Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram , Nov. 5

WORK at State Bank of India (SBI) branches in the State came to a halt on Friday as employees owing allegiance to both officers' and staff unions observed a strike to press a charter of demands.

Daylong demonstrations and other forms of protest were staged at all district and taluk headquarters in the State, according to Mr M. Sreenath, General Secretary, State Bank of India Officers Association (SBIOA), and Mr John Joseph, General Secretary, State Banks' Staff Union (SBSU).

Demonstrations were also held in front of the Local Head Office of SBI in Thiruvananthapuram, which was inaugurated by Mr P.B. Thomas, President, All India Bank Officers' Conference (AIBOC). Among those who addressed the programme were Mr John Joseph and Mr K. Raja Kurup of SBSU and Mr M. Sreenath of SBIOA.

The union leaders took strong exception to a new trend in banking circles in which customers are sought to be segregated into separate categories for purposes of servicing.

According to the unions, a leading public sector bank has already proceeded to put this "reprehensible" suggestion to practice. This has created a situation where the rich and privileged will come to enjoy newfound status as the most sought-after customers to the phased exclusion of the conventional customer whose unwavering loyalty seems to have been taken for granted by the banks.

Other demands raised by the unions included recruitment to fill vacancies, stoppage of the practice to close down branches and retention of provident fund and pension facilities to the new recruits.

The unions have also demanded that contract-based recruitments and outsourcing of bank activities to outside agencies be called off forthwith. These will only lead to deterioration in the quality of services being offered, they added.

Reports from Kochi said all branches of the State Bank of India in and around the city remained closed and employees staged dharnas and demonstrations at various places.

Banking operations in State Bank of India branches were disrupted in other parts of the State as well, employees' unions said.

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