Bank strike called off amid staff shortage

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Feb 25:- Though the two day all India bank strike on 25 and 26 February, called by the United Forum of Bank Employee, was called off at the last moment, the banks could not provide services to the consumers properly owing to lack of this information on time. The reason: many branch managers and deputy branch managers of various banks had left their station on Saturday and went to their home in other districts to ‘enjoy’ three days as holiday taking advantage of the strike. Those employees could not return to their stations to open their branches on Monday morning in Malda .For example, a manager posted in Balurghat in South Dinajpur could not reach his office from Berhampore in Murshidabad.Though the officials of the State Bank of India got the information at midnight from sources in the organisation, other bank employees got the information this morning. The employees and officials who are local residents were able to reach their offices on time but those others could not make it to the office today.At last the bank officials managed to open a few branches by sending the staff from one branch to other branch. The union leaders, mainly officers’ Association, had been directing their colleagues over the phone to manage the situation where the officials were out of station taking advantage of strike called by the united forum.