The All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) has announced a two-day nationwide strike on March 24 and 25, 2025. The strike is being held to demand the appointment of Workman Directors and Officer Directors in public sector banks, positions that have remained vacant for nearly a decade.
Why Are Bank Employees Going on Strike?
The AIBEA has been fighting for the rights of bank employees for many years. One of their key demands is the appointment of Workman Directors and Officer Directors in public sector banks. These positions were introduced in 1970 to ensure that bank employees have representation on the bank’s board of directors. The role of these directors is to monitor bank policies, protect employee interests, and ensure banks operate for the benefit of the public.
However, AIBEA claims that the NDA/BJP government has failed to fill these positions for the past 8 to 10 years. As a result, employee voices are not being heard in bank decisions, and trade unions have no say in how banks are managed.
List of Banks with Vacant Positions
AIBEA has released a list of banks where the positions of Workman Director and Officer Director have been vacant for several years:
| Bank | Workman Director Vacant Since | Officer Director Vacant Since |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Baroda | 19-09-2017 | 25-07-2014 |
| Bank of India | 18-07-2015 | 01-05-2017 |
| Bank of Maharashtra | 16-03-2014 | 21-07-2016 |
| Canara Bank | 03-01-2017 | 21-10-2014 |
| Central Bank of India | 02-04-2016 | 10-07-2016 |
| Indian Bank | 11-03-2017 | 29-05-2016 |
| Indian Overseas Bank | 01-05-2016 | 23-01-2017 |
| Punjab National Bank | 26-06-2016 | 08-03-2016 |
| Punjab & Sind Bank | 26-09-2009 | 23-11-2014 |
| State Bank of India | 20-11-2014 | 03-10-2015 |
| UCO Bank | 13-12-2015 | 15-02-2016 |
| Union Bank of India | 27-02-2014 | 04-05-2014 |
AIBEA’s Concerns
AIBEA has strongly criticized the government, stating that while banks regularly review employee performance at the age of 55, 57, and 58, no one is holding the government accountable for failing to appoint Workman and Officer Directors for years.
According to AIBEA General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam, the lack of these appointments has led to a lack of employee representation in bank management, which could result in policies that do not consider the interests of employees or the public.
How Will the Strike Affect Banking Services?
The two-day strike is expected to cause disruptions in banking services across the country. Bank employees from various public sector banks will participate in protests and demonstrations to pressurize the government to act on their demands.
AIBEA’s Message to Employees and the Public
AIBEA has urged all bank employees to support the strike and raise their voices against the delay in filling these important positions. The union believes that by coming together, they can force the government to take action and restore trade union representation in bank management.
With this protest, AIBEA hopes to highlight the long-standing issue of vacant Workman and Officer Director positions and push for their immediate appointment to ensure fair and transparent decision-making in public sector banks.
