The banking staff in the country is set to go on a two day nationwide strike on August 22 and 23 after several unions and other employee associations called for support for the strike.

J. P. Sharma, convener at United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), P. S. Malleswara Rao, I. Kesava Rao, R. V. Ravi Kumar from All India Bank Employees' Association, Prabhakar and Rama Chandra Rao of All India Bank Officers' Confederation, Sambasiva Rao, Srinivasa Rao of National Confederation of Bank Employees and Krishna Kumar of Bank Employees' Federation have appealed to their supporters to take part in the strike.

Union leaders have said that all the public and private sector banks in the country will take part in the strike that is against the introduction of Banking Law (Amendment) bill in the Lok Sabha on August 22. The bill calls for increasing the voting rights of share holders from 10 to 26 per cent in private banks and from one to 10 per cent in public sector banks.

The bill also recommends supersession of bank boards and facilitating mergers of the banks in the public sector. The banking staff are demanding a reintroduction of compassionate appointment scheme, and Banking Service Recruitment Board for recruitment, updating of pension scheme and improvement in family pension.

The employees of 47 banks in the country are expected to take part in the strike.