AIBOC issued its circular No. 54 on the General Members Meeting held at Bangalore. We are reproducing the same here for our readers.
CIRCULAR NO.54 29.04.2010
TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:
GENERAL MEMBERS AT BANGALORE HERALD 9TH BIPARTITE - MAMMOTH MEETING AT THE HEAD QUARTERS OF THE CONFEDERATION - HEROIC WELCOME TO THE LEADERS OF THE CONFEDERATION
The head quarters was busy to receive the leaders of the Confederation who led the 9th bipartite negotiations and concluded it in a historic manner. Com. G.D.Nadaf, the General Secretary of the Confederation and Com. G.Muthuswamy, the Treasurer of the Confederation who returned after participating in the historic negotiations and signing of the agreement, were accorded a rousing reception.
It was a festival mood in the Office of the Confederation. Com.G.D.Nadaf, the General Secretary and Com. G. Muthuswamy, the Treasurer were received with flower bouquets by the members of the staff led by Com. Shantha Raju, the former General Secretary, Com. K.F.Mamadapur, Com. Y.Sudarshan, Com. K.Nagaraja Shastry, the Secretaries of the Federation and Confederation, Com. K.B.Ballur, the former President of the Canara Bank Officers’ Association, Com. M. Ramachandran, the Manager of the Office with the entire members of the Staff and complimented him for the excellent settlement that he clinched by signing the 9th Bipartite for the entire Officers’ fraternity in the country.
The Karnataka State Unit of AIBOC, under the leadership of Com. Jagannath Hegde, President of the State Unit and a senior leader of the Confederation, Com. B.S. Ravindra, the State Secretary along with his colleagues in the State Unit had made elaborate arrangements for the conduct of the ‘ Victory Rally’ to celebrate the success of the 9th Bipartite. The meeting was scheduled at 6.00 p.m. and was organised with less than 24 hours notice for assembly to the members of the Confederation all over the state. The Local Head Office compound was flooded with visitors and the members of the Confederation to participate in the mammoth meeting. The Auditorium was jampacked by 5.30 p.m. The leaders when they were ushered in by the leaders of the State Unit for the victory rally it was crackers and crackers all through and slogans filled the air signalling the joy and happiness of our comrades from the State of Karnataka.
The meeting commenced with the melodious invocation by Com. Deshpande and his colleagues. Thereafter, the diginitories were welcomed by Com.B.S. Ravindra, the State Secretary and he also dealt at length about the successful journey of the Confederation in ensuring a historic settlement. He also desired that the opportunity should be used by the leaders to share the details of the negotiations and also provide necessary brief as regards several doubts in the minds of the members across the State. The dignitaries on the dais were Com. Jagannath Hegde, the President of the State Unit, Com. G.D. Nadaf, the General Secretary of the Confederation, Com. G. Muthuswamy, the Treasurer of the Confederation, Com. Shantha Raju, the former General Secretary of the Confederation along with the entire team of Office-Bearers of the Confederation. Com. Pushpa G.Kumar, the Secretary of Women’s Wing and the Executive Committee member was also present on the dais.
Com. G. Muthuswamy, Treasurer of the Confederation dealing at length as to the intricacies, nitty-gritties of the bipartite settlements which have taken place so far in the Banking Industry, described the nuances of the working of the scales, the difficulties encountered in regard to allocation of the funds to various components, the apprehensions in the minds of the members that certain section of the people got benefit, certain section of the people were made to sacrifice etc., He also shared with the members present the tough stand that the Confederation took on a number of occasions to force the issues. He complimented the membership for their patience and declared that the outcome has been an excellent one and the 9th Bipartite is one of the best settlements in the history of our bipartite agreements.
