The strike will involve about one million employees and affect 70,000 bank branches of state-run and some private and foreign banks including the country's biggest lender, State Bank of India, as per Reuters statistics.

"The strike will be a total success. We are not against reform, but these are reforms against the public sector banks," Vishwas Utagi, secretary of All India Bank Employees Association told Reuters. "We will protest on the streets."

Cheque clearing and the availability of cash at ATMs could be most badly affected. As, security guards of the ATMs belong to the unions participating in the strike.

The UFBU said it is against the proposed banking sector reforms, unilateral imposition of the Khandelwal committee report and want appointment on compassionate ground.

Neither our issues are getting resolved nor the Government showing any respite to their reforms agenda, further added.

UFBU will held massive rallies in all district places and cities across the country. "In Mumbai there will be rally at the Azad Maidan on 22nd and 23rd August, said Vishwas Utagi, general secretary, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA).

Here are few points raised by UFBC

• The committee has recommended to settle pending demands
• The committee has asked to stop arbitrary guidelines on HR
• The committee said outsourcing of all the regular bank jobs is unfair labour practice.
• The committee has suggested to stop banking sector reforms and it is against closure of rurla banks.
• The committee has suggested 50% of officer vacancies should be filled directly from the market instead of promoting clerks.
• The committee has also suggested that minimum qualification for appointing a clerk should be graduation.

In the meantime, the Government has decided to bring the Banking Laws Amendment Bill to the Parliament on 22-8-2012.

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