September 2nd strike!!

ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION - AIBEA
ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS ASSOCIATION - AIBOA
BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA - BEFI
INDIAN NATIONAL BANK OFFICERS CONGRESS - INBOC
NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK WORKERS - NOBW
INDIAN NATIONAL BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION - INBEF
NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK OFFICERS - NOBO

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TO ALL UNITS AND MEMBERS: 18TH August, 2015

Joint call by AIBEA-AIBOA-BEFI-INBOC-NOBW-INBEF-NOBO

Observe All India Strike on 2nd September, 2015
Join struggle of the Indian working class 
Against anti-worker policies of the Central Government

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All our unions and members would be aware of the call given by the Central Trade unions and various independent Trade Union Federations in our country for All India General Strike on 2nd September, 2015 …………………..

Some of the aspects of the policies and proposals of the Government as are as under:

1, Amending all labour laws to empower the employers with unfettered rights to “hire and fire” 
2. stripping the workers and trade unions of their rights 
3, Unlimited FDI in strategic sectors like Railways, Defence and Financial Sector. 
4. Sweeping changes in the existing Land Acquisition Act, 
Farmers’ right to land and agri-workers’ right to livelihood are being sought to be drastically curbed and curtailed.
5. EPF and ESI schemes are proposed to be made optional 
6. Attempts to dismantle the basic social security structures available to the organized sector. 
7, The Govt. has not taken any step to curb price rise of essential commodities 
8. Failure to generate adequate employment 
9. Weakening public distribution system and trying to scuttle it through Direct Benefit Transfer resulting further squeeze on the common people.
10. Various State governments have brought about drastic anti-workers changes in basic labour laws viz. Industrial Disputes Act, Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, Factories Act and Apprenticeship Act, Trade Unions Act etc. 
11. Proposals for new Small Factories (Regulations of Service conditions) Bill which prescribes that major 14 labour laws will not apply to factories employing upto 40 workers. 
12. Labour Code on Wages Bill and Labour Code on Industrial Relations Bill which under the cover of amalgamation seek to make registration of unions almost impossible, 
13. Making retrenchment of workers and closures of factories easy. 
14. Amendment Bills have been put in public domain without consulting the trade unions thereby violating the provisions of ILO Convention 144 on Tripartite Consultation. 

15. Inaction in implementing the consensus recommendations of 43rd, 44th and 45th Indian Labour Conferences on formulation of minimum wages, same wage and benefits as regular workers for the contract workers and granting status of workers with attendant benefits to those employed in various central govt. schemes like anganwadi, mid-day-meal, ASHA, para-teachers etc. 
16. Curtailed budget allocations to all centrally sponsored schemes meant for poor peoples’ welfare. 
17. Refusal to ensure minimum wages of not less than Rs. 15,000 per month with indexation and universal  Denial of Pension for all including the unorganized sector workers
18. Reluctance on compulsory registration of Trade Unions within 45 days and ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98. 
19. Denial of Bonus for all and removing the ceiling under the Bonus Act
20. Refusal to improve the ceiling under Gratuity Act

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Banking Industry:
Banking industry is no exception.

In the Banking industry, we are already aware of the
Government’s continuous attempts to push through their reforms agenda aimed at privatisation of banks, consolidation and merger of Banks, etc. More and more private capital and FDI are being encouraged.
Regional Rural Banks are sought to be privatised and the Bill has been passed by the Government in the Parliament despite protests by our Unions. Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies (PACs) are under threat of winding up. Urban Co-operative Banks are under threat of delicensing. Private sector executives are imposed on the public sector banks.
All the Government schemes are being imposed on the Banks without proper infrastructure and manpower resulting harassment and problems faced by the bank staff.
Bank officers are being denied regulated working hours.
Even agreed decisions like 2 Saturday Off in a month are being unduly delayed.
Permanent and regular jobs are being outsourced on contract basis and contract employees are being exploited. 

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Government’s stand non-committal :

During the recent 46th Session of the Indian Labour Conference held in Delhi, Prime Minister attended the meeting but did not give offer any concrete solution to the important demands raised by the trade unions. The Government is totally non-committal on the charter of demands raised by the trade unions. On the other hand, it is clear that the Government would like to proceed on its agenda to amend the labour laws without any proper consultation with the trade unions.
Hence it is necessary and imperative to join the general trade union movement and register our protest against these anti-worker policies of the Government.

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Accordingly, the joint call has been given to observe All India Strike in all the Banks by all our units and members on 2nd September, 2015.
Our members are also exhorted to join the local conventions, meetings, processions, etc. being organised by the central trade unions.
Joint Demonstrations are to be organised on 1st September evening and on the strike day at all centres.

We call upon all our members to make the strike a grand success.

With greetings

AIBEA – AIBOA – BEFI – INBOC – NOBW – INBEF - NOBO