The SBI Strike

This is the headlines that a prominent news channel is running - SBI strike hits corporates, commoners.

So WTF were they thinking? That customers who expect service from a bank that is keeping ALL THEIR money, would be happy with a long bank strike and support the employees. The employees may think that they have the bank by the balls, but its really the customers who have the employees and the bank by the balls. I know this is less of an issue with govt banks, as even if all private citizens bank elsewhere, the govt will continue to, if only to justify the very existance of the banks (If you dont know what I mean, please walk into a CBI branch and you will catch on pretty quickly).

Its my money and I can take my business where I want it. If I were an SBI customer, I would be wondering why I had an SBI account, and why I didnt open an account at a private bank? Why I had to wait for 6 days to withdraw money or do any other bank transaction? What striking employees dont realize is that episodes like this leave vivid memories. When you get screwed over like this, you dont forget. If I were a customer with SBI, I would not only open a bank account at a newer private bank, but I would certainly move a lot of my money there, maybe even close that old account with SBI once I'm comfortable with my new bank.

And then people, especially govt employees wonder why companies are being privatized... this is exactly why. And whats probably worse about this sordid episode is that this is the largest and probably the best performing public-sector bank in the country.

So let me also say something I should have said earlier, I understand that employees have legitimate problems and are often getting the short-shrift from companies, and that labour laws are required to protect employees, but there are better ways. A one-day strike would have sent a enough strong message, better still have a rotating strike at different branches on different days across the city, so that even for that one-day that there is a strike, customers are not left in the lurch.

Anyways, thats my little rant for the day. I have always hated the poor service at most public sector banks, and stuff like this really makes my blood boil. So I had sound off, no PSU employee will prbably ever read this, and if by some improbability they do, they may still not care enough to get it, but at least I feel better now that I have sounded off.

After all this is what blogs are for right? :) :)