Bank Employees Federation of India  

                                                                 NARESH PAUL CENTRE                          53 Radha Bazar Lane (1st Floor), Kolkata – 700 001 

                                    

Circular No.75/2020                                

7th Nov 2020 

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

Dear Comrade, 

Letter to IBA Chairman:   

We addressed a letter to the Chairman, IBA on 11th Bipartite Settlement/Joint Note

 Text of the letter is appended which is self explanatory.  

With greetings, 

Yours comradely, . 

 (Debasish Basu Chaudhury) 

General Secretary  

TEXT OF THE LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN, IBA 

 Quote: “Our attention has been drawn to a communication issued by the Senior Advisor (HR&IR) of Indian Banks' Association addressed to the Convener of United Forum of Bank Unions as per approval of Chairman of the Negotiating Committee for holding a meeting with 8 unions/associations, except BEFI, to move forward towards signing the 11th Bipartite Settlement/ Joint Note (HR&IR/UFBU/ XIBPS/9289 dated 05.11.2020). 

 We came across an interview of Hon'ble Union Finance Minister published in a financial daily, a few days ago; where it was printed in the verbatim of Hon'ble Minister as: (Quote)

 ”Today I had a meeting with newly appointed SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara. One of the questions that I asked he may or may not be directly involved into it but as a big brother among all the banks, he should be talking to IBA to short out issues related with bank employees, their pension, family pension and pension of those who retired a long time ago, whose pension does not commensurate with the pension of equal rank” (Unquote).  

 She further told that: (Quote) “I am communicating with IBA. Secretary (Banking) is also working with them” (Unquote). The Hon’ble Minister also told. (Quote) “... I want bank employees to be given their dues. A lot of pensioners are waiting for very long time. Yesterday I had meeting with Rajkiran Rai of IBA. I spoke to him too. We need bank employees to be attended too, particularly their families and pension of retired employees too. Pension matter, staff welfare, these are the issues  on which I am definitely concerned” (Unquote).  

We understand that the comments of Union Finance Minister in regard to Pension and Family Pension  have created a new dimension for the ongoing wage negotiation. You may recall that during the wage negotiation talks, issue of pension revision was taken up on quite a number of occasions without any meaningful headway. 

At one point of time, you proposed for  ad-hoc increase of pension instead of revision in RBI pattern as IBA was not inclined to amend the Bank Employees Pension Regulations 1995. We feel that there should not be any second opinion on  revision of pension as per RBI pattern. The then IBA Chairman, on 22nd July 2020, informed that IBA   agreed in principle to enhance family pension. We are unaware whether any recommendation in this regard has been forwarded to the Govt. and subsequent development, if any.  

In the prevailing circumstances, signing of 11th Bipartite Settlement/Joint Note without addressing the matters of Pension and Family pension will be in gross deviation from Hon’ble Finance Minister’s desire of settling the issues. 

We unequivocally demand of finalising all pending matters related with pension and family pension along with 11th Bipartite Settlement/Joint Note honouring public expressions of Hon’ble Union Finance Minister. 

 Anticipating positive response from your end,” Unquote