Banking operations were paralysed in the state today following an all Bengal strike called by the Bengal Provincial Bank Employees Association (BPBEA). The strike severely inconvenienced customers and hampered commerce in the state at a time when the state government has been trying to attract investors touting improved industrial relations as an attraction.
The BPBEA strike was also deliberately called on the day before Saturday, which is a bank holiday on account of Janmashtami. This gave the strikers a long weekend at the expense of customers. Despite its stance, no government support was extended to non-BPBEA workers not participating in the strike when they tried to enter the banks or Reserve Bank premises.
It was estimated that cheque clearance in excess of Rs 1000 crore, including high value cheques of Rs 600 crore were affected by the strike.
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Meanwhile, in defiance of the BPBEA strike, Standard Chartered Bank and Standard Chartered Grindlays Bank satellite centres operating out of call centres of Command Cell Phone Services and other offsite locations delivered services like updating customer on balance position and dissemination of information related to accounts.
At the Reserve Bank of India, where the unions extended 'moral' support to the strike, attendance was below normal Some union members even prevented people from entering the RBI premises. Some 57 per cent of officers, 32 per cent Class II staff and 11 per cent Class III staff attended office. Attendance at the RBI on normal days is around 85 per cent.
BPBEA, the state organisation of AIBEA, had called a one day strike against mass transfers at Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). SCB transferred 172 employees from its banking service division to two offices at Gardenreach and Kasba Industrial Estate. The unions alleged that the transfer orders were to force workers to accept a voluntary retirement.