Ranchi, Jan 27 (PTI) Banking services were affected in Jharkhand on Tuesday due to a nationwide strike called by unions to press for their demand for a five-day work week, an official said.
Employees of
both private and nationalised banks participated in the strike, he said.
Bank of India (BOI) Employees’ Union deputy general secretary Umesh Das said, “The demand for a five-day work week has been pending since 2015. In 2024, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) signed an agreement stating that they would implement the demand for a five-day work week after obtaining permission from the government.” At that, it was decided that the working hours for Saturdays would be distributed across the remaining five days, he said.
However, two years have now passed since those discussions, and approval from the government has still not been received. Last week, a meeting was also held with the chief labour commissioner, but no conclusion could be reached, Das said.
He said that to press for this demand, a total of nine bank unions, under the aegis of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), called for the one-day nationwide strike on January 27.
This was the fourth consecutive day when banking services remained closed in the state, as the banks were shut on January 24 (fourth Saturday), January 25 (Sunday), and January 26 (Republic Day). PTI RPS RPS ACD
