Bank Employees Federation of India

NARESH PAUL CENTRE

53 Radha Bazar Lane, Kolkata – 700 001

       

Circular No.71/2020 22nd Oct 2020

To all Units, Affiliates, Office Bearers, CC & GC Members

Dear Comrade,

11th Bipartite Settlement

We are aware that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 22nd July 2020. It was mentioned in MoU that, “The parties will endeavour to finalise the Bipartite Settlement/Joint Note within a period of ninety days from the date of this minutes”. Ninety days' period expired on 20th Oct 2020; final settlement is yet to be signed. Though this is not the first instance a settlement could not be signed within stipulated time, but the banking fraternity is unaware of the reason for the delay.

A number of meetings with the working groups for officers and workmen were held during the period and it was understood that the final settlement would be signed on 18th and 19th October 2020 with the officers and workmen respectively. We came across a joint circular issued by four officers' Associations on 17th instant stating that the negotiation is 'derailed'; and the signing of joint note did not take place as scheduled. The bank employees are unacquainted about the status with the workmen issues.

It is apparent that the point of dispute is with percentage of special allowance which is almost certain to increase from its existing 7.75%, 9% and 10%. This clearly exposes the design of IBA to deny merging special allowance with basic pay as ‘subjudice’ matter. Now, IBA did not find any problem in increasing the percentage pushing it further away from merging with basic pay. With available communication issued by the negotiating unions, it seems that the recent dispute is not related with any of the sensitive issues like 5 day week, revision of pension in RBI pattern, uniform DR etc. We understand that the Govt. is yet to accord approval for enhancement of family pension. The retirees are quite apprehensive and out of anxiety quite a good number of them are sending mails regularly to UFBU and other constituents pleading to settle the issue along with ongoing settlement to which we should not remain indifferent.

We congratulate our members across the country for observing Demands Day. We shall continue our movement even after the settlement is signed in case the sensitive issues do not find any place. We advise our members to continue campaign among all sections of employees and officers including the retirees.

With greetings,

Yours comradely,

(Debasish Basu Chaudhury)

General Secretary