AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 1 DATED 1ST JANUARY 2010

AIBOC issued its circular No. 1 on the year 2010. We are reproducing the same here

CIRCULAR NO.1                        1^st January, 2010

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBER

WELCOME - 2010 THE YEAR OF CONFIDENCE MARCH ON WITH TRADE UNION DETERMINATION AND CONVICTION

The New Year 2010 has arrived.  The year promises a lot for all of us, provided we are determined to achieve all those promises we have given to our constituency.  The constituency has to be kept uppermost in our mind while considering the challenges that are ahead of us.   New year promises a lot in terms of economic prosperity of the country in totality.  It is for the trade unions to take a major slice on behalf of the working class so that the spirit with which the reforms are being ushered in during the last couple years and being credited for the robust economic growth of the country reaches the common man of the country.  The GDP growth is being projected around 8% which was upgraded from time to time from around 6.5% and is being credited to the so called reforms and globalization attempts of the Government.  The challenge cannot be underestimated. The set back that was seen in the last elections for the pro-labour political parties should not deter us from our aim to carry forward the banner of revolt against all those initiatives which benefits only the creamy layer of the society.

2.       The rising prices, the shortage or artificial scarcity of the essential commodities, the growing unemployment, the increasing gap between the poor and the rich, the disturbing displacement of the rural population and its exodus to the towns and cities, the polluted political atmosphere in the rural parts, through the much publicised empowerment of the grass root level masses, the absence of independent and strong media freed from the clutches of the capitalists, the ever growing influence and power of the industrial lobby on the Parliament etc., are the new challenges that are to be encountered in the next decade by the common man who is utterly confused and exploited by all sections of the society and political parties in the country.  The task for the Trade Unions are therefore clearly cut out in the current year of “ Confidence”.

3.       The banking industry is emerging as a strong player in designing of the economic growth of the country in particular the Public Sector Banks who were considered as villains of the progress of the country during the mid 1990’s by the so-called champions of the reforms in the financial sector.  The euphoria about the performance of the Private Sector Banks crumbled down during the period of crisis and the economic slow-down that we had witnessed in the beginning of the reforms.  Thanks, to the determination and the conviction of the Trade Unions in defending the banking industry and continuing its opposition to all those policies and programmes which were aimed at denying the benefit of the banking to the masses of this country.  It is the unions in the Banking Industry which are responsible not only for defending the banking industry but also placing the role of the industry in right perspectives all through the last one and half-decade.  The stellar role performed by the Confederation needs to be recorded in golden letters in the history of our trade union movement in the country.

4.       The labour front faced tremendous pressure during the last year.  The retrenchment, the reduction in compensation and the exploitation of the working class by the new corporate concerns became a legitimate action on part of the captains of the industries in IT and other new sectors of the economy due to the failure of the government to arrest this trend.  It became the responsibility of the Unions to continue its campaign against all the anti-labour policies of the Government.  The struggle has to continue with firm determination and conviction towards the cause of the working class.

5.       The Banking Industry is awaiting for the conclusion of the salary revision agreement along with the 2^nd Option on Pension. The Confederation has been moving in a very cautious manner to protect the interest of our constituency while negotiating on salary revision and also all other related issues of 2^nd Option on Pension.  The fruits of MOU should reach our members and should enhance the happiness of the agreement.  Hence, a greater patience and perseverance is to be observed in the course of next few days.

6.       The Confederation continues to hold its leadership position amongst the unions in the financial sector.  Its policies and philosophy continue to be our guiding force in the consolidation of bank officers’ movement and to take it to further heights.

7.       The serious threat to the industry is the attempts of the Government to reduce the number of Public Sector banks in the name of consolidation while there is a need to increase the number of banks to meet the growing demands of the interior parts of the country in particular the rural backward population.  The Confederation is committed to retain the existing number of the Public Sector Banks and advocate for greater autonomy and powers to the banks for rapid expansion to meet the demand of the growing population.  The Confederation will take up a well prepared campaign coupled with the support of the report  from the Independent Commission on the Banking and Financial Policies through its own effort.

8.       The unity and consolidation of the Bank Officers under the banner of the Confederation will be yet another major issue on which the coming days are most important for all of us.  We need to ensure that the Confederation becomes the only union to represent the Bank Officers’ fraternity in the country.  The efforts to give a fillip to the mobilization of members who are with the minority will continue. 

9.       The task for the 2010 shall be broadly;

a)     Continue our efforts to secure a reasonable salary revision;

b)     Ensure smooth implementation of the 2^nd option on Pension with less burden on the workforce as far as possible within the overall constraints of MOU;

c)     To continue our campaign against the ill-effects of dilution of the Governments’ equity and to oppose the moves of mergers of the banks;

d)     To oppose the handing over of the Public Sector units to the multinationals in the name of raising revenue through the disinvestment.

e)     To work for the betterment of the working class and to campaign for the reforms in the labour laws which are workers’ friendly;

f)       To espouse the cause of the down trodden and continue to campaign for the continuation of the various socio-economic programmes and policies meant for their economic liberation through the banking sector;

g)     To be part of the larger labour movement and to carry forward our campaign for the protection of the rights of the workers for a better compensation and working conditions;

h)     To fight for the comprehensive review of the Bonus Act to provide a share of the prosperity of the industry and agriculture to the working class;

i)        To carry forward the banner of the Confederation and be part of all those struggles which aim at consolidation of  supervisory cadre in the country; 

10.          Comrades, we have come a long way.  We have entered the Silver Jubilee of the founding of the Confederation.  It is our sacred duty to make it a memorable one and carry forward the banner of the Confederation to ensure its scaling of greater heights of glory and success in the year 2010.

We wish all our members, the members of their family

A Happy and Prosperous New Year -2010. 

With warm greetings,
Sd/-
(G.D. NADAF)
GENERAL SECRETARY