Staff at four banks are striking on Christmas Eve in separate disputes over pay and conditions.

But the Midland Bank says the strike by some of its workers is having little effect.

It said that only one main branch - in Cheshire - had been closed by the strike, along with three sub-branches, leaving nearly all of its 1,800 offices operating normally.

Most striking staff chose to stay at home, but picket lines formed at a few main branches in London, Birmingham and Bristol.

The strike was called by staff who are angry at having to work on Christmas Eve.

Thousands of other workers at four banks are striking in separate disputes over pay and Christmas working hours.

Ros Bew reports on the banks' dispute (1' 17")

Members of the Banking Insurance and Finance Union (Bifu) at the Midland and Royal Bank of Scotland branches in England and Wales are staging a walkout in protest over longer working hours.

Union members at the Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks are taking action over a new performance-related pay scheme, which Bifu says will lead to more than half of clerical workers receiving rises of less than inflation, and some getting nothing at all.

The banks say that only one in 10 members of staff are heeding calls for industrial action.

However, Bifu is disputing this. It says thousands of workers are staying at home thus affecting branches and cheque processing centres around the country.

Linda Gregory from Bifu said: "They are going on strike because they're very angry at the way their employer has treated them, and not just over Christmas Eve opening . . . all the compulsory redundances that they've faced, the pay freezes, the bullying, the sales targets.

"None of that has helped the customer at all and it has made life for staff absolute hell."

A Midland Bank spokesman, Barry Hime, defended the company's position. "The vast majority of our staff know that if we're not open to provide the service that many of our customers want on Christmas Eve then our customers will go to the competitors," he said.

With some bank branches being closed for five consecutive days there are fears that cash machines may run out of notes.

There are fears during the closure that cash machines may run out

Such fears were being dismissed by banks who assured customers that staff will be on call to restock the machines.

Industrial action during the longest-running dispute in the banking sector could have been worse. Barclays Bank workers have called off a strike after both sides agreed to fresh talks.

Midland workers are taking action all day while Royal Bank of Scotland employees are stopping work in the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

According to Bifu, banks are making record profits but continue to offer workers poor incomes.

Bifu Assistant General Secretary, Alan Scrimgeour, discusses the strike with Peter Allan (2'-55")

The union says that some workers are being given rises below the rate of inflation and others are rarely offered pay increases.

Yorkshire Bank said that 90% of its branches would be open and the strike would have a minimal impact on its customer service.

The bank said its latest pay offer was worth an average rise of 4%.

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