CIRCULAR No. UFBU/2017/22                                                   27.10.2017    

TO ALL CONSTITUENT UNIONS/MEMBERS

Dear Comrades,

WAGE REVISION TALKS WITH IBA :

Further to the ongoing discussions in the Sub-Committee on non-financial demands, today, a round of discussions with the Full Negotiating Committee of IBA was held in Mumbai.

From the side of IBA, Mr.R.K. Takkar(MD-UCO Bank and Chairman of the Negotiating Committee), Mr.V.G. Kannan(Chief Executive of IBA), Mrs.Usha Ananthasubramaniam(MD-Allahabad Bank), Mr.P.S. Jayakumar(MD-Bank of Baroda), Mr.Shyam Srinivasan(MD-Federal Bank),  Mr.Prashant Kumar(DMD-SBI), Mr.B. Rajkumar(Dy.Chief Executive-IBA), Mr.S.K. Kakkar(Sr. Advisor-IBA) and Mr.K.S. Chauhan(Advisor-IBA) were present.

From the side of UFBU, the following representatives were present:

Com.C.H. Venkatachalam and Com.Rajen Nagar(AIBEA), Com.D.T. Franco and Com.Dilip Saha(AIBOC), Com.Sanjeev K. Bandlish and Com.Vinil Saxena(NCBE), Com.S. Nagarajan(AIBOA), Com.C.J. Nandakumar(BEFI), Com.Subhash Sawant(INBEF), Com.K.K. Nair(INBOC), Com.Ramnath Kini(NOBW) and Com.Sunil Deshpande(NOBO).

We submitted the following main issues/points and wanted the response of IBA.

*Wage revision process should be completed expeditiously.

*More frequent meetings/discussions to be held for this purpose.

*Data regarding 
establishment expenses,
number of employees, etc 
to be provided.

*Negotiations must cover all Officers upto Scale-VII.
*IBA to make their initial offer on increase in wages.
*Fixing the Price Index upto which DA is to be merged with Basic Pay.
*Discussion on the issues pertaining to retirees viz.
100% DA, 
pension updation, improvement in Family Pension, etc.
*Introduction of 5 Day Banking i.e. remaining Saturdays also to be holidays.

IBA responded as under:

*IBA will hold frequent meetings to expedite the process.
*Data on Establishment Expenses as on 31.03.2017 was provided.  
Further data would be provided shortly.
*On the issue of fractured mandate by some Banks, Unions have to take up with the concerned Banks.
*For officers, Performance related Variable Pay method to be introduced. 
*DA as on 31.10.2016 can be merged with Basic Pay.
*Issues like 100% DA and updation are subjudice due to litigation.
*On improvement in Family Pension, the cost aspect is being worked out.
*For introduction of 5 Day Banking, the matter needs to be taken up with various stake holders including customers and Government, etc. before any decision is taken.

There was a lot of discussion on these issues. From our side, we informed them as under:

*IBA should commence the meaningful negotiations by making their initial offer on wage increase.  
*Entire exercise should be attempted to be completed before December, 2017.
*While we shall meet the top management of the concerned Banks on mandate issue, IBA also should also take initiative to resolve the matter as majority of the Banks have given their mandate for negotiations upto   Scale-VII Officers.
*While we are for better performance, efficiency, more productivity, etc., any differentiated wage compensation will result in subjectivity, unilateralism, discrimination and may become demotivating and counter-productive. 
*On DA merger point, Unions will discuss and come back in the next round of talks.
*On pension related issues, none of the Unions under UFBU have resorted to litigation.
*On introduction of 5 Day Banking, IBA should take necessary steps from now on.

IBA took note of our views and it was decided to discuss the issues further in the next round of talks which will be held shortly. 

With greetings,
Yours comradely,
Convener/UFBU

BEFI news......

In today's (27.10.2017) talks :

IBA proposed merger of DA as on Oct 2016 for working out revised payscales.

IBA also wanted introduction of variable pay for officers which we did not agree.

We insisted on negotiations to cover up to scale 7 .

Data on establishment expenses was given.

Detailed circular follows.

CJ Nandakumar, Pradip Biswas/BEFI
******************
NOBW news.....

Today on 24.10.2017 Core committee for workmen unions with IBA.

 Following points have been discussed.   

1.Disciplinary Action and  Procedure-Refers to sub Committee.

2.LFC-Difficult areas will be covered irrespective of distance.
For actual travel 4400km for clerks for substaff no change.
Encashment old distance.
Tickets costs of Rajdhani/Satabdi allowed.
Tickets charges covered.For road mileage afterwards.                           

3.Pension scheme-
In Main committee                             

4.Improvement in Spl.pay Medical aid and other allowance - After DA merger. 

5.HRA and Annual medical aid-Some points agreed but decided after taking financial implications.           

6.Leave Benefits-
SL-After 24years 3months
and after 30 years3months
in total 720days on half pay.
PL-notice period 10days other than LFC.
On encashment of 270 days will be discussed in main committee.                   

Some other points discussed but decision not taken.

Next sub committee meeting will be held on 14.11.2017.
***********************

Today UFBU (workmen unions) had further  bipartite  discussion with IBA 

on non financial demands like additional sick leave, 
distance under LFC, 
LFC for employees in North East Andaman and faraway places in extreme north, 
project area quarters, 
more HRA in difficult and border areas, etc. 

Separate meeting will be held on disciplinary action matters.  

Next meeting on 14th Nov.  

Full negotiating committee meeting on 27th Oct. on wage revision issues . 

CH venkatachalam .SK Bandlish .
CJ Nandakumar Pradip Biswas .
Satish Sawant. Upendrakumar.
(Award staff Unions)

Tuesday, 03 rd October,2017

Sub : 11 th Bipartite Settlement.

On 3rd Oct 2017, one more round of Meeting of the Core Group (Workmen) took place on IX th Bipartite Settlement.

The meeting was purely for Non - Financial Issues.

Demands Discussed:

1.  Increase in T.A. / Reimbursement of Petrol Cost : IBA says 'different Banks have their own different Schemes.' Unions should take up this issue with individual Banks.

2.  Voluntary Cessation of Service : Union wants deletion of these provisions. IBA said they will discuss this issue internally. No decision taken on this issue today.

3.  Better Compensation on Transfer on Deployment Policy : At present it is Rs. 400 pm. Discussion to continue.