Transactions hit in SBI strike

NEW DELHI, Nov 5 (UNI) More than 200,000 employees and officers of the State Bank of India today observed a countrywide token strike in protest against the "anti-labour" policies of the management.

The All India State Bank Officers Federation and All India State Bank of India Staff Federation, which had given the call for the strike, described the strike as a "complete success." "No transaction took place in any of the 9,000 branches of SBI," said SBI Officers Association (Delhi Circle) General Secretary T N Goel.

The leaders of both the federations will meet in Mumbai on Sunday to chalk out their further course of action.

The unions are demanding appointment on compassionate grounds of family members of employees who die in harness, welfare fund and reduction of interest rates on staff loans.

Other demands include compensation to employees working on holidays and withdrawal of outsourcing of bank work.