Srinagar: On Saturday, members of the All India Jammu and Kashmir Bank Officers Federation (AIJKBOF) held a one-day hunger strike to protest against the actions of the bank management. They are unhappy with the new staff accountability policy and several other issues. The officers said they were called for a meeting by the bank management at 9:30 am at the headquarters in Srinagar, but when they arrived, the doors were closed, and they were not allowed to enter.
“The bank is only focused on making profits and has forgotten the social and economic responsibilities it once had,” said Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, General Secretary of AIJKBOF, which is part of the All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA). He added that the officers were not allowed to attend the meeting, and the management even called the police.
The officers are asking for an immediate wage settlement, which was agreed to in March 2024 between AIBOA and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). They also want to discuss the new staff policy, which they feel is unfair and goes against the law. “Our work-life balance has been badly affected. We are being asked to work on holidays and beyond normal hours. This is harassment,” Bhat explained.
The officers are also upset that their variable pay, which was agreed upon in 2006 and revised several times, has been frozen since 2021. Bhat further criticized the bank’s apprenticeship policy, saying it exploits young workers. Instead of hiring full-time employees, the bank hires apprentices for a year, which he says puts the bank at risk of data theft and other security issues.
The AIJKBOF warned that if the management continues to ignore their concerns, they will increase the intensity of their protests.