Com. G.D. Nadaf, the General Secretary was welcomed on the podium with a thunderous applause and the gathering was eagerly awaiting to share the feelings of the leader of the Confederation as to the efforts put in by him and the negotiating team which was ultimately able to take the negotiations to a safe moorings in the course of the prolonged debate and discussions spanning 30 months. He commenced his speech recalling the commitment that was given by the IBA in the last negotiations under the leadership of Com. Shantha Raju, the then convener of the UFBU who ensured incorporation of a provision in the MOU that the issue of the 2nd Option shall be taken up for discussion and Unions are willing to discuss the additional cost and are open to the issue of taking a reasonable burden on themselves. He declared that this was the foundation on which we started the negotiations on the 2nd Option on Pension though the Charter of Demands for Salary Revision was already submitted. The negotiations commenced with the attempts of the Government and the Management to divide the rank and file and the Unions, in particular the Confederation, under the pretext of having different negotiations at the bank level by bigger banks. The issue came for focus in State Bank as well but it was rejected out right by the leadership of the Federation in State Bank of India as well as other banks. Thereafter an attempt to create confusion in the rank and file, that the 2nd Option on Pension was not a serious issue amongst the State Bank Officers. An attempt was made by our Managements, Government and above all our own rivals to divide the membership on the basis of SBI and Non-SBI so that the unity gets weakened at the apex level. It is a tribute to our membership across the country that they could read this mischievous propaganda and stood with the Confederation like a rock.
The Government was dilly dallying as regards the extension of the 2nd Option by raising the issue of huge cost. The hurdle was overcome in an effective manner by the leadership of the Confederation and other unions under the banner of UFBU. An actuary was appointed in consultation with the UFBU and his report also came for discussions and there was a threat by the IBA that the 2nd Option is an impossible proposition. Thereafter, the UFBU had to strike work on a couple occasions to force the issue and once the 2nd Option and the salary revision at the rate of 17.5% was agreed after a protracted negotiation before the Central Labour Commissioner, the sailing was not smooth. There were a number of hurdles in the negotiations. The IBA took an adamant stand on certain issues, in particular the sharing of the cost of 2nd Option on pension, the incremental cost and the last straw in the battle was raising the issue of SBI Cost on account of pension. Thus, all out attempts were made to frustrate the finalization of the settlement. Our own rivals were also contributing for the bitterness in a substantial way.
Com. G.D. Nadaf, also vividly explained the manner in which the Confederation ensured a fair and equitable distribution of the load factor available with the thrust on the scales, fair and equitable increase to all sections of the officers’ fraternity. The stagnation increment, the increment pattern free of anomaly, was a big challenge to the Confederation, while other organisations were making all out efforts to criticise the approach of the Confederation. It is in this background, the Negotiating Team of AIBOC led the conclusion of the negotiations in a befitting manner, declared Com. G.D. Nadaf.
He also shared with the members, the substantial benefit that the Officers would be getting in other areas such as the halting allowance, medical allowances, hospitalisation charges, the leave fare concession etc. He also announced that the negotiations have been concluded only in respect of those issues which are related to the salary scale and other related subjects. However, the other residual issues such as the leave accumulation, 5 days week, regulated working hours etc., shall be taken up with the IBA in the next round of discussions at the earliest opportunity, he stated.
Comrades, the membership were fully satisfied with the deliberations. There was thunderous applause when Com. G.D. Nadaf, concluded his speech. The gathering included a large number of members from the media both electronic and press.
Com. Jagannath Hegde, in his Presidential address expressed his happiness over the deliberations of the leadership of the Confederation and paid rich tributes to the State Unit under the leadership of Com. B.S. Ravindra, the Secretary for the excellent manner in which the meeting was organised at a short notice. He was also happy that the detailed deliberations of the General Secretary has cleared a number of doubts and the membership are convinced that the 9th Bipartite, despite several odds, has proved to be one of the best settlements in the history of our bipartite negotiations.
Com. Kinnal, the Vice-President of the State Unit of AIBOC (K) proposed vote of thanks to the dignitaries on the dais and all the members who were present in the meeting. He also paid rich tributes to the sacrifices of the family members of the General Secretary of the Confederation who could spare the services of Com. G.D. Nadaf, for the success of the Confederation.
Comrades, it was a memorable evening in the Head quarters of the Confederation. The sentiments, the feelings of camaraderie amongst the members of the Confederation displayed in the meeting would remain in the memory of each and every one present in the meeting and will take our movement to greater heights of glory in the days to come.
With warm regards,
Sd/-
(G.D. NADAF)
GENERAL SECRETARY
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