AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 86 DATED 02.11.2012

CIRCULAR NO.86                                           2nd November, 2012

TO ALL OUR AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:

REG:  APPOINTMENT OF WIDOW/ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER ON COMPASSIONATE GROUND UPON THE DEATH OF AN EMPLOYEE/OFFICER WHILE IN SERVICE OF THE BANK

We reproduce hereunder the text of the UFBU Circular No.28 dated 1st November, 2012 contents of which are self-explicit.

With greetings,

Sd/-

(D.S.RISHABADAS)

GENERAL SECRETARY 

TEXT

Our unions and members are aware that the earlier scheme of compassionate ground appointments was unilaterally discontinued by the Bank managements in the name of IBA guidelines, Government directive, Supreme Court judgement, etc.  In the last one decade, from UFBU, we have been fighting against this unfair scheme and demanding restoration of appointments on compassionate ground when unfortunately any employee or officer dies while in service.  Due to our agitational steps the issue was discussed at IBA level and some alternative scheme was worked out.  But for the past more than three years, even these suggestions have been not accepted or implemented and the issue is still hanging without solution.  In our recent 2 days strike action also this issue was highlighted.

The issue was discussed in our UFBU meeting held at Chennai on 28th September, 2012 and it was decided that when compassionate ground appointments are given in every other sector including in the Government service, there is no reason to deny or delay the same in the banking industry. Accordingly, we have addressed a letter to the Chairman of IBA in this regard conveying the decision of our meeting and the letter was handed over to the IBA Chairman during our meeting with him on 30-10-2012.

A copy of the letter is furnished herein for the information of our unions and members.  The issue needs to be further pursued vigorously.

With greetings,

Sd/-

(P.K. SARKAR)

CONVENOR

29-10-2012

To

Chairman,

Indian Banks Association,

Mumbai

Dear Sir,

REG:   APPOINTMENT ON COMPASSIONATE GROUND ON THE UNFORTUNATE DEATH OF AN EMPLOYEE/OFFICER WHILE IN SERVICE

This has reference to the present scheme on compassionate ground appointment-cum-financial compensation scheme unilaterally implemented by the Banks based on IBA guidelines.  You are aware that this issue is the most sensitive issue on which our UFBU has been fighting for in the last one decade.  In fact, in every strike observed by UFBU, this has been a very prominent issue.

Besides discussions with the IBA on various occasions, this issue had been taken up by UFBU with very high authorities including the Hon. Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Labour Minister of our country during our delegation and deputation to them.

This issue has also been discussed in details before the Chief Labour Commissioner of the Government of India during every conciliation proceedings preceding our strike actions.

We also refer to your kind attention to the exhaustive and comprehensive document submitted by the UFBU to the IBA during our discussions held on 3-4-2008 in which our viewpoints have been explained in detail besides drawing the attention of the IBA to the various schemes available in the Central Government, State Government, Railway, LIC, Public sector units, etc. wherein the compassionate appointments are taking place regularly.

We further refer to the series of discussions held between IBA and UFBU on this issue.  For the sake of an amicable solution, we had agreed to accept an alternative scheme by which the compassionate appointments will be restrictive but financial compensation will be made available to the family subject of course to the economic condition of the family of the deceased employees/officers.

We were assured that the scheme would be got approved by the Government and implemented.  This was in February, 2009.  It is matter of deep regret that for the past 44 months, the matter is said to be under ‘ active consideration ’ but has not seen the light of the day.

The issue is highly agitating the minds of the bank employees and officers as well as our unions, particularly when compassionate appointments are taking place in every other sector and department of the Government.

It is learnt that the Government has reservations about the proposed scheme since it combines both appointments and also financial compensation which is at variance with the scheme available in the Government and other sectors.

The issue was discussed in the recent meeting of the UFBU held at Chennai on 28th September, 2012.  The meeting unanimously decided and accordingly we convey the following for your attention.

1. In all cases of death while in service, compassionate appointments should be given to the eligible family member subject to penury conditions.
2. Neither Supreme Court nor any other Court has banned or prohibited compassionate appointments.  In quite a few cases, some Courts have actually ordered for compassionate appointments in the recent period.
3. Another reason for the Banks to be reluctant to extend these appointments was the general restrictions on recruitments of staff in the Banks.  But all the Banks have started recruitments and hence this cannot be a reason to deny appointment to the widow or the eligible family members.
4. If the Government, which is the biggest employer in our country, can implement compassionate appointment scheme smoothly and without any problem, it is not understood  as to why the same cannot be implemented in the Banks.
5. The incidence of death while in service is very very negligible in the Banks and hence this continued denial of compassionate appointments in the banking industry smacks of lack of human approach to the welfare of the employees.

In view of the above and considering the genuineness of the need for compassionate appointments, we urge upon the IBA to urgently re-visit the issue and extend the Scheme on compassionate appointment similar to the scheme as obtained in the Government departments.

Please treat this as most urgent and important.

Thanking you

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

P.K. SARKAR

CONVENOR

Copy to: Secretary, DFS, MoF, Govt. of India