Press Release

State Bank of India faces strike action

9 October 2008

Unite members in the State Bank of India have voted for strike action over pay and terms and conditions.
After months of negotiations and failed conciliation talks with ACAS, 82% of the members who took part in the industrial action ballot voted for industrial action.

Unite now plans to hold three one day strikes in State Bank of India branches in London, with the first strike taking place on Friday, 24th October 2008.

Unite Regional Officer, Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe, said: "State Bank of India employees in the UK are fed up with the broken promises and pay restraint. They want immediate action to address the unfair and under paying within the bank. Unite will continue to support our members and ask the bank to take the concerns of its employees seriously."

"We have asked the State Bank of India for more talks so we can endeavour to come to an acceptable resolution to avoid industrial action. We are also willing to see if we can involve ACAS."

Unite have asked for more talks with the Bank which will take place tomorrow (Friday, 10th October 2008.)
State Bank of India have offered 3.9% pay increase for its employees, which does not address issues which has seen the pay of dozens of members being held back in an unfair and un-transparent pay system.

The Bank has quadrupled its profit in their UK division since 2006. This performance has not been reflected in remuneration of employees who have had to endure many years of broken promises from the Mumbai based bank.