Circular No.15/VII/2022
July 21, 2022
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
Com. W.V. POTDAR AMAR RAHE.
Com. W.V. Potdar,
former Secretary of our organization,
President of AIBOA(Maharashtra State Committee)
and founder President of All India Punjab
National Bank Officers’ Federation breathed his
last today evening at Mumbai. He was suffering
from a critical illness and undergoing the
treatment regularly in a renowned hospital in
western suburb.
Com. W.V. Potdar,
was born in March 1937, aged 85 years at the
time his death, contributed for the development
of the trade union movement in our Industry. He
was one of the leading Comrade, who worked with
late Com. D.P. Chadha, the then President of
AIBEA in building the employees’ federation in
Punjab National Bank. He was one of the members
in the Committee constituted for the purpose
introduction of “Night Clearing” during the
third bipartite Settlement in the Industry on
behalf of AIBEA.
Com. W.V .Potdar,
was the one, who worked along with Com. P.K.
Menon, the founder General Secretary of our
organization in handling the men and matters at
the Headquarters of AIBOA from Mumbai. He was
good at public relations, relentless worker and
best officer of the Bank. While handling the
issues within the Bank, he was really a hard
task master with human face. Equally, after
office hours, he was a real trade union leader
to win the rights for workforce irrespective of
the cadre. Thus he was a shining example as a
true comrade of our organization.
The icy hands of death snatched a fine comrade
of the movement.
Com.W.V. Potdar has left behind his wife, a son
and a daughter. Our organization shares and
stands with the family to share the grief in
full measure.
AIBOA DIPS ITS RED BANNER IN THE MEMORY OF
COM.W.V.POTDAR.
Yours in grief,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
|
Circular No.14/VII/2022
July 15, 2022
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades
DECISIONS OF THE SECRETARIAT
MEETING HELD AT HYDERABAD
In the back ground of the VIII
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF OUR ORGANISATION TO BE HELD AT CHANDIGARH
from NOV 25 to 27, 2022, the need
was felt to hold the Secretariat meeting to decide the broader
frame work of the arrangements for the successful conduct of the
conference. The meeting was held at
our office at Taramandal Complex, Hyderabad.
2.
The meeting commenced its proceedings at 11.00 am and
was held under the Presidentship of Com A N Suresh. Com. Alok
Khare, Vice Chairman was granted leave of absence on account of
his foreign visit. The house observed two minutes silence in the
memory of late Com S P Bakshi, former Vice President of our
organisation and first Officer Director in the then Oriental
Bank of Commerce, who helped to conduct the first national
conference at Mumbai in 1986.
3.
The agenda
listed in the notice was
taken for discussion.
1
1. Reporting
of the preparatory arrangements at Chandigarh:
Com V Ramabhadran and the under
signed were at Chandigarh from 1st to 4th July,
2022. The host state committee headed by Com Vinod Sharma, Com
Gurmeet Singh, Com Chiranjeevi Joshi, Com G S Oberoi and Com
Praveen Goel were present in finalising the initial
arrangements. Com V. Ramabhadran, Secretary presented the entire
frame work of holding of the conference and the overall
expenditure expected to be incurred to the Secretariat
members.
As the bye law of the
organisation permits participation of the delegates alone from
the state committees andbased on approximate number of
participants, the budget was worked out at Chandigarh. However,
it was suggested that 20% of the permissible delegates should be
allowed as observers in the ensuing conference. As the delegate
fee and the provision of subsidy for hosting the conference were
already cleared by the Office Bearers’ meeting held at Srinagar,
the hotel charges @ Rs 1300 per member per day (subject to
change) for three dayswill have to be remitted by the state
committees to the reception committee of the 8thconference.
The details of mode of remittance will be communicated to the
units in due course. The Secretariat members have approved the
initial remittance of Rs 3 lacs to the AIBOA Punjab State
Committee.
2 2.
