STRIKE NOTICE ISSUED BY UFBU

AIBOC issued its circular reproducing the Strike Notice given by UFBU for IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT OF WAGE REVISION. We are placing the same here for our readers.

AIBOC Circular No. 2014/75                                                       Date: 27/10/2014

Dear Comrades,

NOTICE OF STRIKE

We reproduce, hereunder, the contents of Circular No. 2014/75 of date on the captioned subject issued by Com. Harvinder Singh, General Secretary, AIBOC for your information, circulation and implementation.

QUOTE:

FORM – 1

NOTICE OF STRIKE

NAME OF UNIONS        :       UNITED FORUM OF BANK UNIONS (U.F.B.U.)

-       ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION (AIBEA)

-       ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ CONFEDERATION (AIBOC)

-       NATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF BANK EMPLOYEES (NCBE)

-       ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION (AIBOA)

-       BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA (BEFI)

-       INDIAN NATIONAL BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION (INBEF)

-       INDIAN NATIONAL BANK OFFICERS CONGRESS (INBOC)

-       NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK WORKERS (NOBW)

-       NATIONAL ORGANISATION OF BANK OFFICERS (NOBO)

NAMES OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

1.     Shri. M.V. Murali,  Convenor, UFBU &  General Secretary, NCBE

2.     Shri. C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA

3.     Shri. Harvinder Singh, General Secretary, AIBOC

4.     Shri. S. Nagarajan, General Secretary, AIBOA

5.     Shri. Pradeep Biswas, General Secretary, BEFI

6.     Shri. Subhash Sawant, General Secretary, INBEF

7.     Shri. K.K. Nair, Chairman, UFBU &  General Secretary, INBOC

8.     Shri  Mohan Kumtakar, General Secretary, NOBW

9.     Shri. S. Deshpande, General Secretary, NOBO

Dated this day of 21^st October, 2014  

To

The Chairman,

Indian Banks’ Association,

World Trade Centre,

Cuffe Parade, Mumbai.

Sir,

In accordance with the provisions contained in sub-section (1) of Section 22 of the I.D. Act – 1947, we hereby give you notice that the members of all the constituent unions of United Forum of Bank Unions ( AIBEA,  AIBOC,   NCBE,  AIBOA,   BEFI,   INBEF,  INBOC,  NOBW, NOBO)  propose to go on one day’s strike on the 12^th November, 2014 and Relay Zonal Strikes from 2^nd December 2014 to 5^th December 2014 as per details hereunder:

            02.12.2014 – Southern Zone                   03.12.2014 – Northern Zone

            04.12.2014 – Eastern Zone                     05.12.2014 – Western Zone

Demanding:

IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT OF WAGE REVISION

The details of the programme and the Statement of the case are furnished herein.

Sd/- 

(M.V. MURALI- CONVENOR)

ONE DAY ALL INDIA BANK STRIKE ON 12^TH NOVEMBER, 2014

PROGRAMMES:

29th October, 2014	Press Meet at all State Capitals and major centres
30th October, 2014	All India Protest Day Badge Wearing Demonstrations/Rallies at all Centres
11th November, 2014	Centralised Demonstrations at all Centres
12th November, 2014	ALL INDIA ONE DAY PROTEST STRIKE
2nd December, 2014 to 5th December, 2014	Relay Zonal Strikes
To be followed by	Further Strikes including Indefinite Strike

It was also decided unanimously by the UFBU to withdraw all types of extra co-operation by workmen/officers with immediate effect and to boycott all meetings called for by the bank managements after normal office hours.  The meeting also decided against working on Sundays and other holidays.

