AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 13 DATED 23.02.2010

AIBOC issued its circular No. 13 on the attempts made by the managements to deunionise the banks. The same is reproduced here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.13                    23.02.2010

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:

DE-UNIONIZATION: ATTEMPTS BY THE MANAGEMENTS OF THE BANKS - 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RESOLVES TO TACKLE THE ISSUE ON PRIORITY BASIS

COMMUNICATION TO CHIEFS OF ALL THE BANKS

The Executive Committee of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation met at Goa on 17th of February 2010, while discussing the current developments on the Trade Union front with particular reference to the attempts of the various interested groups in de-unionization of the Bank Officers both internally as well as externally, noted with concern that some of the new initiatives that are being taken by the managements of the Banks are with a view to blunt the trade union movement of the Bank Officers all over the country. The members were very much perturbed with certain actions of the managements of some of the banks at the instance of the Indian Banks’ Association during the last couple of agitations at the industry level. The Confederation and its leadership are no doubt capable of handling the situation and ensuring the total participation of the members in all these agitational programmes to the extent that the managements of the individual banks have resorted to issue of individual letters to some of the senior members of the affiliates cautioning them that they are part of the Management and they cannot participate in the trade union activities of the junior level officers and their participation will be viewed seriously including initiation of disciplinary action and making a noting in their service record which may affect their career progression. These moves are archaic and also obnoxious, deserving to be condemned with full force at our command. However, its impact is to some extent noticed in the minds of some of our senior members who are in the Senior Management Grade and above who always complain that their participation would affect their career progression and hence they should be exempted from participation in the strike. There are affiliates who have restrictions on the membership itself which also needs to be corrected to place every one on par, so that the de-unionization from our own acts does not affect the movement badly.

The members after detailed deliberations were of the unanimous view that the issue needs to be addressed with all force at our command. The Confederation should send out a detailed communication to the Chief Executives of all the Banks and also the Indian Banks’ Association condemning the act of the Managements and their attempt to deunionise our Officers’ fraternity and restrain them from participating in the legitimate trade union activities. The right to form a trade union is a fundamental one and Article 19(c) of the Constitution of India guarantees this right to each and every citizen of our country. Hence, any attempt to deunionise our Officers is in violation of the Constitution of India. Any direction from the managements to restrict the right to form Unions/Associations is unconstitutional, illegal, unreasonable and deserves to be ignored. Accordingly, we have to-day sent a communication to the Indian Banks’ Association, the Chief Executives of all the Banks explaining our concern in detail and requesting them to desist from all their attempts to deunionisation of our officers in the garb of disciplinary action etc., We have also forwarded along with our communication, a copy of the Resolution unanimously adopted by the Executive Committee on the subject.

With greetings,

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF)

GENERAL SECRETARY

Encl: a/a

RESOLUTION:

STOP DE-UNIONISATION ATTEMPTS –TRADE UNION RIGHTS ARE FUNDAMENTAL AND CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY

The Executive Committee of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation met at Goa on 17th February 2010 had an occasion to discuss the efforts of the Chief Executives of the Banks and also the Indian Banks’ Association to deunionize the Officers through issuance of letters and also personally contacting the senior members of the Confederation, in particular those who are in Senior Management grade and above level during the last couple of occasions when the members of the Confederation were participating in the industry wide strike in pursuance of their demands with the Indian Banks’ Association, the Government, etc., The members of the Committee were highly critical about the unconstitutional methods adopted by the Chiefs of some of the banks knowing fully well that the individuals have every right to form trade unions and this right is available to them under the Constitution of India vide article 19(c) of the Constitution. The forming of Association by the employees is a fundamental right and it cannot be taken away by the individual managements. This is highly unconstitutional and against the principles of equity. The members were of the unanimous opinion that the issue needs to be nipped in the bud through appropriate message to the respective managements of the banks. The members of the Executive Committee therefore unanimously resolved that the Confederation should convey to the Executives of all the Banks, the Indian Banks’ Association and all those concerned against these initiatives and urge upon them to desist from such attempts to ensure industrial relations harmony in the banking industry.

The resolution was moved by Com.D.N.Prakash, Joint General Secretary

The resolution was seconded by Com.Sivaram Alva- Dy. General Secretary, The resolution was adopted unanimously.

Place: Panjim (Goa)

Date: 17.02.2010

Sd/- 

(K.S.SHETTY) 

PRESIDENT