REMITTANCE OF LEVY AND SUBSCRIPTIONS BY AFFILIATES:
On conclusion of wage revision on
the 11th of Nov 2020, it was clearly advised by the
secretariat to collect levy @ 2% of net of taxes which should be
shared @ 25% each among the base, their All India, AIBOA State
Committee and AIBOA central office. It was further advised that
the portion belonging to AIBOA State Committee should be
remitted to Central Office of the AIBOA for onward remittances
to the respective state committees based on the list provided by
the affiliates. Couple
of units had implemented the directions. Some of them have
partially responded and rest of them failed to stand up and
adhere to the financial discipline.
It was decided to advise the units that those who have not
remitted the levy so far should remit at an average rate of Rs
1000 per member from their general funds and 50% of the said
amount will be sent to the respective state committees as per
.the list submitted by them. This exercise is to be completed
within a week’s time. State
Committees should ensure that allocation of delegates should be
given only to the affiliates who have paid the wage revision
levy.
The subscription upto 2022 should
be cleared immediately and not later than 30th Sep
2022.
3 3.
HOLDING OF STATE COMMITTEE CONFERENCES:
The Secretariat had a detailed
analysis of the overdue conferences of State Committees. It was
decided to inform 21 state committees to conduct their
conferences and to complete it well ahead of the national
conference.
4
4. HOLDING
OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE:
It was decided to holdthe
penultimate Central
Committee at Lucknow on 8th& 9th of Oct,
2022. AIBOA UP state committee should take all steps to
host the same for smooth conduct of the committee.
5
5.GENERAL
MATTERS:
The Secretariat was briefed about
the remittance of Rs
1 lac to the AIBOA Assam state committee for providing
relief measures to the victims affected by the recent floods.
It was decided to felicitate the
past office bearers and special invitees who had contributed in
the last four decades in building our organisation in the
respective states as well as at the All India level. The state
committees will be advised to provide the past All India office
bearers’ communication details for making necessary arrangements
through them.
As there are certain repairs and
renovations to be carried out at our institute at Mahabalipuram,
the Secretariat gave the approval for transfer of funds of Rs.25
lacs to institute account to carry out the same. The
implementation of the workto be entrusted to a Committee.
On the proposed bye law
amendments suggested by the bye law committee, Com
Anil Kumar, Convenor of bye law committee reiterated that the
collection of subscriptions should
be made by the Central Office @
Rs 180 per
member per year and
remitted to the respective state
committees Rs 100 per member per year,
as the state committee is the main fulcrum to implement the
decisions arrived at the central office.
The logo to be unveiled for 8th National
Conference was also finalised with unanimous consent of the
members present in the meeting.
It was also articulated in the
meeting to host a session for youth and women to take
appropriate decisions in resolving the problems confronted by
them in the respective banks.
The meeting concluded at
14.30.hours with a vote
of thanks to the AIBOA AP & T S committee for a fine
arrangement and for
the smooth conduct of the meeting.
Yours comradely
(S NAGARAJAN)
GENERAL SECRETARY.
Circular No.13/VII/2022
July
5, 2022
TO
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
UP-DATION OF PENSION
ON
THE LINES OF RBI BROOKS NO DELAY.
Public
Sector Bank workforce (except -Global Bank-SBI) is
governed by the Bank Employees’ Pension Regulation 1995.
2. The above exercise
was preceded by an agreement signed on 29th October
1993 under the Industrial Disputes act 1947/1957 by the first
trade union of banking workforce (AIBEA) founded in pre
independent India. Equally, our organization also signed the
minutes of understanding on the same day at Mumbai. The
contents of the Settlement were in the lines of RBI.
3.
As per Clause
6 of the Settlement signed
on 29.10.1993,
reads as under:
Dearness relief to Pensioners will be granted at such rates as
may be determined from time to time in line with the dearness
allowance formula in operation in Reserve Bank of India”
4.
Further Clause
12 of the said
settlement states that:
“Provisions will be made by a
scheme, to be negotiated and settled between the parties to this
settlement by 31st December 1993 for applicability,
qualifying service, amounts of pension, payment of Pension,
commutation of Pension family pension, updating and other
general conditions etc. on
the lines as are in force in Reserve Bank of India.
