Union Bank Employees’ National Strike on January 25 Against Lack of Recruitment, Regularisation

Employees of public sector Union Bank of India (UBI) are gearing up for one-day strike call on January 25, on a 14-point charter of demands. The strike is being called for by the Joint Forum of Union Bank Unions, the umbrella organisation of the four unions in the bank.

The major demands include recruitment of adequate clerical staff through the IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) exams, appointment of sub-staff and regularisation of contract, casual and temporary staff in the sub staff categories.

Various other demands relate to the bank’s policy, including payment of minimum wages to casual employees, relieving of staff holding transfers and higher assignment orders among others. 

Ahead of the strike, the joint forum is holding protests across the country in front of regional offices of UBI. The employees will wear demand badges on January 24, a day ahead of the one- day national strike.

The UBI has become one among the largest public sector banks in the country, with more than 8,700 branches across 134 regional offices after the Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank were merged in 2020. The Union Bank of India (UK) Limited is the wholly owned subsidy of the bank. 

During the second quarter of 2024 fiscal year ending September 2023, the profit of the bank increased by 90% to Rs 3,511 crore year-on-year. Despite this, unions allege that a large number of vacancies in the clerical and sub staff category are still unfilled. 

Speaking withNewsclick, K R Unni Krishnan, general secretary of the Union Bank of India Employees Federation (Kerala), said, “The two major demands of the forum of the bank unions is the lack of adequate recruitment in the clerical and sub-staff cadre. The bank must fill the vacancies in the clerical cadre without much delay”.

The lack of staff in the award staff category affects the smooth functioning of the banking works, with the burden falling on the existing staff. This leads to a deteriorating effect on the services provided to the customers as well, he added.

Employees protesting in front of UBI regional office in Vizagapatnam (Pic credit: K R Unni Krishnan)

“Further, thousands of workers in the bank are employed under the contract and casual labour system. These temporary workers should be absorbed as regular employees in the existing sub- staff vacancies. Till then, these workers must be ensured minimum wages, as prescribed by the competent authorities”, Unni Krishnan added. 

The four unions, namely, All India Union Bank Staff Federation (affiliated to NCBE), Union Bank Staff Association (affiliated to NOBW), the Delhi unit of the Union Bank of India Employees Union and the All India Bank Employees Federation (affiliated to Bank Employees Federation of India), have raised a total of 14 demands, pertaining to service conditions and other employee benefits.

The joint forum has also opposed the delay in relieving the staff holding transfer order and higher assignment orders, besides urging the bank to expedite the promotion of clerks and sub-staff with effect from April 1, 2023. 

A protest held by the Union Bank Employees’ Union in Andhra Pradesh (Pic courtesy: K R Unni Krishnan)

The unions have held three regional office dharnas till now, with three more such protests are scheduled before January 20. The employees will observe January 24 as the ‘badge wearing’ day, to reinstate their demands.

The one-day national strike on January 25 is expected to affect the services, since banks will be closed for next three days from January 26.