Wednesday, July 29, 2020

ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

CENTRAL OFFICE
 2nd Floor, 109/10,
Angappa Naicken Street
CHENNAI-600 001

81:2020 July 28, 2020

Com.S. K. Bandlish,
Convenor,
United Forum Of Bank Unions, CHANDIGARH.

Comrade,

Reg: APPROACH OF UFBU TO CONSTITUENTS AND ISSUES.

Our organisation, despite sending two SMSes, a couple of days earlier to the discussion, the letter of lBA addressed to you was sent to us. ln addition to this, even the virtual mode conversation held one day before the IBA meeting through virtual mode, no information was provided by your office. It was Com. Balaji, President NCBE stationed at Chennai informed about the virtual mode meeting. Further, UFBU forwarded a communication to lBA informing the places from where the representatives of all the constituents of UFBU would be communicating through virtual mode altered without any information to the constituents even for the courtesy sake. The meeting held with the help of AlSBOF on 21/07/2020, the sound audibility was defective, though no information was provided by your office, the undersigned remained present to know the plan of action the collective conclusion of views. It was a surprise to hear that you have proposed loading of 4% for construction of new Basic Pay in the meeting held at Mumbai on 16/03/2020. Unable to hear your presentation fully I was compelled to exit from the session with due information to you and the AlSBOF- ADMIN of the meet, by SMSes. The approach of your office towards our organisation certainly is unacceptalble, which needs to be amended/ corrected.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING

2. There was a message floating in the market that all other issues were sorted out except the % loading to construct the New Basic Pay on 29th Feb 2020 itself. How far it is to be taken as statement of truth is a million-dollar question or a couple of representatives were only privy to this information. Having expressed the environment in which we are operating, there are certain issues which are consciously brushed aside, despite placing the detailed notes on the merger of special Allowance with the Basic Pay, 5 day week as well as actuaries to be engaged to arrive at the correctness of the figures provided by IBA, as well as the shortfall in the corpus, if any.

While the tug of war was going on in the matter of loading, a stand-alone agenda placed by Team lBA as informed by the Chief of the negotiating team, despite time available at the disposal, you preferred not to solicit the views from the constituents. Finally, it was forced on the constituents. When rank and file are expecting the decisive role by UFBU on 5-day banking, it was at the fag end, it was expressed in clear terms to SBI Chairman that 5 days week brooks no delay in the changing environment of Pandemic driven economy by officers' representative on behalf of officers' organisations.

3. THE MERGER OF SPECIAL PAY

There is a clear cut decision by the Supreme Court that any allowance attracting dearness paid regularly, then it should be taken for terminal benefits. When a court ruling is in our favour, why there should be any hesitation to pursue the demand with lBA for a logical conclusion. IBA claimed Rs. 21000 crores towards pension provisioning if special allowance merger is agreed upon. The details should have been shared with the constituents in a transparent manner, which is lacking after you had gone to IBA office in December 2019 itself. It was expressed from the side of UFBU on 22n0 July 2020 on the negotiating table at MUMBAI, that 2% loading on Basic Pay was necessitated to cut the Pension cost in the last bipartite, a last minute inclusion on 24th May 2015.

4. UPDATION OF PENSION:

This demand becomes more focussed in the background of Reserve Bank of India updating the Pension right from 1986 by its circular dated 5th March 2019. Our pension scheme is inline RBI Scheme. As the representatives of retirees organisations' met some of the constituents to pursue the demand of updating the Pension with 1BA along with the Current exercise of wage revision, and the assurances were made affirmatively, it is expected of us to realise the same. Though it was expected of lBA to work out the ways and means, after the signing of the Record Note 25th May 2015, after five years, on FAMILY PENSION, in principle Sanction was announced BY the SBI CHAIRMAN on 22nd July 2020. The up-dating of Pension needs to be pursued vigorously. Our organisation is of the confirmed view accommodating one section of the retires ie; upto 7th bipartite, is certainly attract severe criticism from the elders who built this Public Sector Character of the present Banks. They should not be left in the lurch.

It is expected of us to realise the above three demands seriously from IBA as well as to take with the Government of India.

5. It should not go down in the history that the interest of majority members are sacrificed. Instead, the benefit of any settlement should be enjoyed by the majority of the members past and the present.

Hope the midcourse correction will be made with required seriousness in realising the above demands thus saving the serious situation and also of aftermath of the settlement.

Yours comradely,

S.NAGARAJAN. GENERAL SECRETARY

CC TO: All Constituents of UFBU

4 comments:

subhash.578@gmail.com said...

Very pertinent issues raised. Sincere thanks to Mr Nagarajan. I am sure UFBU should take a mid course correction and not repeat the mistake of 2015.
Having delayed the settlement by 32 months, members would be happy to get a better deal than rush through settlement feeling cheated again.

These issues are now or never kind and banking fraternity have waited for long. 5 days week can be kept outside the ambit of settlement due to non financial nature and can be achieved any time. But for the rest, time is now.

Please take these seriously.

Anonymous said...

what is the use of blame game. whether you people are going to reject the MOU. Or else stick on to principle demands such as 5 day week ,merger of special allowance etc.This kind of protest , i doubt,will yield any positive developments to the employees /pensioners.Let the fate be decided by big big leaders who declares themselves as champions of banking fraternity.

unknown said...

I think all of you playing a high skilled drama to stab the pensioners at their back without knowing the fact that increase in basic not only increase the pension but also your salary. Hats off *****S

Helfoo said...

Very inspirational story:)