sector reforms. We feel that reform should be for the good of the people, but the government wants to privatize the public sector banks.
"The banking sector was nationalized in the year 1969 to cater to the poor, the marginalized people, the rural artisans and the farmers. After the natinalization, enormous development took place in the Indian economy. But the government wants to privatize the banking industry and hand it over to the corporates and the capitalists. If the banking industry is privatized, definitely a vast sector of the people, especially the working class will be affected. The government wants to merge public sector banks. We have 20 public sector banks, so if they are merged, both employees and customers will be inconvenienced. Hence, we decided to hold one-day all-India strike," he said.
In Udupi, lending support to the nation-wide protest by unions under the aegis of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) against the government’s proposed consolidation move, Bank Officers and Employees’ Okkoota held a protest in front of Canara Bank, regional office, near Udupi taluk panchayat on Tuesday, August 22.
The protesters raised voice against the 'anti-employee' policies of the union government besides raising a host of other demands.
Addressing the protesters, Ravi, an employee of Syndicate Bank said, "Privatisation, merging of nationalised banks, and waiver of corporate debts should be stopped. The list of borrowers, who have borrowed loans by pledging their properties, should be made public. Bank Board Bureau should be dissolved. The union government should provide job security for contract-based work.
"The government should ensure facilities for government employees and stringent measures should be taken to recover loans," he added.
The protesters also put forth problems and alleged negligence in providing provident fund to employees.
Shashidhar Shetty, Varadaraj, Ravindra, K R Shenoy, Prakash Jogi, Nityananda, Ravi Shankar, Ramakrishna Ballal, Nagesh Nayak, Jayaprakash Rao and Hemanth U Kanth, Ananthapadmanabha, Ramesh K, Suresh Shetty, Jayan Malpe and others were present.