AIBOC issued its circular No. 52 on its Silver Jubilee Celebrations, which were commenced at Chennai with a bang on 24th April 2010. We reproducing the same here for our readers.
CIRCULAR NO.52 28.04.2010
TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:
AIBOC SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS COMMENCES WITH A BANG ON 24TH APRIL, 2010 AT CHENNAI
Twenty fourth April 2010, was a very auspicious day in the history of Bank Officers’ movement, as it marked the commencement of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the formation of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation, at Chennai. As the golden rays of the bright morning sun spilled across the sprawling metro Chennai, E.C.Members, former Presidents and General Secretaries of AIBOC and enthusiastic comrades from all Banks had assembled at the Bank of India Staff College, Royapettah, Chennai at 8:45 A.M for inauguration of the day long proceedings. It was, precisely, here that the seeds of the formation of the Confederation were sown in 1985. It was here that the emergency meeting was convened by the then leaders and a decision was taken to form the AIBOC in the year 1985. It was here that the glorious saga unfolded, that has today, snowballed into an avalanche of solidarity and militancy in the form of AIBOC, to lead the trade union movement in the country. Rightly so, the decision was taken to commence yet another phase of onward journey at this pious historical venue. The lighting of the lamp, by Com.S.R.Sengupta, Com.Shantharaju, Com. G.D.Nadaf, Com.K.S.Shetty, Com.A.K.Jana, Com.V.Eswaran, Com.T.S.Arumugam, Com.K.D.Kheda and a host of present and past leaders, marked the commencement of the celebrations. Com.Harvinder Singh, General Secretary of Federation of Bank of India Officers’ Associations welcomed the gathering. The leaders then paid floral tributes to Late Com.S.K.Chari, who provided the venue for the historical meeting in 1985. Com.Shantharaju became nostalgic when he recalled the incidents, events, circumstances and struggles that led to a bunch of more than 250 Officers staging a walk out of the third General Council of AICOBOO and gathered at the very premises where the Meeting was held. “A trade unionist is a soldier of the movement till he reaches the graveyard”. Com.Shantharaju told amidst applause. Com.T.T.Natarajan, General Secretary of Indian Bank Officers’ Association proposed the vote of thanks.
Thereafter, at 10:30 A.M a special executive committee meeting was held at Hotel Deccan Plaza, Chennai to discuss various issues on the agenda and the wage revision related issues.
‘We are what we are today, because of the society, we owe our success to the Society and hence it is our paramount duty to give back as much as we can to the needy, the poor and the underprivileged’. This is the philosophy on which the AIBOC runs. Hence it was decided that the Silver Jubilee celebrations of AIBOC should focus on Social Service activities by all the State Units and affiliates, as a part of the celebrations, apart from the regular social service activities of the affiliates.
Accordingly, at 3:00 P.M the leaders visited the Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital, Egmore and met the Blood Cancer affected children aged between 6 months to ten years. Specially made hand towels, eatables, toys were distributed to more than hundred children apart from donating a sum of Rs. 15,000/- to the hospital.
At 3:30 p.m a Blood Donation camp was organised at Ethiraj College premises where more than 150 comrades donated blood.
The Ethiraj College auditorium, Egmore was jam packed with enthusiastic and militant comrades. As the curtains went up, a group of innocent looking children came on stage with glitter in their eyes. They could neither sing nor hear…… they came from the world of silence….. Yet, they danced marvelously to the tune of recorded songs, step by step, enthralling the audience. They were from the Srikant Deaf School, Kolathur, Chennai. Later they presented a dance drama on patriotism of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for our country. This was followed by a beautiful ‘Kolattam’ programme by the children of Balavihar School of mentally retarded and differently abled children. The depiction of joy of childhood, through rhythm, dance and expressions left every one astonished. Com.G.D.Nadaf and Com.K.S.Shetty, then distributed mementoes to the children and their teachers.
