On Wednesday, SBI officers have plans to go on strike. Thursday, April 5, is Muharram, when banks all over the country will be closed. Friday is Mahavir Jayanti, a gazetted holiday, when banks will be open only in West Bengal. Saturday, of course, is a half-day. With many people having emptied their pockets to meet year-end investment needs, the biggest sufferers could be the salary earners who switched to cheque payments.
Nothing doing, say the officers unions.
The employees unions have no objection in coming to work on Sunday - provided they get overtime etc. Don't bank on the private banks - if officers don't work, clearing operations could be affected. UTI Bank, however, says it will be open for business on Monday. The All India Bank Officers' Confederation, All India Bank Officers' Association, Indian National Bank Officers' Congress and National Organisation of Bank Officers have directed their members not to work on April 1. They contend that the RBI directive is discriminatory, since employees but not officers are entitled to overtime if they work on a holiday.