The
need for bank holiday on all Saturdays must be stressed at the next
bipartite settlement with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), said the
leader of a leading bank union.
Addressing
the inaugural session of the triennial conference of Corporation Bank
Officers’ Organisation (CBOO) in Mangaluru, Y Sudarshan, president of
the All-India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), said that the 10th
bipartite settlement helped bank employees
get holidays on second and fourth Saturdays of every month. In the next
bipartite settlement, if the unions could get all Saturdays to be
declared a holiday for banks, it will be a big achievement, he said.
Pressure to cross-sell
Taking
exception to the process of banks calling its officers to work on
Sundays and other holidays, he said this matter has been brought to the
notice of the IBA but the issue is yet to be resolved. “Even bank
officers need time to spend with their families,” he added.
Stating
that there is pressure on public sector banks to cross-sell other
products, he said bank unions have to oppose this. “Our own deposits are
being converted into mutual funds and insurance products. This is a
major threat to the banking industry,” he emphasised.
Speaking
on the occasion, Prabhat Patnaik, professor emeritus of Jawaharlal
Nehru University, said that the Green Revolution would not have possible
in the country if there was no nationalisation of banks then. There was
increase in credit to agriculture sector following nationalisation of
banks, he said. Opposing any move to privatise public sector banks,
Patnaik said it will an irony if that is done.
Regards,
E.R.Iyer
