New Delhi: Most state-run banks are likely to be closed for two days from tomorrow as several bank employees associations have decided to join the nationwide general strike on January 8 and 9 called by central trade unions against “anti-worker" government policies.

The All India Bank Employees Association ( AIBEA ) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) have given call to their members, who are employees and officers of various banks, to participate in a nationwide strike on in support of a call given by 10 major central trade unions —INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA.

All you need to know about the bank strike:

1. Bank of Baroda, which is being merged with two other PSU banks Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank, has warned that if the bank employee unions sit on strike, the functioning of the bank’s branches in some of the zones may be affected. Bank employee unions are already protesting against bank mergers and had even called for a strike against the amalgamation last month.

2. Allahabad Bank has informed stock exchanges that it is taking all necessary steps, according to the existing guidelines, for the smooth functioning of the bank’s branches and offices during the strike.

3. Along with the banking sector, operations in the insurance industry are also likely to be hit as the All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA), General Insurance Employees All India Association (GIEAIA) and All India LIC Employees Federation ( AILICEF) have joined BEFI in the protest.

4. If the two-day strike materialises it will be the fourth bank strike in the last 30 days. On December 21 and 26, bank employees had sat on two strikes demanding wage revision and cancelling the bank merger plan. The two days of strike, which came within a week of each other, had hit banking services across the country.

5. A strike call notice said the banking, insurance and the rest of the financial sector, which represent the bulk of national savings, has become the government’s special target for reforms. “Regular, permanent, perennial jobs are being replaced by casual, temporary, contractual and fixed-term jobs. From job-oriented growth, it became jobless growth and now it is growth with job losses," the unions said.

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