AIBEA calls bank strike on Aug 28

Banking transactions across the country may be affected on August 28 as the All India Bank Employees Association has called a nationwide strike, a top union official said.

"The proposed strike is to show our protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting all the 13 office bearers of Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala under political pressure," AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam said. Venkatachalam also said four of the charge-sheeted employees are ex-servicemen, including three who took part in the Kargil war.

As to the reason for the en masse charge-sheeting of the union officials, he said: "The Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala is affiliated to AIBEA. The bank union had circulated a draft report of its activities to its members calling for comments and suggestions. The draft report of the Union General Secretary contained for obituary reference of 140 names of various international and national personalities who had passed away during the last two years. This is a customary part of the report in all Union conferences. Included in the list was the name of Pervez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan, who had died in 2023 as he was the former head of the country."

Meanwhile, people with vested interest created a controversy over the draft report having Musharraf's name, he added.