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Why Bank of Maharashtra Employees Announce Nationwide Strike?
Bank of Maharashtra employees will go on a nationwide strike on March 20, protesting staff shortages, outsourcing, unilateral decisions, and violations of agreements by the bank management.
Author: Neha Bodke
Published: March 4, 2025
The All India Bank of Maharashtra Employees Federation (AIBOMEF) has called for a nationwide strike on March 20, 2025, protesting against shortage of staff, outsourcing , unilateral decision-making, and violation of agreements by the bank management. In a formal notice under Section 22 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, sent to the Managing Director & CEO of Bank of Maharashtra, the union has warned of further agitation programs, including indefinite strikes, if the key demands remain unresolved.
Key Demands Raised by the AIBOMEF
Invoke Business Development Forum
The union has demanded the immediate activation of the Business Development Forum to address the increasing outsourcing and contractual hiring for core banking functions. According to the union, this increases operational and fraud risks.
Regularisation of Temporary Part-time Sub-staff
The abolition of part-time sub-staff cadre in 2021 triggered multiple disputes across the country. The AIBOMEF units have filed cases before various Central Government Industrial Tribunals (CGITs) and Labour Commissioners, which remain pending for years. Despite conciliation meetings in 2022 and 2023, the bank allegedly continues to replace temporary staff with outsourced workers, violating previous agreements.
Staff Shortage and Recruitment Crisis
Out of 2500+ branches and 51 zonal offices across the country, 1173 branches are operating without permanent sub-staff. With nearly 318 branches that do not have even a single clerk, and 1000 clerical vacancies, many branches have only one clerk, pushing work-life balance into crisis as per-employee business rises from Rs 12 crore to Rs 34 crore.
Violation of Bipartisan Agreement
AIBOMEF highlighted that the bank had granted de-jure recognition to the union in 1988 under the Industrial Disputes Act, but the management refused to consult them on HR and Industrial Relations (IR) issues, violating collective bargaining rights.
Non-Implementation of High Court Order
Despite a favorable ruling from the Bombay High Court restoring the right of retired office-bearers to represent the union in grievance forums, the management has failed to implement the order even after six months.
Closure of Union Offices
During the 2021 agitation, the bank forcibly took over union offices in Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and Aurangabad, violating the 1988 recognition agreement. The union is demanding the immediate restoration of these offices.
Non-Implementation of Special Assistant Agreement
The agreement to promote eligible clerks to Special Assistant posts at a 10:1 ratio annually has not been followed since 2018, despite being part of a bipartite settlement.
While speaking to Kanal, Devidas Tuljapurkar, General Secretary of AIBOMEF, stated
"We are deeply worried about the bank’s growing reliance on outsourcing and contractual hiring for core banking activities. This business model increases operational and fraud risks. We demand that the bank immediately invoke the Business Development Forum and address our concerns collectively."
He further added, “As a recognized union, we have a legal right to be consulted on HR and IR matters. However, the management is denying us that platform, violating not only the Industrial Disputes Act but also the Bombay High Court’s recent order. If the bank continues with its unilateral decisions, we will resist and escalate our actions.”
AIBOMEF has also warned that if the management fails to resolve these issues post-strike, a second phase of agitation will involve other unions across Bank of Maharashtra, with the support from AIBEA. A bank-wide indefinite strike could follow if the management does not respond.