The All India Banks’ Employees Association has threatened to go on strike or take legal action against banks, claiming that they have not been paid their overtime dues for the work done during the demonetisation drive, the Hindustan Times reported on Thursday.
On November 8, the government had scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes, which led to a rush across the country with people heading to the banks to get their currency notes exchanged. Bank staffers worked for 14 hours at a stretch during the rush that lasted more than three months. Several employees were even asked to cancel their leaves to meet the deadlines.
AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam told the Hindustan Times that the government has been informed about the non-payment of overtime dues. “In case dues are not paid, we will take stringent action...We will also look at taking other legal action,” he said.
He further said the employees had not been treated well once the demonetisation rush came to an end. “[They were] exploited, [even] though Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone on record to appreciate the good work put in by bank staff,” Venkatachalam told NDTV.
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