Bank Strike 2018: ATM, salary withdrawals are likely to be hit as bank employee call for 2-day strike on May 30 and 31

Bank Strike 2018: A two-day nationwide bank strike has been called from tomorrow as the negotiations on a nominal 2% wage hike failed to convince the bank unions. The bank employees’ strike will take place on May 30 and May 31 as they will be protesting the wage hike, which could impact ATM services along with some of the other banking operations. The bank unions have been pressing for various demands, including wage revision in the wake of the proposal for a 2% hike in their salary.

All India Bank Employees Association president Rajen Nagar said that ATM security guards will also participate in the strike, which could impact ATMs withdrawal. With protest dates coinciding with the end of the month, salary withdrawals may get affected too in the bank strike May 2018.

The country’s largest lender States Bank of India said its services may be impacted. Last year, when bank employees had called for a nation-wide strike, some ATMs went dry and operations such as clearing of cheques, money transfer, cash remittances, and deposit and withdrawals at branches were hit across public sector banks.

The bank strike has been called after bank employees were given a wage hike of 2% as higher losses were booked due to provisions towards NPA (Non-Performing Assets). United Forum of Bank Unions’ convener Devidas Tuljapurkar told reporters that it was not because of the bank employees. In the last wage settlement, which was for the period November 1, 2012, to October 31, 2017, IBA had given a wage hike of 15%.