The strike comes in the wake of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announement in the Union Budget 2021-22 of privatisation of two public sector banks (apart from IDBI Bank) as part of the governmentâs disinvestment drive to generate Rs 1.75 lakh crore. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions has decided to call the strike.
The IDBI Bank is already privatised by the government by selling its majority stake to the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) in 2019 and merged 14 public sector banks in the last four years.
State Bank of India explaining the consequences of the strike had said, "We inform that, we have been advised by lndian Banks Association lBA that United Forum of Bank Unions UFBU which comprises 9 major Unions, viz. All lndia Bank Employeesâ Association AIBEA, All India Bank Officersâ Confederation AIBOC, National Confederation of Bank Employees NCBE, All lndia Bank Officersâ Association AIBOA, Bank Employees Federation of India BEFI, Indian National Bank Employees Federation INBEF, Indian National Bank Officersâ Congress INBOC, National Organisation of Bank Workers NOBW & National Organisation of Bank Officers NOBO, has given a call for all lndia strike by Bank Employees on 15th & 16th March, 2021. While Bank has made all arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices, it is likely that work in our Bank may be impacted by the strike,"