The schedule of Relay Zonal Strikes is as under:

02.12.2014	Southern Zone consisting States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telengana and Union Territories of  Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
03.12.2014	Northern Zone consisting States of Chattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan and Union Territory of Chandigarh
04.12.2014	Eastern Zone consisting States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, West Bengal, North Eastern States and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
05.12.2014	Western Zone consisting States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Union Territories of Daman & Diu

STATEMENT OF THE CASE:

DEMANDING IMMEDIATE WAGE REVISION SETTLEMENT:

Wages and service conditions in the banking sector are governed by the industry-level bipartite settlements signed between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the workmen unions and officers’ associations operating in the banking industry. All the banks which have given mandate to IBA to negotiate on behalf of them are parties to the settlements. United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), representing five workmen unions and four officers’ associations, is currently negotiating with IBA for revision of wages to bank workmen/officers.

The wage revision for bank employees is due from 01.11.2012 subsequent to the expiry of the last Bipartite Settlement on 31.10.2012.  The common charter of demands, separately for workmen and officers, were submitted by UFBU to IBA on 30.10.2012 i.e., before the expiry of last bipartite settlement.

UFBU has been requesting, since the start of negotiations, for a time-bound approach to hold the negotiations on its demands and for conclusion of wage settlement within a reasonable time.  But the IBA has inordinately delayed the negotiation process and there is no significant progress in the wage negotiations despite a lapse of nearly two years’ time. 

IBA is quoting the reason of non-affordability of banks and is stubborn in its offer of 11% increase in pay slip components, as against the demand of UFBU for a respectable settlement with due consideration of the difficulties that are faced by the employees on account of high rate of inflation, which has eroded the salaries of the employees to a great extent.

Bank employees, workmen and officers, have been performing well despite severe stress due to substantial increase in workload in the banks due to inadequate staff strength and on account of opening of many branches under Financial Inclusion and so on.  Bank employees never lagged behind in the successful implementation of all Government sponsored programmes/schemes, including the recently implemented Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojna.  However, the bank employees are not being paid adequately. 

HENCE, THIS DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT OF WAGE REVISION.

Sd/- 

(M.V. MURALI- CONVENOR)

UNQUOTE

With revolutionary greetings,

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-

(HARVINDER SINGH- GENERAL SECRETARY)

CBOA-AP CIRCULAR NO. 031 DATED 24.10.2014

CBOA-AP issued its circular No.31 dated 24.10.2014 reproducing the circular issued by AICBOF on AGITATIONAL PROGRAMME. We are placing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.: GS: 2014: 031                                            Date: 24.10.2014

TO ALL OFFICERS                                                               PLEASE CIRCULATE

Dear Friends,

We reproduce hereunder the Circular No. CIRCULAR/GS/2014/30 dated 20.10.2014 received from our Federation for your information.

With best regards                                                                      

           

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(C.A. MALLIKARJUNA RAO)

GENERAL SECRETARY

...........................................................................................................

We are reproducing hereunder circular received from Shri. Harvinder Singh, G.S. AIBOC, for information.

AGITATIONAL PROGRAMME

TRAVERSING THE PATH OF STRUGGLE

We refer to our previous Circulars on the captioned matter, detailing our action programme for early Salary Revision and reports of successful implementation. We have been forced to choose the path of agitation due to callous and adamant attitude of IBA and the Government. In this growing darkness of discontent, anguish and anger, we find light of solace to report the solidarity exhibited by all over affiliates and general members across the country. The successful demonstration of protest by wearing Black ribbon, unprecedented large gatherings at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and all State HQs, on the call of AIBOC alone for demonstrations across the country on 13^th October, and massive lunch time/ evening rallies/ demonstrations on 17^th October under joint call of UFBU have been reported. All these programmes, simultaneous with the call of ‘Withdrawal of extra co operation’ have received positive response from rank and files.

