The Catholic Syrian Bank Staff Federation (CSBSF), affiliated with the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), has issued an official strike notice to the management of CSB Bank Ltd. The union has informed the bank that its members will go on a one-day protest strike on 16 March 2026.
The notice was issued on 28 February 2026 under the provisions of Section 22(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which requires unions working in public utility services to give prior notice before going on strike.
The notice has been signed by Jibin Joseph Akkara, General Secretary of the Catholic Syrian Bank Staff Federation, and has been sent to the Managing Director and CEO of CSB Bank at the bank’s Head Office in Thrissur, Kerala. A copy of the notice has also been sent to the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kakkanad, Cochin.
Union Leadership
According to the document, the current office bearers of the federation were elected during the 19th Conference of the Union held on 10 and 11 May 2025 at Thrissur. The office bearers are:
- President: Jerin K John
- Vice President: Tenson P Joy
- General Secretary: Jibin Joseph Akkara
- Secretary: Nithin Murali
- Treasurer: Sunil M B
Reason for CSB Bank Strike
The union stated that employees in the bank work in both subordinate and non-subordinate cadres, and their service conditions are governed by Industrial Awards and Bipartite Settlements agreed between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and bank employees’ trade unions.
The union said that the 11th Bipartite Settlement, which was signed on 11 November 2020, and the 12th Bipartite Settlement, signed on 8 March 2024, have not been implemented in CSB Bank so far.
According to the union, all Public Sector Banks in India, as well as nine private sector banks including Federal Bank, South Indian Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank, along with seven foreign banks, were parties to these settlements and have already implemented them. These banks have also paid wage arrears with effect from 1 November 2017.
However, the union claims that CSB Bank management has failed to implement the wage revision, despite repeated representations and protest programmes by employees.
Allegations Against Management
The union has also made several allegations against the bank’s management. It claimed that the management has been acting arbitrarily and unilaterally, which has led to the violation of service conditions.
The union alleged that House Rent Allowance arrears based on the 2011 Census have been withheld without justification.
It also stated that employees are not being allowed to take eligible leave because of shortage of staff and lack of substitutes.
Another concern raised by the union is related to joint custody norms, which are allegedly not being properly followed. The union warned that this could lead to an increase in fraud incidents and expose key holders to serious financial risks.
The union further stated that while the bank has earned large profits, top executives have received crores of rupees as ex-gratia payments. At the same time, about 7,600 employees working under the Cost To Company (CTC) system are underpaid, according to the union.
Pending Disputes and Lack of Dialogue
The federation said it has filed several industrial disputes during the last five years before the appropriate conciliation authorities.
Many of these cases are currently pending before the Central Government Industrial Tribunal and the Kerala High Court.
The union also alleged that structured meetings between management and unions have not been held for many years. According to the federation, bank executives are refusing requests from unions to hold meetings and discuss employee grievances.
Due to these issues, the union has decided to organise a one-day protest strike on 16 March 2026.
Key Demands of the Union
The Catholic Syrian Bank Staff Federation has raised the following main demands:
- Immediate implementation of the 11th and 12th Bipartite Settlements in CSB Bank, with retrospective effect from 1 November 2017.
- Regularisation of all casual and temporary sub-staff and CTC employees, and providing them full-time salary and proper service conditions according to labour laws.
- Stop denying benefits under the Bipartite Settlements and sanction all pending TA bills.
- Withdraw all vindictive charge sheets and punishments that were imposed without proper enquiry.
- Conduct regular structured meetings with majority trade unions to discuss genuine employee issues and grievances.
Strike Scheduled for 16 March
The union has clearly stated that the protest strike will take place on 16 March 2026 unless the issues raised by employees are addressed.
The strike notice indicates growing tension between the CSB Bank management and employee unions, mainly over implementation of wage settlements, service conditions, and employee grievances.
Banks in India follow industry-wide wage agreements known as Bipartite Settlements, which are negotiated between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and bank employee unions. These settlements decide important aspects such as salary revision, allowances, and service conditions for bank employees across the country.
When such agreements are implemented, employees receive revised salaries along with arrears from the effective date. According to the union, most public and private sector banks have already implemented the recent wage settlements, but CSB Bank employees are still waiting for the benefits. The union says that resolving these issues through dialogue between the management and employee representatives would help maintain smooth banking operations and ensure fair treatment for employees.
