Worker empowerment and importance of unions stressed

The Co-operative Bank Employees Federation of India – Tamil Nadu (CBEF-TN) organised its 9th State conference here on Saturday.

The conference organised with the support of the Bank Employees Federation of India – Tamil Nadu (BEFI-TN), aimed to chart a programme against privatisation and consolidation of banks, focusing primarily on the defence of public and cooperative banking and the need to strengthen workers’ unions.

Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan delivering key note address, described the conference as ‘a crucial gathering’ at a time when cooperatives and public sector banks were under pressure from privatisation and corporate‑driven policies.

He said the best demand put forward by the federation was the call to merge District Central Cooperative Banks and Primary Cooperative Banks into a single government-owned “Tamil Nadu Bank”, similar to Kerala Bank in Kerala.

Mr. Venkatesan termed it a truly pro‑people proposal that could transform credit access for farmers, workers and ordinary citizens.

Citing Kerala Bank as a model, he pointed out that it not only runs a 500‑bed multi‑speciality hospital but also handles a major share of India’s cooperative banking business, proving that State-controlled cooperative banking can be both powerful and people‑oriented.

He argued that a unified Tamil Nadu bank could similarly channel resources into rural development, agriculture and small enterprises, rather than allowing public savings to be used primarily for corporate gain.

Su. Venkatesan questioned why government salary and department accounts were frequently deposited in private banks while public sector banks and cooperatives shoulder most priority lending, including education loans.

He said government funds should flow first to public and cooperative banks, helping them grow and, in turn, enabling them to support national development and social welfare.

Stressing worker empowerment and the importance of unions, he warned that new labour codes and political moves associated with it were aimed at weakening the trade unions in the country.

Without strong unions, he said workers risk losing hard‑won rights, fair wages and workplace dignity. Defending public and cooperative banks is part of a broader struggle to protect democracy, economic security and social justice, he noted.

A rally was led by T. Tamilarasu, State president, CBEF-TN.