5.
The said settlement is further elaborated by a Supplementary
settlement dated 24.03.1994 between IBA and the negotiating
unions and these provisions agreed to were reiterated equating
the provisions with the scheme in
operation in RBI and was agreed to be bedrock of the settlement.
6.
During the interim period two important developments took place.
The first one was introduction of Special Voluntary Retirement
Scheme introduced in 2001 and another one was the achievement of
one more option on the same terms and conditions of 1993, in the
year 2010. It was agreed by the negotiating unions after the
actuarial exercise conducted by two experts (one from Hyderabad
and other from Kolkata)Rs 6000 crores was the deficit and Rs
4200 crores was diverted to Pension Fund and the PF subscribers
had contributed Rs 1800 crores to join the Pension Scheme. There
deficit was made good in
2010 itself.
7.
The Regulation
11 of the Pension
Regulations 1995 reads
as under:
The
Bank shall cause an investigation to be made by an Actuary into
the financial condition of the Fund every Financial Year on the
31st day of March and make such additional annual
contribution to the fund as may be required to secure payment of
the benefits under these regulations.
8.
It has been categorically committed by IBA in the supplementary
Minutes of discussions on 04.01.2021 that an actuary was
appointed to evaluating the requirements. Eighteen
months are over. There is no information on this score provided
by the IBA so far.
9. Apart
this, a certificate from the Actuary confirming should be
obtained about the yearly provisions were made by the Banks
without any deviation to confirm that the Regulation 11 of Bank
Employees’ Pension Regulations 1995 from 2010 to 2022.
10. As
per the data available based on the Balance Sheet of the various
Banks, the Pension fund as on 31.03.2021
was Rs194164
crores excluding the SBI Pension Fund corpus of Rs125806 crores.
11.
To an un-star question in the Parliament, the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs submitted that the outstanding in the 43
accounts (above
Rs 2500 crores) was nearly Rs
433000 crores and
NCLT awarded settlement for nearly Rs
1,00,000 crores ie;
for every Rs 100 outstanding the waiver or haircut was Rs 78.
The loan losses were/are adjusted from the profit earned by the
banks.
12.
It has been held by the Courts as:
“Pension,
as well known, is not a bounty. It is treated to be deferred
salary. It is akin to right of property. It is co-related and
has a nexus with the salary payable to the employees as on the
date of retirement.
13.
Hon’ble Finance Minister Government of India openly declared in
a press meet held at Chennai in 2020 that up-dation of Pension
of Bank retirees would also be addressed suitably as that of one
Rank one Pension in the defense services.
14.
The present stand pursued in the current discussion held couple
of days on the up-dation of Pension should be revisited and Our
organization is of the confirmed opinion that the Up-dation
should be on the lines RBI and the methodology stipulated by the
Government vide their letter dated 5th March 2019
should be strictly adhered to covering all the retirees taking
the merger of D.A.up-to
4440 points.
15.
Further the Pension in Banks in shape of annuity from the
Pension Fund corpus on long term investment, there is no reason
for subjecting it to taxation like salary income.
Hence
Up-dation of Pension on the lines of RBI brooks no delay and any
deviation would add further complications. We have already
experienced.
Yours Comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN
GENERAL SECRETARY.
Circular No.12/VII/2022
July 5,
2022
TO
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
SAVE
GEN -NEXT FROM THE JOB LOSSES.
RESIST AND REPULSE
BACK ON GOVERNMENT’S MOVES
ON DENATIONALISATION
OF PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS.
The
Government at the Centre had earlier moved the Bill on
Privatisation of Insurance Sector as a whole, though mentioned
in the budget Speech that there were to do
only one
insurance Company.
The protest was made on the floor of the Parliament and the
result was suspension of twelve elected representatives in the
last session. The print media carried the message, recently,
that the
United
India may be first up for sell off in the general Insurance
Space.
2.
