State Bank officers threaten to go on strike

Kolkata, Nov 27: Officers of the country's largest lender, the State Bank of India, Friday threatened to go on strike if the government failed to raise their pension by 10 percent as was done for other banks.

"We have got a wage hike of 17.5 percent like all other banks (public and old generation private banks), but we haven't got any hike in pension," said S.K. Haldar, general secretary of SBI Officers' Association (Bengal circle).

The Indian Banks' Association -- an association of 118 banks -- and the United Forum of Bank Unions Friday signed a pact on wage hike and pension in Mumbai.

The wage hike will come into effect retrospectively from Nov 1, 2007.

Haldar said SBI Officers' Association was not a part of the pact.

"If the government does not hike our pension also, we will go on an indefinite strike," he told IANS.

The association office-bearers will meet in New Delhi Dec 1 to firm up future plans.

"Initially, we may strike for one-two days, and if nothing happens, go on indefinite strike. This will hit customers but the government is forcing us to take the extreme step," he said.