We have been receiving reports along with pictures and wide coverage of the programmes by media, which are very encouraging and motivating. The members, particularly the younger generation have been demanding regulated working hours and even give more weightage to this than to salary increase. Our members are aware that IBPS is conducting recruitment test on Saturdays and Sundays and many banks are assigned the job of conducting these exams and the Officers are deputed to supervise the exams on Saturdays and Sundays. IBPS’ role not being in the purview of a Industry Level issues had to be tackled in a different manner. Our intentions were not to hamper examination process, but at the same time, we cannot afford to lose the momentum of our agitational programme in which ‘Withdrawal of Extra Cooperation’ has to be continued till a favourable settlement of the Salary. We immediately sent messages and mails to the Office bearers and EC members of the Confederation to advise their members to continue to observe the withdrawl of extra co operation. We also sent a communication along with a draft letter and advised the General Secretaries to send the letters to the HRD, Head Office of their respective banks advising them of our agitational programme and therefore, inability of the officers to undertake duty of supervising the tests after office hours/ Sundays.

We are happy that all affiliates of the nodal Banks, true to their commitments to the common cause, lost no time to send the communications. We take further more pride in advising that retired officers also declined to undertake the duties, when contacted by Management of some of the Banks.  Later the Bank Managements deployed Assistant General Managers for conducting and supervising the tests. As said earlier, it is never our intention to create disruption or cause inconveniences to general public or the candidates aspiring to join us, but at the same time would like to reiterate that our commitment to common cause is unassailable.

We wish to advise that apart from taking the agitation, we are also making sincere efforts to break the impasse by utilizing our personal contacts. The undersigned, in this endeavour arranged an opportunity to meet Hon’ble Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh on 19.10.2014 and submitted a memorandum, seeking his intervention to speed up the Salary Revision process.

Friends, though till date, there is no breakthrough in the stalemate and a tunnel of struggle appears long, but we are confident with our resolved unity and solidarity, the light of hope is not afar!

Yours sincerely, 

Sd/-

(HARVINDER SINGH)

GENERAL SECRETARY

With festive greetings

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-

(S.B.RODE)

GENERAL SECRETARY

CBOA-AP CIRCULAR NO. 30 DATED 17.10.2014

CBOA-AP issued its circular NO. 30 dated 17.10.2014 reproducing the circular of AICBOF/AIBOC on agitational programme. We are placing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.: GS: 2014: 030                                            Date: 17.10.2014

TO ALL OFFICERS                                                               PLEASE CIRCULATE

Dear Friends,

We reproduce hereunder the Circular No. CIRCULAR/GS/2014/29 dated 15.10.2014 received from our Federation for your information.

With best regards                                                                      

           

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(C.A. MALLIKARJUNA RAO)

GENERAL SECRETARY

.........................................................................................................

We are reproducing hereunder circular received from Shri. Harvinder  Singh, G.S. AIBOC, for information.

STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHT !

MOVE ON TILL LAST MILE !!

Please refer to our Circular Nos. 2014/66, 2014/67, 2014/69 and 2014/70 dated 09.10.2014, 11.10.2014, 13.10.2014 and 14.10.2014 respectively, with regard to the action programme decided by our Confederation and UFBU in protest against undue delay in Salary Revision of Bank Officers and Employees.

The implementation of the action programme decided in the 74^th Executive Committee Meeting of our Confederation was conveyed to you vide our Circular No. 2014/66 dated 9^th October, 2014, and its implementation started immediately on the very next day with the Black Badge wearing and massive rallies / demonstrations held on 13^th October, 2014, in all State Capitals. We also conveyed to you that we will try to co-ordinate with other constituents of UFBU for implementation of programme given by our Confederation as a part of the programme of UFBU and will also persuade for minimum 2 days strike in such a manner that its impact is felt by all the authorities concerned.

We are pleased to inform you that in the meeting of United Forum of Bank Unions held on 13^th October, 2014, at Bangalore, UFBU unanimously decided to observe second anniversary of submission of Charter of Demand by holding massive rallies and demonstrations in all State Headquarters and issuing of the Press Statements / Advertisements in the newspapers in line with the programme announced by the Confederation. UFBU also concurred with our request and decided unanimously to withdraw all types of extra co-operation by Workmen / Officers with immediate effect and to boycott all meetings called by the Bank Managements after normal office hours. It was also decided against working on Sundays and holidays. We convey our thanks to all the constituents of UFBU for agreeing to all our requests and deciding to intensify the agitation as per the programme circulated vide Circular No. 2014/70 dated 14.10.2014,

which includes the strike call on 12^th November, 2014 and Relay Zonal Strikes from 2^nd to 5^th December, 2014.