In the new economic policy pronouncements, it was made
clear that the owner would like to retain four banks in Public
Sector and rest them would be merged or closed or privatized.
Accordingly, right from 2016, we had witnessed merger of 5
Associate Banks with Global Bank-SBI. In 2019, Vijaya Bank and
Dena Bank were merged with Bank of Baroda bypassing the
provisions Banking Regulation Act 1972/1980 as well as the
temple of democracy having elected peoples’ representatives. We
had experienced further merger of 6 more banks with four banks.
Thus, as on date, we have 11 Public Sector Banks besides the
Global Bank-SBI.
3.
On the forced merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with
Bank of Baroda with effect from 1.04.2019, it was only our
Organisation which has sought the Judicial intervention from
Apex Court of our Nation.
The Apex
Court direction to the Government to file the reply 11th
March 2019 is yet to be complied with.
4.
In the first week of June 2022, the promoter of Catholic
Syrian Bank, who refused to give wage revision on the lines of
the industry level agreements, in spite of observing 13 days
strike by the workforce, offered to take over the IDBI Bank
stipulating certain conditions like LIC should remain with IDBI
for five years period etc. The road shows in abroad are already
underway to sell IDBI.
5.
The promoter of Catholic Syrian Bank, was the one who
gave call openly the Government of India should come out of the
Public Sector Banks within six months and handover the Banks to
the private owners.
6.
Though there was a budget pronouncement that in addition
to IDBI Bank privatization, two public sector Banks will also be
privatized. The banking workforce observed two days strike in
December 2021, expecting the said bill would be placed for
adoption. The Government remained non-committal and
GEN-
NEXT
performed their role in a fine manner. Hats off to them.
7.
Now, the environment, after the five States election, is
providing sufficient relief to the owner of the Financial
System. The recent development in the Financial Capital of the
Country is emboldening to carry forward the process of reforms,
which are directly affecting the common masses of the Country.
8.
Launching the 75 Digital Banking Units in the banking
sector covering all Scheduled Commercial Banks except RRBs,
Local Area and Payments Banks shall directly affect the
employment generation and also retention of the existing
workforce in our Industry.
The
recent announcement by the Global Bank (SBI) of establishing/
delinking the operational banking from the main banking
activities is another twist in promoting contract employment
culture in our industry.
9.
The current session which is expected to commence the
business from third week of July 2022 is expected to witness a
new twist in the matter of retention of ownership in the Public
Sector Banks. The names of the two banks already shortlisted by
NITIAAYOG may be the privatization candidates in the Banking
Sector to begin with and ultimately the rest of the four may
too follow suit either in one go or in stages before 2024.
10.
Comrades, with the present initiatives of Digital India,
delinking operational banking from the main banking activities
and initiation of privatization/denationalization of public
sector Banks will certainly endanger the job retentions and
untimely exist of GEN NEXT from the Financial Industry is the
stark reality.
11.
GEN-
NEXT, Comrades, get ready for the struggles, prolonged struggles
to resist and repulse the moves of the Government in dismantling
the Public Sector Banks.
UNITY, STRUGGLE AND PROGRESS OUR WATCHWORD.
Yours
comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY
==============================================================================================
Circular No.11/VII/2022
June 21, 2022
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
 COM.S.P.BAKSHI
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AIBOA IS NO MORE
We are sad to share the message of passing away of Com. S. P.
Bakshi, former Vice President of our organization, at Delhi
yesterday evening. Born on 15th August 1933, he was 89 years at
the time of death.
Com.S.P.Bakshi, was the founder president of All India Oriental
Bank Employees Federation. He was closely associated with the
Punjab State Bank Employees Federation. He was the Central
Committee member of AIBEA in the year 1976.
Com.S.P.Bakshi, was directly associated with the functioning of
our organization in the primitive stage. He took special
interest in facilitating in holding the Conference of our
Organisation at Mumbai in trying circumstances. By virtue of his
qualities, he was the natural choice of the officers’
organization to nominate him as representative of Officers’ in
the board of Oriental Bank of Commerce from 1991 to 1993.
