Ahmedabad: Banking operations at State Bank of India (SBI) branches across Gujarat are likely to be affected later this month after the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) announced a two-day nationwide strike on May 25 and 26 over unresolved employee-related issues and alleged non-implementation of agreements by the bank management.

Employees in the workmen category from SBI branches across the country, including Gujarat, are expected to participate in the strike under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The federation stated that if either of the announced dates coincides with a holiday, the strike will instead be observed on May 27.

The union said the decision to go on strike was taken after repeated efforts to resolve pending issues through bilateral discussions failed to produce results. It alleged that several settlements and understandings reached earlier had not been implemented, adversely impacting employees and banking operations.

“Among the key demands are immediate recruitment of messengers and armed guards, restoration of inter-circle transfers for employees recruited from 2019 onwards, adequate recruitment to address staff shortages, and an end to outsourcing of permanent jobs,” said Nitesh Parmar, general secretary of SBI Employees’ Union, Gandhinagar Circle.

The federation has raised a total of 16 demands, including parity in wage revision between workmen and officers, a review of the Career Progression Scheme pending since 2023, inclusion of all pay components in pension calculations for eligible retirees, and improvement in the medical reimbursement scheme.

Other demands include providing National Pension System (NPS) employees with the option to change pension fund managers, appointment of a workmen employee director on the board, nomination of a provident fund trustee, resolution of HRMS-related issues, and steps to curb alleged mis-selling practices carried out in the name of cross-selling.

In its notice to SBI management, the federation alleged that permanent jobs were increasingly being outsourced, weakening job security and employee welfare. It also claimed that recruitment of messengers had remained stalled for nearly three decades, affecting employment opportunities for economically weaker sections.

The federation further highlighted concerns over the shortage of armed guards at branches, citing the recent robbery incident at an SBI branch in Surat, where armed robbers allegedly looted cash after threatening staff and customers.

Ahead of the strike, AISBISF has announced a series of protest programmes, including lunchtime demonstrations, silent sit-ins, dharnas, social media campaigns, and submission of memorandums to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. DeshGujarat