We have received suggestions / reactions from our members conveying their dissatisfaction over the declaration of one day strike call on 12^th November, 2014. Friends, let us clarify that the suggestions given by the Executive Committee of the Confederation to persuade the other constituents of UFBU to observe minimum 2 days strike in such a manner that its impact is felt by the authorities concerned was pursued vigorously by your representatives in the meeting of UFBU with all seriousness. The other constituents had different views on our suggestion of 2 days strike on 3^rd and 5^th of November, for a larger impact to be felt by the Managements, IBA and Government. One of the views given was that after the festival season there is a tendency of availing LFC leaves / undertaking excursion in many parts of the country. It was also felt that if the strike is clubbed with the holidays, the Officers / Employees tend to go to their home towns and the reporting in number of striking member gets affected. Therefore, Friends, in the best interest of unity and to strengthen the agitation, your Representatives agreed for a common date of strike on 12^th November, 2014 and Zonal Relay Strikes which may be followed by a call of indefinite strike.

While we take this opportunity to once again convey our satisfaction and thanks to all Affiliates / State Units / members for successfully continuing with the agitation programme, we also caution all of you not to be complacent. Every new day should start with renewed zeal, enthusiasm and vigour to ensure the successful implementation of the agitational programme, call for which has been given by UFBU after incorporating our suggestions and programme.

Yours sincerely, 

sd/-

(HARVINDER SINGH)

GENERAL SECRETARY

With festive greetings

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-

(S.B.RODE)

GENERAL SECRETARY

CBOA-AP CIRCULAR NO. 29 DATED 16.10.2014

CBOA-AP issued its circular No. 29 dated 16.10.2014 reproducing the circular of AICBOF on UFBU demand of EARLY AND BETTER WAGE REVISION SETTLEMENT. We are placing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.: GS: 2014: 029                                                  Date: 16.10.2014

TO ALL OFFICERS                                                                    PLEASE CIRCULATE

Dear Friends,

We reproduce hereunder the Circular No. CIRCULAR/GS/2014/28 dated 14.10.2014 received from our Federation for your information.

With best regards                                                                        

           

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(C.A. MALLIKARJUNA RAO)

GENERAL SECRETARY

...........................................................................................................

We are reproducing hereunder circulars received from Shri. Harvinder Singh, G.S. AIBOC, for information and implementation.

·                 UFBU decides to intensify the Agitation

·                 All India Strike on 12^th November, 2014

·                 Relay Zonal Strikes from 2^nd to 5^th December, 2014

·                 Withdraw Co-operation to the Managements

DEMANDING EARLY AND BETTER WAGE REVISION SETTLEMENT

 “We had informed our Units, vide our Circular dated 26-9-2014, about the negative approach of the IBA in the negotiations for wage revision.  Having regard to the need to express our strong resentment and protest, UFBU has already given the call for observing certain agitational programmes including demonstrations on 17^th October 2014 and for holding Dharnas in various States between 18^th and 31^st October, 2014.  In view of the intermittent festival holidays in various parts of the country, the dates for the strike actions were decided to be finalized later.

In this background, UFBU meeting was held today in Bengaluru to chalk out the programmes and after due deliberations, the following further programmes have been decided upon:

29th October, 2014	Press Meet at all State Capitals and major centres (Press Note of UFBU, to be released by all the constituent unions, will be sent in due course)
30th October, 2014	All India Protest Day - Badge Wearing - Demonstrations/Rallies at all Centers
11th November, 2014	Centralized Demonstrations at all Centers
12th November, 2014	ALL INDIA ONE DAY PROTEST STRIKE
2nd December, 2014 to 5th December, 2014	Relay Zonal Strikes
To be followed by	Further Strikes including Indefinite Strike

It was also decided unanimously by the UFBU to withdraw all types of extra co-operation by workmen/officers with immediate effect and to boycott all meetings called for by the bank managements after normal office hours.  The meeting also decided against working on Sundays and other holidays.

