Bank employees strike: Coimbatore to incur a business loss of Rs. 350 crores

Coimbatore: Arunachalam, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Bank Employees Union, said that services will take a hit due to upcoming bank strike on January 31 and February 1. The district of Coimbatore is expected to incur a loss of Rs. 350 crore. 

Briefing the press at the Bank Employees Union Building at Variety Road here, Tamil Nadu General Secretary, Arunachalam apprised that services are likely to be affected due to the proposed two-day nationwide strike starting from January 31. "Bank unions across the country have announced to go strike from January 31 in order to press for wage revision among other demands". 

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) which is an umbrella organisation that includes 9 bank unions such as All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers has called for strike after the meeting with the CLC (Chief Labour Commissioner) turned futile.

"4,000 employees from 300 banks in the Coimbatore district will participate in the strike. Our consolidated demands would be forwarded to the District Collector after the strike in front of Bank of Baroda near the railway station on January 31st and in front of State Bank of India on February 1", said Arunachalam, the General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Bank Employees Union. 

Meenakshi Sundaram, General Secretary of the Coimbatore District Bank Employees Union and Vice-Chairman Baksha and others were present during the media briefing. 

It may be noted that earlier in January, several bank employees had gone on strike in support of trade unions against the "anti-people policies of the government".