Patna: Bank officials in Bihar on Tuesday joined one-day nationwide strike over implementation of five-day work week.According to the Indian Bank Employees’ Union, Bihar unit, the officials joined 8 lakh striking workers across the country. “Over 40,000 bank workers participated in the protest in Bihar alone,” said Utpal Kant, general secretary, Indian Bank Employees’ Union.A large number of bank employees and officers participated in the protest, raising slogans and demanding the early introduction of the five-day banking system. In Patna, workers held a demonstration near the Indian Bank branch at Kotwali.Bank officials said the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) agreed to the five-day work week during the 12th bipartite settlement, but it was not implemented.Kant said, “Most of the financial sectors across the country have a five-day work week and we want this too, considering the immense pressure of our work.”He warned that a meeting with the IBA is scheduled to be held in March, and if the rule is still not implemented, then the union will go on an indefinite strike.This strike followed a meeting on Jan 23 between the United Forum of Bank Unions and the chief labour commissioner in New Delhi. Nine organisations participated in the strike after the meeting ended without a conclusion regarding the five-day work week.
