Bank strike: ATMs, banking services in Nagaland to be hit

Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 13 (EMN): The United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU) Nagaland has called for a two-day strike, starting from March 15 to protest the proposed privatisation of two state-owned lenders by the government.

This was informed by the state secretary of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) President, Tap Paul.

He said that the issue was over government of India’s proposal for privatisation of banks.

“We oppose the privatisation of bank and retrograde the banking reforms,” he said, adding that all the private sector bank employees and private sector banks were also involved in the agitation.

The UFBU has also demanded strengthening of public sector banks.

UFBU Nagaland state will hold a dharna on March 15 and the 16th from 9:30 am at Supermarket complex near SBI regional business office in Dimapur; at SBI regional business office in Mokokchung; and at SBI main branch near DC office in Kohima.

Paul stated that ATM services would be affected as the bank employees will not be working.

“When the bank employees are not working certainly cash cannot be supplied to ATM, so all the banks as well as ATMs will be affected,” he said.

“Even all the private banks will remain closed because they are also supporting our cause,” he added.

The UFBU, which is an umbrella body of nine bank unions, has called for a two-day strike and is likely to affect banking services across the country over four days — two bank holidays on March 13 (second Saturday) and March 14 (Sunday) would translate to a four-day break in the regular banking operations.

The agitation which started on Feb. 19 will culminate with the two-day strike.