Majority of nationalised bank employees and more than half of private bank staff joined the nation-wide strike against the proposed amendments to various labour legislations. Talking to AIR, General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association, AIBEA, C.H. Venkatachalam, said over 5 lakhs bank employees are participating in the strike against the anti-people and anti-labour policies of NDA government. Mr Venkatachalam, alleged that instead of strengthening public sector banks, the government compelled the banks to go for private capital so that the saving can be privatized.<br/><br/>Besides these banks, employees from 56 regional rural banks, 650 cooperative banks, the Reserve Bank, NABARD and SIDBI are also on strike. However, employees of State Bank of India, SBI and Indian Overseas Bank are not participating in the day-long strike.

Normal life have been affected across the country as a majority of nationalised bank employees and more than half of private bank staff joined the nation-wide strike against the proposed amendments to various labour legislations. Talking to AIR, general secretary of All India Bank Employees Association AIBEA, C.H. Venkatachalam, said over 5 lakhs bank employees are participating in the strike against the anti-people and anti-labour policies of NDA government. Mr Venkatachalam, alleged that instead of strengthening public sector banks, the government compelled the banks to go for private capital so that the saving can be privatized.<br/><br/>The employees of the public sector, private sector, cooperative and regional rural banks are on strike. Mr Venkatachalam said the ATMs where refilling of currency note operation have been outsourced will also be affected by the strike. Besides these banks, employees from 56 regional rural banks, 650 cooperative banks, the Reserve Bank, NABARD and SIDBI are also on strike. However, employees of State Bank of India, SBI and Indian Overseas Bank are not participating in the day-long strike.

Normal working at banks was affected today due to a nationwide strike called by 10 Central Trade Unions, although the staff of SBI, IOB, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank stayed away from the agitation.<br/><br/>All India Bank Employees Association General Secretary C H Venkatachalam told PTI that 23 public sector banks, 12 private sector banks, 52 regional rural banks and over 13,000 cooperative banks have gone on strike today to protest against government's pro- corporate policies. He said that over half of the 10 lakh banking sector workers are supporting the strike call given by 10 Central Trade Unions as their talks with the government on 12-points Charter of Demand failed last month.While clearing business was affected across the country, banks have fully stocked the ATM machines.<br/><br/>Among the private sector banks which joined the stir include Federal Bank, Karnataka Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, Kotak<br/>Mahindra Bank, Catholic Syrian Bank, Dhanlaxmi Bank and Ratnakar Bank.<br/><br/>