AICCTU and Odisha Gramya Bank Astahi Karmachari Sangha (temporary workers’ association) held a protest on 16 February 2018 in front of Odisha Gramya Bank head office demanding that retrenched workers be re-engaged and that illegal retrenchment be immediately stopped. The protestors also demanded to ensure EPF and ESI and bonus for all temporary workers. The rally was addressed by Com. Radhakant Sethi, General Secretary of AICCTU Odisha and Com. Banshidhar Parida. Com Sethi said that while the big capitalists are receiving huge concessions from banks, temporary workers were being either retrenched or not paid their wages. He criticized the present banking rules and demanded that the Gramya Bank should give permanent job to the retrenched workers who had been providing their services for the last twenty years. Later, a delegation handed over 5-points charter of demands to the Chairman of the Gramya Bank. The delegation was led by Com. Mahendra Parida, National secretary of AICCTU, Com. Kishore Padhi, General Secretary of the workers union, and comrades Himanshu Parida, Biswajeet Roul and Kamdev Behera. The Bank authorities have agreed not to carry out any further retrenchments and also assured to make a policy for temporary workers. They assured to explore the scope of providing employment to retrenched workers.
