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Nationwide Strike by Bank Employees against Staff Shortage


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On February 23, 2024, employees and pensioners of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across India launched a nationwide strike organized by the All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association (AIRRBEA). The strike aimed to address long-standing grievances, including the establishment of a National Rural Bank of India (NRBI) and the filling of 30,000 vacant positions.

Impact of the Strike:

The strike had a significant impact across various regions, with bank branches remaining non-functional for the day. According to the AIRRBEA office bearers, nearly 75,000 RRB employees participated in the strike, resulting in the closure of 39 out of 43 RRBs and affecting over 75% of bank branches nationwide.

Bank Employees:

Employees from different RRBs highlighted the widespread impact of the strike. An employee from Jharkhand Rajya Grameen Bank stated that branches across the state remained non-functional due to the nationwide call addressing crucial pending demands of RRBs. They hoped that this would send a message to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the Ministry of Finance to take necessary action.

Similar sentiments were expressed by employees from Utkal Grameen Bank in Odisha, where a complete strike took place across 17 districts. They emphasized the importance of addressing the pending demands crucial for the future of RRBs.

Success in Kerala and Other Regions:

The strike in Kerala was particularly successful, with the Kerala Gramin Bank Employees Union and Kerala Gramin Bank Officers Union (both affiliated with AIRRBEA) organizing a 60-hour day-night protest at the Kerala Gramin Bank headquarters in Malappuram. The sit-in protest began on February 21 and concluded with the national strike on February 23.

Employees of Mizoram Rural Bank in Mizoram also joined the strike in large numbers, contributing to the nationwide momentum. In Tamil Nadu, nearly 450 branches remained non-operational during the strike, with some opening with limited functionality.

Support from Trade Unions and Other Sectors:

The All India strike of the RRB received support from various bank trade unions, including the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees’ Federation of India (BEFI), as well as labor unions such as the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). Additionally, unions from the All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA), Postal union, and the Insurance sector extended their moral support to the agitation.

Efforts for Resolution:

AIRRBEA General Secretary Venkatshwara Reddy stated that the nationwide strike was highly successful, with enthusiastic participation from their members, except for a few RRBs. He mentioned that AIRRBEA representatives had met with Kartikeya Misra, Director of the DFS, and other officials in Delhi to discuss the pending issues. They urged for early approvals to address the staff’s resentment.

The government’s attempts to postpone the February 23 strike were firmly denied by the employees, leading to the scheduling of a conciliation meeting on March 6, 2024.

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