Letter to BS: Demands of PSB unions for a pay hike are justified

This refers to “Bank union strike: Gujarat HC issues notice to RBI over trade body PIL” (January 29). The angst of the trade federations of Gujarat is understandable but one needs to take a holistic view of the strike call given by the bank unions. Besides being at the forefront of implementing every government-sponsored scheme, these banks have, over the years, become financial supermarkets, selling products such as mutual funds and insurances. With branches in remote villages, the staff has to work under great hardships, sacrificing work-life balance. When the central government staff is provided hefty pay hikes following every