Hyderabad: Indian Bank employees held a protest on Friday to highlight their long-standing problems. Hundreds of employees from Hyderabad and Secunderabad joined the protest, which was organized by the Federation of Indian Bank Employees Unions (FIBEU).
The employees demanded that the bank hire more clerks, sub-staff, sweepers, and drivers to fill regular job vacancies. They also called for the quick implementation of a transfer policy that was promised after the merger of Allahabad Bank with Indian Bank. Other demands included giving jobs to family members of deceased employees on compassionate grounds, paying minimum wages and bonuses to temporary workers, and making temporary employees permanent in available positions.
FIBEU secretary-general E Arunachalam addressed the gathering and reminded everyone that between 1997 and 2000, the bank had stopped hiring due to financial problems. However, he said that with the hard work of employees and officers, the bank has grown significantly and made large profits over the past 20 years.
Despite this progress, Arunachalam pointed out that the bank still hasn’t hired enough sub-staff and sweepers. While some clerical staff have been recruited, it’s not enough to match the growing workload and business. He added that many bank branches are short-staffed, leading to delays and customer frustration. In some cases, he said, customers are even abusing staff due to the slow service.