Com.S.P.Bakshi was known for his forthrightness in his
presentations in our meeting. Fearless in his submissions made
him to win the hearts of one and all. He had possessed all the
qualities required to lead the trade union movement in general
and in Bank employees movement in particular.
AIBOA dips its banner in the memory of Com.S.P.Bakshi and stand
with the family members in sharing the painful moments and
feelings.
COM. S.P. BAKSHI AMAR RAHE.
Yours in grief,
S.NAGARAJAN
GENERAL SECRETARY
Circular
No.10/VII/2022
June 17, 2022
To
ALL UNITS/
STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
COM.RJS, THE STORMY PETREL FELL
ON THE GROUND ON 15TH
JUNE 2013.
Com.
RJS, who took the reins of our organisation in 1991, worked
ceaselessly to give shape, structure and stature to the Bank
officers’ movement in the country. He was one who worked with
late Com.P.K.Menon to realise the demand of
cradle to grave
pension scheme to bank men as a whole. In the words of late
Com.P.K.Menon, the founder General secretary of AIBOA, that
AIBOA was serious and sincere in pursuing the demand of
introduction of Pension in one form or the other.
2.
Establishing an
Institute in the name of a legendary leader of the bank men viz:
Tarak Institute of Banking and Trade union Research was yet
another noble approach of Com.RJS. One more feather in his cap
was the Formation of Unorganised Trust followed by the call of
Regulated working hours for officers raised in the silver
jubilee conference of AIBOA held at New Delhi in Feb 2006.
3.
Com.RJS, the
stormy petrel fell on the ground on 15th June 2013.
He has left many unfinished tasks to shape the destiny of Bank
men in the challenging times ahead. To remember his role and
contribution to the society, in the recently held office
bearers meeting held at SKAUST – K-Campus, it was decided to
provide financial relief to 2 students for four years in
Agriculture stream in the University practicing the Mountain
Agriculture in the valley.
4.
15th June 2022 was a
holiday in the Valley. Hence today, the team led by
Com.Ashwani Pradhan Convenor and
Com.Syed Tasdaq Madni Co-Convenor have presented the cheque
Rs.3,00,000/- [Rs.Three lakhs only] to the
Vice Chancellor of SKAUST –K Campus
Prof.Nazir Ahmed Ganai
in a compact meeting held in the
University Campus.
Com.RJS AMAR RAHE.
5.
AIBOA conveys heartfelt
thanks to the team AIBOA – J&K, Ladakh Committee led by the
Convenor and the Co-Convenor in executing the decision in a
timely manner. We thank the Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmed
Ganai for accommodating our request. We assure that the "words
of wisdom"
which he shared with us on 8th
June 2022 will be fulfilled in due course.
Yours
comradely
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY
Circular No.9/VII/2022
June 10, 2022
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE
COMMITTEES
Comrades,
OBSERVE THE STRIKE
CALL ON 27th JUNE 2022
TO REALISE THE LONG
PENDING DEMANDS.
Our organization, in pursuance of the decisions arrived at
Ernakulam on March 5th and 6th, 2022 to
observe the two days’ strike on 28th and 29th
March 2022 focusing the issues of sale of IDBI to private
players, privatization of two public sector Banks, non-
resolution of residual issues coupled with extending solidarity
to the CTUs, implemented the decisions. We are the only
officers’ organization observed the strike along-with the
working class.
2.
Upon receipt of the strike notice, to avert the strike,
CLC (Central) initiated the conciliation proceedings on 23rd
March and 25th March 2022. The CLC (Central) while
adjourning the proceedings advised the IBA to engage the Unions
in bilateral discussions to resolve the pending issues. On 13th
April 2022, IBA held the talks with Officers’ Unions and workmen
unions separately for one hour each. The list of issues
presented to the IBA by officers’ Unions was circulated for the
benefit of officers.
3.
The meeting of nine constituents was held at Mumbai on 8th
June 2022, in which Com. V. Viswanathan and Com. Devdas Menon
President and General Secretary of AIBOA(MSC) represented AIBOA.
