Pune: More than 600 employees of the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) staged a protest demonstration outside the bank’s headquarters, Lokmangal, on Monday under the leadership of the All India Bank of Maharashtra Employees Federation (AIBOMEF).
The protest, supported by various banking and labor unions, called for urgent recruitment of clerks, peons, and other staff while opposing the bank management’s alleged arbitrary policies. Employees also demanded adherence to contractual agreements, better working conditions, and improved customer service standards.
Protest Gains Support from Key Banking Unions
The demonstration included a public meeting, where union leaders such as Comrade Krishna Barurkar (General Secretary, BOMOA), Santosh Gadade (General Secretary, BOMOO), and Ajit Abhyankar from CITU addressed the gathering. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Pune Convenor, Comrade Vitthal Mane, and Co-Convenor, Comrade Shirish Rane, also extended their support, calling for permanent recruitment of employees instead of hiring through contracts.
Speaking at the event, AIBOMEF General Secretary Comrade Devidas Tuljapurkar criticized the bank’s employment policies, stating: “Despite public sector banks reporting profits, staffing levels remain critically low. The Bank of Maharashtra has eliminated the posts of sanitation staff, leaving over 800 branches without peons and more than 300 branches without clerks. In 1,300+ branches, a single employee is handling all banking operations, severely affecting efficiency and customer service.”
Impact of Staff Shortage on Employees & Banking Services
Union leaders highlighted that the severe shortage of staff has resulted in increased work pressure, mental stress, and declining service quality. They also alleged that bank management has ignored High Court directives, labor laws, and bilateral agreements, calling for an immediate resolution to these issues.
The protest witnessed participation from employees across multiple states, including Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Organizers, including Comrade Shailesh Tilekar (Coordination Secretary), Dhananjay Kulkarni (Secretary), and Mahesh Parkhi, played a key role in mobilizing support.
Nationwide Bank Strike Announced
In response to these issues, Bank of Maharashtra employees have announced a nationwide strike on March 20. While normal banking operations will resume on March 21, the employees will stage another two-day strike on March 24 and 25, following the weekend holidays on March 22 and 23. This is expected to cause a significant disruption in banking services nationwide.