The guests were then invited to the dais amidst militant slogans. The stage was adorned with Com.K.S.Shetty, President, Com.G.D.Nadaf, General Secretary, Sri.S.Gurumurthy, eminent journalist and Chief Guest, Com.Shantharaju, Com.S.R.Sengupta, Com.A.K.Jana, Com.K.D.Kheda, Com.V.Eswaran, Com.D.S.Rishabadas, Com.P.Vijayasenan, Com.B.S.Ravindra and all the Vice Presidents of AIBOC.
After a melodious invocation by Smt. Vani, Com.D.S.Rishabadas welcomed the guests, past and present leaders, comrades from all banks and the large audience. He said that the commencement of the celebrations was a red letter day in the history of AIBOC.
The programme was inaugurated through lighting of the lamp by the guests and leaders. Thereafter Shri.S.Gurumurthy, Chief Guest delivered the inaugural address. “I have something to tell the Bank Officers, a message, a fact, which neither the media, nor famous academicians and macro economists of the world nor the World Bank and certainly not the politicians could fathom” he said elaborating and giving extremely minute details of the global financial mayhem and the total mess which the economies, the world over got into, due to blind and mad imitation of the thoughtless economic and financial policies followed by the United States and thrust upon forcibly on developing notions. Further “The World is getting into an even more greater crisis, because of the methods adopted to come out of it” he said and declared that India is safe, because of the conservative policies of the Public Sector Banks, the regulatory controls of the RBI, the psyche and thinking of the people of the country and the unshakable habit of savings of the Indian Population. He stressed the fact that the trade unions in this country have played the role of SAVIOUR and have a great responsibility to study the Indian and the global financial system in order to strengthen and protect the same in future against such ‘ perverted economic models’ and ‘theories of the west’ which the Government might try to impose. “Political Leadership cannot protect this country. Nobody can think for us. Create a talent Bank, create robust intellectualism” he said urging trade unions to step in and support Indian Banking System.
Later, Com. R.Vaidyanathan, Vice President of AIBOC, read out the message from Shri.K.R.Kamath, Chairman and Managing Director of Punjab National Bank, who could not attend the function due to compelling reasons.
After the inauguration, Fifty Solar Lamps were distributed to the economically backward community of ‘Koravas’ displaying firm commitment to the cause of society.
As Com. G.D.Nadaf, the General Secretary, rose to speak, the entire audience greeted him with thunderous applause and slogans. He greeted and congratulated the comrades from Chennai which gave birth to AIBOC. Hailing the celebrations, which coincided with the culmination of wage revision as historic, he said that the Banking Industry is the back bone of the economy and the Trade Unions are the saviours of the Banking Industry. But when it comes to taking care of the needs of the Bank Officers, the Government and the Managements back out. When the Policies of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation were introduced way back in the nineties, it was we who opposed it in the interests of the Nation. In order to create awareness amongst the economists, academicians and politicians, an Independent Commission on Banking and financial policy was constituted. The findings were printed and circulated widely across the country. Recently in the Cochin Executive Committee, a Research Committee has been constituted to study economic issues and its implications on banking vis-à-vis the Trade Unions. Today our thinking has been proved right he said,” amidst huge applause.
Talking on wage revision, he said that we have introduced transparency, and have been advising all the developments to the leaders as well as members through SMS and emails. But some people have utilised this to create misgivings. He requested the members not to be misguided. He then went on to brief the details of the wage agreement, highlighted the positive aspects, achievements and clarified the various misgivings which were circulated by unscrupulous elements. Since wage revision, this time was a package, and that 2nd Option was a major achievement symbolizing the dreams and aspirations of thousands of PF Optees, the 9th bipartite is historical and a land mark achievement as hailed by all the past leaders like Com.Shantharaju and Com.S.R.Sen Gupta. Clarifying to all the members the intricacies of construction of pay scales, distribution of load and increment pattern, he said that every attempt has been made to do justice to all grades of officers’ impartially within the limitation and constraint of 17.5%. We have created a win win situation in the best interests of all concerned. Apart from the above, other factors like additional stagnation increments and reduction of the gap of stagnation increments from 3 years to one year in case of already stagnated officers’, PQA, FPA and other residual issues, distribution of the pension cost between existing optees and retirees were explained in detail by Com.G.D.Nadaf. He requested members to remain vigilant and not to allow external forces to divide us and assured the members that all the remaining issues will be pursued and followed up vigourously.
