Strike: Banking operations affected in Gujarat

Banking operations were mainly affected in Gujarat as nearly seven trade unions from the sector in the state today joined the nationwide strike to protest changes in labour laws and privatisation of PSUs.
Other services remained normal in the state.
Nearly 30,000 bank employees, comprising clerical staff and peons, did not report to work today which affected clearing and cash transactions, according to an office-bearer of Mahagujarat Bank Employees Association.
However, State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank as well as private banks functioned normally.
"Around 30,000 employees of all the major banks, excluding the SBI and Indian Overseas Bank joined the strike and did not report to work today," Mahagujarat Bank Employees Association honorary secretary K V Barot told PTI.

When asked about the affect on banking transactions, Barot said cash transactions and clearing business of around Rs 10,000-12,000 crore will be hit due to the strike.

However, the employees of Gujarat government, having a strength of 7.5 lakh, did not join the protest, terming it an 'anti-state' strike by some communist leaders.
"This strike was declared to oppose the government by some communist leaders, therefore we decided not to extend our support to them," Gujarat State Employees Coordination Committee general secretary Abdul Chauhan told PTI.
"Besides, they did not invite us before framing the charter of demands so we were not sure about their demands. So we felt it proper not to join it," Chauhan said.

According to Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) general secretary Nihil Mehta, around three lakh workers from various sectors of Gujarat joined the strike.
"The strike made an impact in Gujarat as around three lakh workers from nationalised and cooperative banks, railways and income tax department joined the strike in the state," Mehta told PTI.
"We have conducted demonstration at various places in the state while in Ahmedabad around ten people demonstrating against the proposed labour laws were detained by the police," he claimed.
Mehta said they conducted demonstrations peacefully across the state.
Another trade union leader and city-based advocate Amrish Patel said around 5,000 workers of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) and Gujarat Industrial Security Force (GISF) today joined the strike.

However, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI) senior vice president Bipin Patel said the strike did not make any impact oon industrial sector as most of the workers reported for work today.
The government had yesterday appealed to the trade unions to call off the agitation in the interest of workers and the nation.
The unions, however, decided to go ahead with the strike as their talks with a ministerial panel headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month did not make any headway on their 12-point charter of demands.