AIBOC CIRCULAR NO. 94 DATED 12TH JUNE 2010

AIBOC issued its circular no. 94 on regulated working hours. We are reproducing the same here for our readers.

CIRCULAR NO: 94                        12^th JUNE, 2010

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS:

REGULATED WORKING HOURS

One of the issues that figured during the course of our Bipartite discussions in the recent past and also incorporated as an issue under the residual subjects by the Confederation in the Charter of Demands submitted to the IBA was the issue of the regulated working hours to the Officers in the Banking Industry.  In view of paucity of time, the issue could not be pursued further at the time of conclusion of the 9^th Bipartite Settlement.  Hence, we have to-day sent a separate communication raising the issue with IBA for early resolution of the issue.  A copy of our communication is enclosed.

All our affiliates/members are requested to await further developments in the matter.

With greetings,

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF)

GENERAL SECRETARY

No.1452/189/10                                                          12.06.2010

To,

The Chairman,

The Indian Banks’ Association,

World Trade Centre Complex,

Centre 1, 6^th Floor, Cuffe Parade,

MUMBAI – 400 005.

Dear Sir,

REGULATED WORKING HOURS

One of the issues that is under discussions with the Indian Banks’ Association for a long time is the need for fixing regulated working hours to Officers’ Community in the Banking Industry.  The issue has also figured in the Charter of Demands submitted by the Confederation.  Since the time available for discussions of the residual issues was not sufficient to finalize several issues listed out by us at the time of the settlement of the 9^th Bipartite in the recent past, the Confederation suggested that the issue can be flagged for subsequent meeting.

The Officers are placed in a most disadvantageous position in the absence of prescribed working hours for them.  The Management always claims that officers are not coming under the Shops and Establishments Act and hence not eligible for the extra compensation that they are legitimately eligible for their extra working hours prescribed under the Shops and Establishments Act.  The Management has always been claiming that officers are part of the Management and there is no prescribed working hours for them. However, these perceptions were based on the Central Civil Service Rules which were adopted from the imperial regime.  The Banking Industry is a service industry and the employees irrespective of the cadre are eligible for appropriate relief in terms of both the working hours as well as the compensation for the extra hours of work put in by them. 

In the absence of the definite working hours being prescribed for the Officers, due to pressure of work they are made to work for almost 14 to 16 hours a day and there is no relief making them to suffer from fatigue and related problems.  The Officers are compelled to sit late in the name of supervisory responsibility and completion of work and it stretches upto mid night in most of the branches.  The Officers who are working in the interior parts and rural centers where the branches have a limited staff and the infrastructure is far from satisfactory will be subjected to all sorts of difficulties. Attending to office work on Sundays and Holidays has almost became routine for officers. They are deprived of availing leave for want of relief arrangements at branches. The Officers all over the country have been urging for definite working hours so that they can be in a position to enjoy the social life and can look into the problems of their domestic life such as children’s education, health of the members of the family etc. The tension that they undergo due to the vicarious responsibility they carry with their role is yet another factor which will affect their health condition. 

It is in this background, the Confederation has been demanding that the IBA should settle the issue with the Confederation and fix definite working hours to Officers which is not unreasonable so that they are also in a position to have normal physical relief and can lead a healthy and tension free life.  It is needless to add that, there is a need in the banking industry to take up the issue of manpower planning to fill up the existing vacancies of staff both clerical and supervisory and also to plan for the future. In the next 2-3 years, majority of existing staff will retire in normal course. Almost all Banks have ambitious plan of branch expansion. The business of the Bank is multiplying in leaps and bounds, without corresponding increase in the staff strength.  This apart, banks are entering into new business activities. We, therefore request you to kindly look into the matter and take early decision in this regard. If required we are willing to discuss the issue further to substantiate the reasonableness of our demand and provide further inputs for your positive consideration of the demand.

Please treat the matter as urgent.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

(G.D. NADAF)

GENERAL SECRETARY