Later the pamphlets creating awareness towards eye donation was released and distributed. The list of eye donors, who had volunteered, was handed over to the authorities from Shankar Netralaya. Certificates were distributed to the blood donors symbolically.
The past leaders who had built the Confederation, brick by brick, amidst struggles and sacrifices were called and honoured on stage. Com.S.R.Sengupta, Com.Shantharaju, Com.K.D.Kheda, Com.A.K.Jana, Com.V.Eswaran, were honoured and felicitated and their services were remembered fondly with gratitude. Com.R.N.Godbole, Com.R.C.Agarwal and Com.Amar Pal were honoured in absentia. Responding on behalf of the former Presidents and General Secretaries, Com.S.R.Sengupta wished that the event will cement the bondage between all the organisations and strengthen the movement further. Hailing the wage revision he said, that the 9th Bipartite was one of the best Industry level settlements of all times’.
Delivering the presidential address Com.K.S.Shetty, said that this team of AIBOC has put its heart and soul to fight for every additional paise of wage revision. Despite all efforts of IBA to reduce the real benefit of 17.5% and nibble away its benefits, the negotiating team stood firm and defiant. Kudos to the entire team he said. He said that this was the best that was possible under the given circumstances. He also cautioned against attempts by external forces and said that we should be careful about the pit falls that led to a split in 1985. There have been continuous attempts by the Managements to weaken the AIBOC by attacking affiliates. He called for strengthening the State units and said that, the activities of the State Units should galvanise all the grass root level. There is a need to reshape the organisation for the future to face the challenges, he said.
Com.P.Vijaya Senan, President Tamil Nadu State Unit proposed the Vote of thanks.
Com.B.S.Ravindra, Convenor, AIBOC, Silver Jubilee Celebrations Committee co-ordinated the inaugural programme in an excellent manner.
On 23.04.2010 a press conference was held at Hotel Deccan Plaza. Com.G.D.Nadaf, Com.T.T.Natarajan, Com.K.Ananda Kumar addressed the press on various issues confronting the officers’ community and Bank related issues such as branch expansion, financial inclusion, wage revision etc. Com.D.S.Rishabadas, Com.P.Vijayasenan, Com.R.Vaidyanathan and other leaders from AIBOC were present. The meet was attended by more than 50 journalists.
On this auspicious occasion Mr.Sunny, who was the cook at Staff Training College of Bank of India in 1985 and served food to the leaders who had assembled then and who is continuing as cook even today and served snacks and tea to the leaders on 24.04.2010, was honoured at the meeting held at the Staff Training College in the morning. It was a heart touching moment for Mr.Sunny as well as the leaders of AIBOC. Sri. Vijayan, Prop. Creative Studio, who designed our Silver Jubilee logo was honoured at the end of the Inaugural programme.
Well begun is half done. The celebrations have just begun. It is now upto affiliates and state units to make the celebrations meaningful and ensure that it reaches out to the nook and corner of our country and strengthen the movement further in the days to come.
The programme was ably compeered by Com.Uma Subramanian and Com.Sumathi Iyer.
We sincerely compliment and congratulate Com.P.Vijayasenan, Com.D.S.Rishabadas, the entire team of the Tamil Nadu State Unit of AIBOC and the band of volunteers who made the entire programme memorable.
AIBOC - ZINDABAD
UNITY - ZINDABAD
With greetings,
Sd/-
(G.D. NADAF)
GENERAL SECRETARY
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