The schedule of Relay Zonal Strikes is as under:

02.12.2014	Southern Zone consisting States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telengana and Union Territories of  Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
03.12.2014	Northern Zone consisting States of Chattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan and Union Territory of Chandigarh
04.12.2014	Eastern Zone consisting States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, West Bengal, North Eastern States and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
05.12.2014	Western Zone consisting States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Union Territories of Daman & Diu

It is two years since we submitted our charter of demands. While 13 rounds of negotiations have taken place, there is no satisfactory progress in the talks because of the negative attitude of the IBA/Government.  Everyone is aware that employees and officers in the banking sector are doing their best to serve the customers and implement various schemes of the Government despite innumerable hardships and difficulties.  Yet, the genuine demand for adequate wage revision is being delayed and denied. 

Even though we have shown our willingness to adopt a flexible approach in order to finalise the settlement expeditiously, the same is not being reciprocated by the IBA.  Thus, once again, we have been pushed to the path of agitation and struggle.

We call upon all our unions and members to manifest their resentment and protest through effective implementation of the programmes.”  

                                   

Better and early wage revision – We demand - We deserve.

Sd/-

(Harwinder Singh)

General Secretary

We request all our units to implement the joint call as given above by UFBU in its letter and spirit.

With greetings,

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-

(S.B.RODE)

GENERAL SECRETARY

UFBU AGITATION PROGRAMME

UFBU met in Bangalore ON 13.10.2014 and decided to conduct Rallies / Demonstrations on 30^thOctober in all State Capitals and other centres, observe one day strike on 12^thNovember followed by relay strikes i.e., 2^nd December in Southern Region, 3^rdDecember in Northern Region, 4^th December in Eastern and Northeastern Region and 5^th December in Western Region followed by more strike actions including indefinite strike.

CBOA-AP CIRCULAR NO. 028 DATED 10.10.2014

CBOA-AP issued its circular No. 028 dated 10.10.2014 reproducing the circular of AICBOF on undue and unjustified delay in salary revision. We are placing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.: GS: 2014: 028                                Date: 10.10.2014

TO ALL OFFICERS                                                   PLEASE CIRCULATE

Dear Friends,

We reproduce hereunder the Circular No. CIRCULAR/GS/2014/27 dated 09.10.2014 received from our Federation for your information.

With best regards                                                                      

           

Yours sincerely

Sd/-

(C.A. MALLIKARJUNA RAO)

GENERAL SECRETARY

.....................................................................................................

“UNDUE AND UNJUSTIFIED DELAY IN SALARY REVISION

CONFEDERATION MAKES A CLARION CALL TO INTENSIFY THE AGITATION

The 74^th Executive Committee Meeting of our Confederation was held in emergent circumstances at New Delhi on 8^th October, 2014. Despite the festive season, almost all the members of the Executive Committee attended the meeting to discuss the undue delay in the Salary Revision due to the apathy of the IBA and the Government of India. Though an elaborate report on the present International and National scenario covering the entire gamut of socio political, economic and banking scenario was presented by the General Secretary; the major thrust during the deliberations was on the Salary Revision exercise and a lot of concern was expressed by the rank and file of the Organisation, particularly from the younger generation.

The complete detail of the various rounds of discussions, including two major decisions taken during the discussions, were explained by the undersigned to the House and were appropriately substantiated by the President of the Confederation, Com. Y. Sudarshan, who also takes part in the negotiations. The House was unanimous in expressing their anger, anguish and resentment over the rigid and unjustified stand of the IBA and called upon the presidium to decide some effective and sustained agitational programme against IBA for denying the reasonable wage revision to the officers and employees and also for their apathy towards other justified demands like 5 days working and regulated working hours.

