Trade unions go on strike against new labour code: Bank employees in Vadodara protest against govt's policy, say: Govt indirectly promotes contract system by talking about giving gratuity after one year

Various organizations, including all bank employees, have gone on strike across the country today. While the country's major bank unions All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) have announced a strike tomorrow, these unions are also on strike in Vadodara city. Bank employees outside Bank of Baroda at Mujamhuda in Vadodara city protested against the government's policy and observed a bandh today. However, SBI has not joined the strike. They have expressed support from outside. Bank employees gathered outside the Bank of Baroda in Muzammuda and raised slogans like 'Government ki Hitlershahi', 'Nahi Chalegi, Nahi Chalegi', 'Labour Code Wapas Lena Hoga' and protested against the government's policies. Several other unions, including the railways, are also on strike in Vadodara today. General Secretary of the Local Bank Employees Co-ordination Committee. L. Vyas said that 10 central trade unions (except BMS) of the country have called for a 'Bharat Bandh' today. Three major associations of the banking industry—AIBEA, AIBOA and BEFI—have also decided to join the strike. Our demand is that the labour code be withdrawn. The four new labour codes that the government has recently introduced are not in the interest of the employees. This will give employers a 'hire and fire' policy. They further said that the new rules will give the management the power to increase the working hours. The government is indirectly promoting the contract system by talking about giving gratuity after one year. In fact, the gratuity should be paid at the time of retirement. At a time when the youth of the country are facing unemployment, our demand is that there should be permanent jobs instead of contract system. He said that almost all public sector and private sector banks except State Bank of India (SBI) are closed today. The State Bank of India (SBI) is functioning, but most of the employees of the rest of the banks have stayed away from work. The main reason for the strike is the central government's 4 new labor codes. The unions say the code will replace 29 old labour laws, which will curtail the rights of employees and make it harder for trade unions to register. At the same time, the employees have been demanding the implementation of a '5-day work week' (5-day work week) in the banking sector for a long time. Unions argue that the work-life balance of employees is deteriorating due to increasing work pressure. At present, banks have a holiday on the second and fourth Saturdays, which employees are demanding to implement every Saturday.