AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 58 DATED 04.05.2010

AIBOC issued its circular No. 58 on salary revision agreement and the booklet released by the Confederation. We are reproducing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO.58                                                            04.05.2010

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:

SALARY REVISION AGREEMENT - A COMPREHENSIVE BOOKLET ON 9TH BIPARTITE SETTLEMENT RELEASED BY CONFEDERATION

The Confederation true to its tradition was to come out with a comprehensive book let on the 9th Bipartite Salary Revision and also the Pension Agreement signed between the IBA and the Confederation on 27th April 2010.  The rank and file was anxious to have correct details about the 9th bipartite settlement, having been fed up with the mischievous propaganda by vested interest groups.  The Confederation was advising the members to have patience since the responsible organization like the Confederation cannot indulge in mischievous propaganda. 

Our members have tremendous faith and conviction in the performance of the Confederation.  They kept on giving befitting replies to the rivals and were having patience to await the final outcome of the negotiations.  The negotiations were not concluded even at the mid night of the 26th April and again followed up by meetings and parleys with the senior executives of the IBA to get a better deal.  There were several loose ends.  These issues needed further elaborate discussions and also persuasion to see that the full benefit of the 9th Bipartite and Pension Option is available to us.  However, our rivals were busy in sending half baked information to their rank and file as though it is the final settlement.

There were several residual issues which were eluding finalisation of the agreement.  We wanted a comprehensive agreement and not a piece meal settlement since it should be a package as a whole. Hence, when we got our objectives met and a final version of the agreement, which was a comprehensive one, was ready, we agreed to sign the settlement which was one of the reasons for us to sign the agreement late in the evening of the 27^th April 2010.

Thereafter, it was a festival mood all over the country.  The membership wanted what exactly is the text of the settlement.  We conveyed to them that they would receive the entire text within no time.  The affiliates/State Units etc., were also eagerly awaiting the full text of the agreement.  We took up the task of printing a booklet, exclusively covering the entire provisions of the 9th bipartite along with the charts on fitment, the arrears of HRA, DA, CCA etc., and advised the affiliates and the members that it would be available the very next day. 

When the matter of our publication was flashed through SMS – there were orders for booklets in thousands from all over the country.  Over 10,000 copies were delivered at our Head quarters on the very next day and long lists of orders were pouring into the office since the officers not only our members but also the members of other unions were eager to secure the copies of the booklet.

The booklet was released at the hands of Com.Shantha Raju, our former General Secretary of the Confederation at the general meeting of the members held on 28^th April 2010.  The copies were sold like hot cake in the meeting as well.  Comrades, there are individual orders for copies of the book in thousands apart from the orders received from our affiliates all over the country.  The total number of copies that we have so far released for the use of members has crossed over 15,000 and we are still receiving requests for the same from different parts of the country.

We have been getting anxious enquiries about certain doubts and clarifications from the members across the country.  The first important question raised by our members is sharing of the cost of 2nd option on Pension.  We had earlier negotiated for equal distribution amongst all but one of the 9 unions having agreed to the terms of negotiations, brought a legal issue at the time of signing the settlement.  The IBA also came out with the same plea that they do not wish to encounter legal complications after having signed the agreement.  It is at this stage, the constituents of United Forum of Bank Unions met and decided to proceed with the changes that were offered by the IBA rather than taking the risk of delaying the finalisation of the Pension Agreement.  We are conscious of the feelings of those who are required to make a contribution of 2.8 times of their revised “Pay” as on Nov.2007 as against the earlier proposal of 1.6 times. 

Yet another issue that is now raised by some of our senior comrades in the Scale IV and above is that the IBA was willing to give a higher scale but the Confederation stalled it.  In reality, it is not higher as a measure of higher pay for senior comrades, but it is at the cost of the lower scales, with lower rate of increment which would have resulted in serious anomalous situation when officers are promoted from clerical scale and thereafter from one scale to another scale in officer cadre taking us back to the position of the earlier anomalous situation.  It is the single handed effort of the Confederation that the inter-se anomalies which used to be the earlier situation, was averted due to constant negotiations in the earlier bipartite settlements.  Having ensured anomaly-free fitment now again going back to the earlier stage was not in the interest of the officers’ fraternity and hence we had to intervene and draw a scale which is scientific with equi-distribution of load factor.  The Junior Officers are getting the benefit of two additional stagnation increments that are already loaded to the higher scales by elongation of scales while fixing their new scales. Hence, there is an indirect benefit of higher basic for them due to the additional stagnation increments achieved for the lower scale officers.

The officers are also raising the issue of the arrears and the amount that is required to be paid towards the Pension 2nd option.  It is one time sacrifice which will ensure social security to over 3,00,000 employees since they are getting Pension for having awaited for over 15 years for the same.  The retirees who are PF optees, numbering over 65,000 are also eligible for 2nd option which was a long pending demand. 

There are a number of mischievous communications with the sole aim of criticising the Confederation. The leadership of the Confederation is responsible and stands by the agreement it has signed.  All those who were signatories to the agreement are also expected to display a similar honesty.  Having signed the agreement along with the Confederation, they have no right to criticise the issue on certain clumsy grounds hoping to get mileage out of such vicious propaganda.  It is for the membership across the country to ponder over these matters and take appropriate steps to reply our detractors.

Comrades, we are happy to receive reports from different parts of the country about the general meetings that are being held by our leaders and the jubilant participation of the members over the success of the 9th Bipartite settlement and one more option on pension. Let us await the implementation of the salary revision and the payment of arrears.  There are certain issues that are still engaging the attention of the leadership of the Confederation and the IBA and members are therefore requested to await further developments in this regard.

In the meanwhile, those who are interested to order for the copy of the Booklet are free to place their order to our Head quarters by remitting a draft for Rs.50/- per copy and Rs.20/- extra towards postage at the earliest.

With warm regards,

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF)

GENERAL SECRETARY