It was decided to take a call on the issues after the IBA
meeting held in the 8th afternoon itself. The meeting was called
by IBA to discuss and decide the Insurance backed
hospitalization scheme. Com. Devdas Menon represented in the IBA
discussion. It was a preliminary in nature. As there was no
forward movement of the resolution of issues raised on 13th
April 2022, it was decided to
observe the strike on 27th June 2022 for realization
of the pending demands viz: 5 day week, Updating Pension,
scrapping of NPS, release of FAQs etc.
4.
There are calendar of programs released by the convenor
of UFBU culminating in one day strike action on 27th
June 2022. We advise the
State committees and affiliated Units
to participate in the programs including the strike on 27th
June 2022 and make it a success.
Onward March to 27th
June 2022 strike action.
Yours Comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY.
Circular No.8/VII/2022
June 10, 2022
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Dear Comrades
DECISIONS OF THE OFFICE BEARERS’ MEETING
HELD AT SRINAGAR
ON
THE 7TH& 8T OF JUNE, 2022.
The meeting of the Office Bearers was
held at SKUAST – KCampus, Shalimar, Srinagar, a
leading university in Mountain Agriculture
on the 7thand 8th of June, 2022. The
meeting was presided over by the Joint Presidium of Com Alok
Khare, Vice Chairman and Com A N Suresh, President.
2.Com.Syed
Tasaduq Madni, President, All India J & K Bank Officers’
Federation,
on behalf of
AIBOA-
(Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Committee) welcomed the Office
Bearers in the world
renowned Agriculture University campus for
transacting the agenda.
3.
Special address by the Vice Chancellor,
SKUAST, Kashmir:
In his introductory remark, Prof Nazir
Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor dwelled at length on the importance
of the university and how the farmers are intertwined to reduce
the communication gap through technology interface in promoting
agricultural activities in the valley. He reminded that the
meeting is held on the World environment day and the
responsibility of every citizen is to protect natural resources
and also the Mother Earth.
The impact of the climate change and the necessity to reduce the
carbon foot print as per the Paris Accord through natural
farming in our country was emphasized. His reiteration was that
the agrarian economy in which our national development is
directly linked, should be upgraded by technology integration.
On behalf of our organisation, Com Alok Khare and Com A N Suresh
garlanded and also presented a memento to the Vice Chancellor,
Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, SKUAST – K Campus.
4.
IN MEMORIUM:
Shri. K. Sankaranarayanan, former Governor Six States., Shri.
Pandit Sukh Ram, former union Minister, Shri. J.D. Rymbai,
former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Smt.Anjali Ponnusamy,
Freedom Fighter, Prof.Vijiyan, Structural Biologist, Padma Shri
Awardee in 2004, Shri. Bhim Singh, Chief of J&K Panthers’Party,
Com.Sarla Sharma, Founder member of Communist Party of India in
Delhi, Com.Shivaji Patnaik, Veteran Communist Leader, Shri.
Sidhu Moose Wala, Punjabi Singer, .Shri.Krishna Kumar, (KK)
Indian Play Singer Com.D.R.Kalita former General Secretary of
AIBOA Assam State Committee & Organising Secretary AIBOA, Com.
Jai Prakash Dixit Vice President BEFI, Com.Vijay Branch Manager,
Elaqui Dehati Bank RRB sponsored by SBI
5.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
Com Vinod Bakshi, Com Arvind Porwal, Vice Presidents, Com D S
Ganesan and Com Sanjay Khan, Secretaries, Com D N Trivedi and
Com Tapan Sarkar, Joint Secretaries could not participate in the
meeting due to various reasons. The meeting granted leave of
absence to them.
6.
