Pune: Protests by Employees in Front of Maha Bank Headquarters, Lokmangal, Demanding Recruitment
Shivajinagar, 17th March 2025: More than 500 employees from across the country gathered today in front of Bank of Maharashtra headquarters, Lokmangal, staging a sit-in protest and demonstrating intensely for their seven key demands, including recruitment and adherence to agreements made through bilateral negotiations.
Following the protest, a public meeting was held where representatives of all banking unions, Krishna Barurkar and Santosh Gadade, expressed their full support for the movement. Representatives from central labor organizations like AITUC, CITU, and Hind Mazdoor Sabha, including Lata Bhise, Ajit Abhyankar, and Nitin Kadam, also backed the protest. They strongly opposed the contractual employment system and supported the demand for new recruitment. They further stated that if needed, they too would join the protest. Shirish Rane, Convener of United Forum of Bank Unions, Pune, and President of the Pune District Bank Employees’ Association, also extended his support.
During the concluding speech of the protest, Federation General Secretary Devidas Tuljapurkar raised a critical question: “Public sector institutions are making profits, but who benefits from them? The people or at the cost of employees’ exploitation?” He further emphasized that Contractual and outsourced employees are being used for permanent, day-to-day banking operations. The bank has completely abolished the posts of cleaning staff. More than 800 branches do not have peons. Over 300 branches lack even a single clerk. More than 1,300 branches have only one employee handling all operations.
This situation is severely impacting customer service and overall banking efficiency, yet the bank’s management remains indifferent. Employees are under immense stress and pressure due to this.
Additionally, the bank management is disregarding High Court orders, labor laws, and bilateral agreements, making unilateral and arbitrary decisions. As part of this movement, Maha Bank employees will go on a nationwide strike on March 20.
महाबँक कर्मचार्यांचे धरणे आंदोलन : विविध मागण्यांसाठी २० मार्च रोजी देशव्यापी संप पुकारण्याचा इशारा
On March 21, Banking operations will resume as usual. March 22 & 23 will be regular weekend holidays and on March 24 & 25, as per United Forum of Bank Unions’ directives, all bank employees and officers will go on a two-day strike, leading to a shutdown of banking operations on these days as well. Due to this strike, banking services will be disrupted, and customers may face inconvenience. The union apologizes for the same.
Employees from various states, including Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, along with employees from different regions of Maharashtra, participated in large numbers in this protest.
Several individuals, including Shailesh Tilekar – Union Secretary, Dhananjay Kulkarni, Secretary, and Swayamprakash Tiwari – President worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this protest.
