New Delhi: A section of employees of public sector banks, barring SBI, and Reserve Bank went on a day-long nationwide strike today to protest the move to merge state-run banks and outsourcing in the banking industry.

"Normal banking transactions have been disrupted across 40,000 branches all over the country," All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatchalam said.

About nine lakh employees and officers belonging to left affiliated unions in the public sector, regional rural banks and cooperative banks took part in the strike, he said.

The call for strike by the left affiliated All-India Bank Employees Association follows the merger of State Bank of Saurashtra with its parent SBI.

Grade III employees of the Reserve Bank also struck work in protest against outsourcing of operations by the apex bank.

Clearing operation, cash handling, forex and money market operation are likely to be affected due to the strike.

According to All-India RBI Employees Association Secretary K K Sharma, about 5,000 class three employees of the Reserve Bank are participating in the strike protesting outsourcing of work.

The stir has come barely two days after officers in State Bank of India and its associate banks went on a strike against the SBI-SBS merger.

However, SBI unions are not participating in the strike and would extend "fraternal" support. Also, some unions like National Confederation of Bank Employees are not participating in the strike.
Source : PTI