The Gujarat High Court has issued notice to Reserve Bank of India on the basis of a PIL filed by eight trade federations in the state seeking the court’s direction to the apex bank to not allow unions to go on strike.
Bank unions are likely to call a two-day nationwide strike on January 31 and February 1, followed by a three-day strike from March 11-13, and indefinite strike from April 1, pertaining over their demand for wage revision.
The division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice AJ Shastri has issued notice to the central bank, returnable on January 30.
The federations have requested to the court to direct the RBI to not permit the banks to go on strike and also take stringent action against employees for frequently going on strikes for their own financial benefits.
The PIL said such strikes called by bank unions are illegal and are meant only for their own financial benefits at the cost of the public who are the ultimate sufferers.
The bank employees associations have called for a nationwide strike on January 31 over issues like salary, leaves, and other benefits, which can be achieved as per the provisions of law and not by declaring strikes, the PIL claimed.
The PIL claimed the strike is likely to cause a loss of Rs 12,700 crore per day. The PIL has been filed by Gujarat Traders Federation, Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Central Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ahmedabad Auto Parts Association among others.
