New Delhi: The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the apex body of 9 organizations of bank employees, has announced a two-day strike on 16 and 17 December 2021. The United Forum has called for a nationwide strike (National wide bank strike on 16 & 17 Dec 2021). Let us inform you that this strike has been announced against the proposed privatization of two public sector banks. In such a situation, all the banks of the country including the State Bank of India will remain closed today and tomorrow.
Privatization of two banks has been announced
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the budget for the financial year 2021-22, announced the privatization of two public sector banks under the disinvestment target of raising Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Earlier in 2019, the government had privatized IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake in IDBI Bank to LIC.
14 public sector banks merged in four years
In the last four years, 14 public sector banks have been merged. The government has listed the Banking Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for introduction and passing during the current session of Parliament.
SBI had appealed not to go on strike
State Bank of India (SBI) has appealed to its employees not to go on strike by tweeting from its Twitter handle. The bank has said that due to the strike of employees in view of the corona epidemic, the stakeholders may have to face huge problems. SBI had also sent an invitation to the bank unions for talks, but the bank workers remained adamant.
The Central Bank of India also wrote a letter to its employees and unions asking their members to work for the betterment of the bank. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has also appealed to the employees not to go on strike through a tweet.
