Bank strike total, ATMs not spared

The Indian Banks Association and the United Forum of Bank Unions, the latter an umbrella union of nine bank unions, went on a two-day nationwide strike to protest merger and consolidation in the sector and delay in settlement of issues like wage revision.

8220;We have nearly 20,000 employees of both officer and clerical grade in the Bengal circle of State Bank of India all of whom participated in the strike. It was a total shutdown,8221; said Ashok Kumar Mukherjee of SBI Staff Association.

There are around 1,500 ATMs operational in West Bengal, with 500 ATMs located in Kolkata itself.

8220;Foreign banks like HSBC and American Express have unions which are affiliated with us. They have voluntary decided to keep ATMs closed and there was no use of force,8221; said Malay Roy, Convenor of the West Bengal state unit of United Forum of Bank Unions.

8220;With people making a beeline to withdraw cash from ATMs, it made sense to close down the ATMs to prevent vandalism,8221; he said.

A source at the regional office of ABN AMRO Bank in Topsia said at 12.30 pm members of nationalised banks forced them to down shutters.