AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 110 DATED 02.08.2010

AIBOC issued its circular No. 110 on UFBU meeting held on 26.07.2010. We are reproducing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO: 110                                                     DATE: 02.08.2010

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:

UFBU MEETING HELD ON 26.7.2010

We reproduce hereunder the text of UFBU Circular No.4 dt.2.08.2010 on the captioned subject, the contents of which are self-explicit.

With greetings.

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF0

GENERAL SECRETARY

TEXT

A meeting of the UFBU was held in the AIBEA office in Mumbai on 26.7.2010.  Com. K.S. Shetty, (President, AIBOC) presided over the meeting. 

IMPLEMENTATION OF PENSION OPTION SETTLEMENT: 

The meeting took note that all the Bank Managements have sent their instructions for implementation of 9^th Bipartite Settlement / Officers Wage Revision and in most of the banks arrears have already been disbursed to the employees and officers.  However, the meeting noted that instructions have not been sent by IBA to the Banks for implementing the Pension Option Settlement.  The Pension Option Settlement provides that employees/officers who are in PF will pay 2.8 times of Nov. 2007 Pay from out of the arrears and the bank managements would offer them the option to join the pension scheme. Unions’ obligation is that employees will pay the additional contribution and managements’ commitment is that pension option would be given.  The UFBU pointed out that while employees and officers have fulfilled their commitment with the recovery of the amount from the arrears, the bank managements are yet to honour their commitment to offer the pension option.  The meeting also took note of a few Court cases in Allahabad, Delhi and Chennai including an interim stay in High Court of Madras obtained by a Union with handful of members (which is not affiliated to any UFBU constituent) attempting to stall the implementation of the pension option for which employees and officers have been waiting for the past so many years.  It was decided that UFBU should ensure the removal of such legal hurdles.  It was also decided to take up the matter with the IBA and the Chief Labour Commissioner, Government of India to ensure immediate implementation of the Pension Option Settlement by extending the offer to existing PF optees as well as to the retirees.

CALL OF CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS FOR ALL INDIA STRIKE :

The UFBU welcomed the initiative of the Central Trade Unions to build up a united struggle against important issues like alarming increase in prices, job losses, disinvestments in public sector, violation of labour laws and allocation of funds for schemes for unorganised workers.  The UFBU conveyed its support to all these demands and appreciated the united strike call.  It was decided that each constituent unit will discuss in their respective forum and take a decision for joining the All India Strike on 7^th September 2010.  AIBEA, BEFI, INBEF and INBOC announced that their unions have already taken a decision to join the strike.  Other unions will take their decision in due course of time. 

KHANDELWAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE OPPOSED

The UFBU took note of the recent report of the Khandelwal Committee on HR issues in Public Sector Banks.  The Committee amongst other things has made the following retrograde recommendations:

Ø      To outsource all non-core jobs

Ø      Direct Recruitment of Officers upto 50 %

Ø      Qualification for recruitment: For Clerks : Graduation / For Substaff: 10^th Std.

Ø      Fresh Recruitments to be only in Rural and Semi Urban areas

Ø      Appointment of exclusive Executive Director ( H R )

Ø      Bankwise wage revision based on capacity to pay, profitability, productivity, etc.

Ø      Introduction of Variable Pay as a major component of wages

Ø      Introduction of cost to company concept.

Ø      Review of all internal settlements on mobility and transfer of employees

Ø      HR Professionals to be recruited at senior/junior levels.

Ø      HR administration to be automated through web-based system

The UFBU decided to outrightly reject these anti-employee, anti-trade union recommendations and further decided that if there is any attempt to implement the same by the Government or the IBA or by any of the Banks, the same would be opposed through organisational programmes including strike actions.

COMPASSIONATE APPOINTMENT SCHEME

In the light of the agitational programme by UFBU, the IBA discussed the issue with the UFBU and a revised scheme for compassionate appointments/financial compensation has been mutually worked out more than an year ago.  However, the same is kept pending by the IBA and the Government.  The meeting took exception to this inordinate delay and decided to pursue the issue vigorously for immediate implementation of this scheme.  The UFBU further decided to undertake agitational programmes if necessary to ensure the implementation of the Scheme. 

IMPROVEMENT IN HOUSING LOAN, VEHICLE LOAN AND FESTIVAL ADVANCE

The meeting noted that overlooking the demand of the UFBU to improve the existing uniform Government guidelines on these schemes, some banks have individually revised the Housing Loan scheme in their banks.  The meeting decided to demand immediate and uniform revision in the Government guideline for higher quantum of housing loan for the staff with reduced rate of interest, improvement in Staff Vehicle Loan scheme and in Festival Advance quantum.

IMPROVEMENTS IN PENSION SCHEME

The meeting observed that while securing another option to join the Pension Scheme is a significant achievement by the UFBU, further improvements are required to be made in the Pension Scheme having regard to the changes made in the same under the 6^th Pay Commission Report.   The UFBU decided to take up with the IBA the following issues:

Ø      Periodical updation of Pension alongwith wage revision for serving employees

Ø      DA at 100% neutralization for all Pensioners

Ø      Revising Pension at the common Price Index of 2836 points

Ø      Increase in Ex-gratia payable to Pre-1986 retirees / widows

Ø      Improvement in Family Pension

AUTOMATIC COVERAGE UNDER PENSION SCHEME FOR THOSE RECRUITED AFTER 1.11.1993

Under the Pension Settlement signed in 1993, employees and officers recruited in the banks from 1.11.1993 are to be automatically covered under the Pension Scheme.  Even though the Government and the IBA assured to resolve this issue, the same is still kept pending.  Hence, UFBU decided to take up the issue with the IBA/Government.

TAKE OVER OF BANK OF RAJASTHAN BY ICICI BANK

The UFBU expressed its protest against the attempt of the ICICI Bank to fraudulently take over the Bank of Rajasthan and extended its support and solidarity to the agitation by the employees and officers in Bank of Rajasthan. 

With greetings,

Yours Comradely,     

Sd/-

(C.H. VENKATACHALAM)

CONVENOR