PIL in Gujarat HC against PSU bank strikes

AHMEDABAD: A few days after public sector banks gave a two-day strike call for January 31 and February 1, several trade and industry associations in Gujarat came together to file a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court against such repetitive strike calls given by bank employees and officers. The trade and industry bodies have cited severe difficulties in carrying out financial transactions in the wake of such strikes.
Bank employees have also called for another three-day strike from March 11 and have also threatened an indefinite strike from April 1 onwards if their demands over wage-revision and re-initiating recruitments in are not adhered to.
“The petition has been filed in the interest of consumers as well as trade and industry bodies because hampering of financial transactions due to frequent strike by bankers adversely impacts business operations from time to time. Payment commitments, issuing of letters of credit – everything gets delayed which impacts goodwill of traders and industrialists,” said Jayendra Tanna, president, Gujarat Trader Federation (GTF), which is one of the eight petitioners in the case. “Such illegal strikes would cause huge financial losses to the nation and strictest actions are proposed to be taken against the employees who support strikes,” states the petition. When contacted, Janak Rawal, general secretary, MGBEA, said, “Bank employees have so far gone on strike in public interest, to strengthen banks and economy. However, bankers have gone on strike for the first time for their wage revision which is pending since two years. We hope trade and industry supports us in our endeavour.” MGBEA estimates suggest that over the two-day strike on January 31 and February 1, transactions worth Rs 30,000 crore may be hampered.