New Delhi. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the apex body of 9 organizations of bank employees, had announced a two-day nationwide strike on 16 and 17 December 2021. On 16 December 2021, the employees of State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Central Bank of India (CBI) stopped working across the country. Let us inform that this strike has been announced against the proposed privatization of two public sector banks.
FM Sitharaman announced the privatization of two banks
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the budget for the financial year 2021-22, privatized two public sector banks under the disinvestment target of raising Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Privatization) was announced. Earlier in 2019, the government had privatized IDBI Bank by selling its majority stake in IDBI Bank to LIC.
Center merged 14 public sector banks in four years
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi government of the Center has merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years. The government has listed the Banking Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for introduction and passing during the current session of Parliament.
Banks had appealed to the employees not to go on strike
State Bank of India (SBI) had tweeted from its Twitter handle and appealed to the employees not to go on strike. The bank had said that in view of the Corona epidemic, the employees will have to face a lot of problems due to the strike of the employees. SBI had also sent an invitation to the bank unions for talks, but the bank workers remained adamant and went on strike.
The Central Bank of India also wrote a letter to its employees and unions asking their members to work for the betterment of the bank. The appeal of Punjab National Bank (PNB) not to go on strike was also ineffective.