After the detailed discussions and after seeking the views of all the affiliates, it was decided that the action programme declared by the United Forum of Bank Unions on 26^th September, 2014, should be strictly followed by all the affiliates of the Confederation. However, a deep concern was expressed over the delay in deciding the strike date. It was also stressed by the House that there is an urgent need for intensifying the agitation call in order to strengthen the movement for an early wage settlement. The House was of the view that one day strike will not serve the purpose and strike schedule should be fixed in such a way that the impact of the same is felt by IBA and the Government. Considering the views of the House, the following action programme was unanimously decided by the Executive Committee:

10.10.2014                              Black Badge Wearing (All members must tie a black ribbon on the left arm)

13.10.2014                              A massive rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and all State H.Q. at 5 p.m.

“Withdrawal of extra cooperation” i.e. No late sitting beyond working hours / not attending the offices/official work on Sundays and holidays.

17.10.2014                              Country wide protest demonstrations, jointly with UFBU constituents

Between 18.10.2014 &          One day dharna at all state capitals

31.10.2014                              (Date shall be decided by the State Unit of UFBU)

30.10.2014                              The Press Statements / Releases / Advertisements in newspapers to mark the second anniversary of submission of Charter of Demand  &

                                                Massive rallies and demonstrations in all State Headquarters

It was also decided that AIBOC will persuade the other constituents of UFBU in the next meeting (scheduled for 13.10.2014 at Bangalore) to observe minimum 2 days strike in such a manner that its impact is felt by all the authorities concerned. The Executive Committee has nominated one Office Bearer for each State to coordinate the action programme with the respective State Secretaries and supervise the implementation of the programme.

Comrades, we have approached other Officers Organisations also for the joint action programme and will continue our efforts for a continued and joint action programme by all the constituents of UFBU and in particular the other officers organization for the issues related to the officers. We are hopeful that they will convey their concurrence in this regard. Meanwhile, we call upon all of you to implement all the action programmes successfully as decided by the Confederation. All the State Secretaries are requested to coordinate the action programme with all the affiliates in their respective states and make the agitation programme a grand success.

All the Office bearers, Co-ordinators and State Secretaries are also requested to ensure that the call for withdrawal of extra co-operation is implemented in its full spirit by all the affiliates.”

Yours sincerely,

Sd/-

(S.B.RODE)

GENERAL SECRETARY

HOLIDAY UNDER NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT ON 06.10.2014

Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and Govt. of Telangana have declared Holiday in its respective states under Negotiable Instrument Act 1881 on 06.10.2014 (Monday) as Public Holiday on account of Bakrid vide G.O.Rt.No.3344 dated 04.10.2014 and G.O.RT.No. 743 dated 04.10.2014 respectively 

SWACH BHARAT ABHIYAN

AIBOC has given a call to its members on taking pledge on SWATCH BHARAT ABHIYAN on 2^nd October 2014. We are placing the message received from AIBOC for our readers.

                                                                    Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014

Subject: MESSAGE

Dear Friends,

We understand that the Banks are asking officers and employees to come to branches/offices on 2nd October, 2014 for taking pledge on 'Swach Bharat Abhiyan'. While we appreciate and support the objective of the movement and extend our wholehearted support for the same, we deplore the procedure   adopted by calling officers and employees on National holiday.  Nobody is thoughtful of wastage of time, energy and scarce resources and focused only on their own image building.

We strongly feel such noble campaigns are essential but method of implementation should not be by way of imposing on people & causing them inconvenience.

AIBOC calls upon all its members not to come to office on the National Holiday but join in taking oath through Social Media, Public Media or any other way convenient to them from  the places convenient to them.

Please circulate this message to all members and ensure the implementation.

[ HARVINDER SINGH]

GENERAL SECRETARY

ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ CONFEDERATION