AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 41 DATED 09.04.2012

AIBOC issued its circular No. 41 dated 09.04.2012 on Sri R.N. Godbole. We are placing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO:41                                               DATE: 09.04.2012

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:           

COM.R.N.GODBOLE NO MORE

An era of militancy, struggle and sacrifice came to an end when Com.Ravindra Narahari Godbole, the former General Secretary of the All India State Bank Officers’ Federation, All India Bank Officers’ Confederation and Professional Workers Trade Union Center of India breathed his last at 11.00 a.m. on 9th April 2012 at a Private Nursing Home at Bangalore.  He battled with Parkinson, which attacked him in the recent past and ultimately succumbed to it.  Thus, a golden era in the banking industry, which saw the emergence of the strong trade union roots amongst the supervisory cadre during his leadership lasting for more than three decades, has come to an end. He was popular not only amongst bank trade union circles but all over the trade union fraternity in the Public Sector units which drew an inspiration of his leadership in the Banking Industry and mobilized courage to stand up against the oppressive attitude of the Managements in different sectors of the economy. Thus, he symbolized the struggle amongst the white collared workers all over the country.

Com.R.N.Godbole, was born in Bijapur on 14th June, 1935 in a Teachers’ family who were very popular in the city of Bijapur for their simplicity and social service in and around the locality. He has to discontinue his studies to shoulder the responsibility of the family and had to begin his work immediately after his matriculation. While, working he completed his BA Honours and developed an urge to serve the working class in the country.  By the time, he entered State Bank of India as a Clerk in Bijapur he had determined to serve the working class. His  entry  into the  Staff  Union  in  the early years of his career provided him an insight  to the functioning of the trade unions in the Banking Industry. Thereafter he was successful as a Trainee Officer in their first batch in the early 1960s. Since, then his life and career in the bank was wedded to the service of the Supervisory Cadre and to take them out of the exploitation, which continued even after the formation of State Bank of India.

Com.R.N.Godbole, when took the mantle of the All India State Bank Officers’ Federation as its General Secretary, the movement was under turbulence due to the declaration of emergency. The appointment of Pillai Committee in the name of Standardization of Service Condition to the Bank Officers in the Banking Industry etc., were the real challenges before him. Using the weapon of emergency the Government unleashed a series of measures to victimize the trade union leaders, which consisted of transfer, and withdrawing of several immunities granted to the leaders of the union including the leaders of the officers organization in the country.  As a symbolic protest on behalf of the Federation, he defied the transfer order and for almost 20 months, he did not receive the salary from the Bank. This gave him more vigour, and a strong Godbole was emerging in the banking scenario during this period. The Bank had to withdraw the Transfer Order and they accorded all the courtesies including duty off for working full time in the Federation.

Com.R.N.Godbole brought discipline in the organisation and the functioning of the trade union. He was a master negotiator also known as a tough leader representing the supervisory cadre in the Banking Industry.  In the middle of 1985, he founded the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation in order to consolidate the strength of Officers in all Nationalised Banks and old generation Private Sector Banks.  He was the architect of the 4th, 5th and 6th Bipartite which brought a very substantial improvements in the service conditions of the Bank Officers’ in the country.

He was the first leader to understand the need for the trade union to be part of the mainstream of the society and with this passion took up several public causes along with his trade union struggles.  As a result, he founded the Professional Workers Trade Union Center of India, which provided a vibrant platform for the entire professional workers in the country.

He brought a revolutionary outlook for the State Bank Trade Union movement for over two decades of his stewardship as the General Secretary of the Federation. He held the post of the Officer Director in State Bank of India for over one and half-decade defending the interest of the Officers’ fraternity in the Bank. His contributions for the strengthening of officers’ movement cannot be described in a small note. He was known for his oratory skill, which could convince all his critics as well as admirers.

He founded the ‘Officers’ Cause’ a house magazine which is a popular publication of the Federation for the last 30 years. He also founded the ‘Common Bond’ for the benefit of the Banking Industry and also a popular journal known as ‘Professional Worker’ for the Public Sector Units in the country.

Com.Godbole inspired thousands of cadre all over the country, who took up the responsibility of leading the trade unions all over the country.  He believed in practicing what he believed as right than preaching to his followers. He gave up his career in the early years and chose the trade union path to serve the fellow workers in the banking industry.  He had a large number of friends all over the country.  It is difficult to fill the void created by his demise in the Trade Unions in the Banking Industry.

He has left a large number of his colleagues, the members of the family consisting of wife, a son and a daughter and 3 grand children in great shock and sorrow. We pray almighty to give strength and courage to the members of his family and large number of his followers to bear the loss of his demise. We dip our banner on behalf of the thousands and thousands of our comrades from all over the country in honour of the departed soul and pray almighty to grant him eternal peace in his heavenly abode.

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF)

GENERAL SECRETARY