Bank Strike Averted, But Treasury Loss Lingers: The strike of the bank employees union, which was to be held from 28th to 30th September demanding five-day banking, was averted, but crores of rupees of the country were spent in these efforts. To prevent people from facing problems due to banks being closed for 3 consecutive days, and to ensure that the country’s functioning is not affected at the end of the second half, the Center has decided to keep all government banks open on Sundays. After this decision, 1.81 lakh bank branches of all government banks including SBI, PNB, Union Bank, Bank of Baroda remained open across the country.
Most of the 7.65 lakh bank officers and employees performed duty in the banks and for this, apart from their salary, they will also be given money. Apart from the payments made to bank employees, there are also electricity, servers, transportation and various other operating expenses incurred in keeping bank branches and offices open. If all the expenses are added, this amount reaches crores.
Although there is no official figure of this expenditure, but according to the estimates of bank unions, the expenditure on opening of banks on Sunday may be around Rs 153 crore only on payment of employees. This does not include the operational costs of keeping the bank branches running.
I wish…a consensus could have been reached earlier!
National President of All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) R Shekharan told NDTV that the provision of Rs 2,000 given to bank officers under Out of Pocket Expenses is inadequate. He told that a demand has been made from the Indian Bank Association to give an amount equal to one day’s salary. On behalf of United Bank Forum, a demand has been made from IBA to make provision of one day salary for bank officers.
A high level committee has also been constituted today, Tuesday, September 29, to consider the five-day banking and other demands, which includes top officials of SBI, PNB and other banks and members of the bank union. If a consensus had been reached on forming a committee in time before the strike, the country could have saved more than Rs 153 crore.
SBI will give Rs 2,000 each to officers, how much to employees?
In the letter issued by the Chief General Manager (CHR) of SBI on September 25, it has been said that on Sunday, September 27, officers doing regular duty in branches and offices will be given an out-of-pocket expense of Rs 2,000.
According to the same letter, the award staff working on Sunday will get overtime allowance as per the bipartite settlement and existing rules of the bank. That is, the payment of Rs 2,000 is for officers, while the payment for clerical and sub-staff will be under separate rules.
Rule of double payment for overtime
According to bank union leaders, 3.5 lakh clerical staff and sub-staff work in government banks. According to the rules, double salary is to be given for overtime. That means, since everyone has worked for a full day, everyone will get 2 days’ salary.
If his salary is between 30 to 60 thousand rupees, then he will get approximately 2 thousand to 4 thousand rupees. The bank union estimates that this expenditure could go up to around Rs 81 crore.
Mathematics of estimate of Rs 153 crore
According to sources associated with the bank union, there are about 7.65 lakh bank officers and employees in the country. Of these, there are about 4.21 lakh officers and about 3.5 lakh clerical staff and sub-staff.
If about 3.6 lakh officers remain on duty on Sunday and each officer gets an out-of-pocket expense of Rs 2,000, then the expenditure on this item alone amounts to about Rs 72 crore.
Apart from this, clerical staff and sub-staff will have to be paid overtime for Sunday work. According to the assessment of bank union leaders, around Rs 60-90 crore may be spent on this part.
In this way, the total estimated expenditure including both the items falls between Rs 132-162 crore. Based on the estimates related to the union, it is believed to be around Rs 153 crore.
However, Rs 153 crore is not an official audited figure. This is an estimate based on available employee numbers, payments and union estimates.
Operational expenses of bank branches separately
The expense of opening a bank on Sunday is not limited only to the payment of employees. There are about 1.81 lakh bank branches in the country. To keep them running on Sundays, electricity, servers, electronic systems and other technical arrangements are also spent.
Apart from this, cash transport and agency services are required to fill cash in ATM. Adding these expenses, the actual cost of opening the bank on Sunday may be higher than the estimate of Rs 153 crore.
High level committee formed on the last day on five-day banking
A major development took place on the last day on the long standing demand of five-day banking. According to R Shekharan, President of All India Bank Officers Confederation, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) has constituted a high level committee.
Representatives of the United Forum of Bank Unions are also included in this committee. The committee will review the demand for five-day banking after talking to all the stakeholders. The main demand of the bank union is to implement five days work a week in all banks.
Another union official said that about 8 lakh bank officers and employees were expected to participate in the three-day nationwide strike. More than 1.81 lakh bank branches could have been affected by the strike. If a solution had been reached a day before the talks, the estimated additional expenditure of about Rs 153 crore on payment of employees on opening of banks on Sunday and operational costs over it could have been avoided.
Source: ndtv.in
