A series of suspensions and transfers of officers 'enforced' in IDBI Bank after the recent strike could trigger industry-wide retaliation, employee unions have warned.

The All-India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) and the All-India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) have put the Managing Director and CEO of IDBI Bank on notice in this regard.

REVIEW DECISION

The latter has been requested to 'review and rescind the unwarranted actions of the management' in suspending and transferring up to 100 officers of IDBI Bank in different parts of the country.

"We convey our strong protests on these unwarranted and vindictive suspensions and transfers which are meant to terrorise and victimise the staff," according to S Nagarajan and CH Venkatachalam, general secretaries respectively of AIBOA and AIBEA.

"We may inform you that these actions of the management may have industry-level repercussions and vitiate industrial relations in the entire banking sector," they said in a joint statement.

LEGITIMATE ACTION

The strike action was a democratic expression of protest and a legitimate action on the part of employees and officers of IDBI Bank intended to make the government rethink its move to privatise the bank.

It was forced on them since conciliation efforts had failed to yield any result. The decision to go on strike had also been duly conveyed to the management as required by law.

The entire trade union movement in the industry has opposed privatisation of public sector banks, the AIBOA and AIBEA leaders said.

"We are in full support of the demands of the employees and officers of IDBI Bank in this regard," they added.

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