REPORTING ON THE DEVELOPMENTS:
As
visualized by the extended Office Bearers meeting held on 5th
and 6th March 2022 at Ernakulam, attacks on our
industry i.e., privatisation of IDBI bank and two public sector
banks are the priority agenda of the Government as per the print
media’s consistent reports. The promoter of Catholic Syrian Bank
is evincing keen interest to acquire the stake in the IDBI bank
with conditions stipulated for acquiring the stakes of IDBI
bank. On account of our Strike on the 28th and 29th
March 2022 projecting non resolution of residual issues like 5
day banking, updating of Pension and rolling back of the NPS
etc., observed by our members with total commitment and
conviction paved the way forward. IBA was advised by CLC
(central) to engage the unions in the bi-lateral discussions to
resolve the pending issues. Accordingly, IBA held a meeting with
four Officers’ associations on 13th of April 2022.
The list of issues presented to the IBA in the discussion was
circulated to the units.
WFTU RESOLUTION
In
the matter of wages and renumeration,35 hour working week with
no reduction in salary, high prices, unemployment and the
privatisation are also looming large in the world. Our country
is not an exception to the emerging deep crisis.
Organisational Developments
The consolidation exercise in Punjab Sind Bank officers’ union
(Northern Zone,) the present attack on the Officers in Central
Bank of India by effecting transfers/proposed 663 branch
closures and also the developments in All India Federation of
UCO bank officers were reported to the house.
7.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN THE BYE LAWS
:
The Office Bearers had discussed the report submitted by the bye
law committee headed by Com V Anil Kumar. While there was broad
consensus in the matter of the overall content, it was
recommended to seek opinion on the relevant portion of bye-law
pertaining to model organization structure for the affiliates,
sharing of the enhance annual subscription between the state
committee and the district committee and pruning down the number
of Office Bearers positions are kept open for further
discussions. The affiliated units and state committees are to be
provided with relevant portion of the bye law with an advice
that they have to respond within 15 days time.
8.
CLEARANCE OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS:
The statement of subscription/levy due
was presented by Com. R. Jawaher, Treasurer. During this time,
at the instance of Central Office, 50% of the levy remitted by
the affiliates was sent to State Committees promptly. The
details of remittance were also shared with the Office Bearers.
The Office Bearers have
unanimously arrived at the following decisions to adhere to
financial discipline without exception.
a)
The units who have not collected wage
revision levy and collected but not remitted in full as per the
directions are not entitled to attend the ensuing conference.
b)
The subscription due should be remitted without any
further delay.
9.
VIII CONFERENCE:
The
eighth national conference
of our organization will be held at
Chandigarh on the 25th, 26th
and 27th of Nov, 2022.
The Punjab state committee
has taken up the responsibility to host the conference.
It was also decided that a delegate fee of Rs 2000 per member
will have to be paid by the state committees to the host unit.
The Office Bearers were unanimous in providing the financial
subsidy looking to the steep increase in the cost of living for
smooth conduct of the conference.
10.STATE
COMMITTEE CONFERENCES:
As
per the bye laws of our organization, State committees are to
conduct the conference once in three years. Accordingly, it was
directed that all the State committees should complete the
conferences well ahead of the national conference.
11.
AUDITED ACCOUNTS:
The audited accounts for the year 31.12.2021 was presented by
the Treasurer and the same was approved unanimously.
12.
DISCUSSION/DECISION ON ORGANISATIONAL
MATTERS:
The consolidation of the units in the
merged entities (PNB, Union Bank of India and Indian Bank)
should be completed before the national conference. A meeting of
the principal office
bearers of these units
should be held within 30 days. The Office Bearers have
authorized Com Dr Kumar Arvind, Com V. Ramabhadran and the
undersigned to oversee the whole exercise of consolidation on
priority basis.
The updating of web site with latest information on service
conditions should be given top priority as the younger
generations are techno savvy and have an urge to know the
service conditions applicable to them well ahead of their
joining the services of the Banks.
The campaign opposing the sale of IDBI
Bank, privatisation of two public sector banks should be carried
forward through release of educational literature in regional
languages, submission of memorandum to RBI on digital banking
units, communication addressed to peoples’ representatives in
the respective states pertaining to ill-advised moves of the
Government. The State committees are expected to step up the
programmes with required seriousness
as loss of jobs are visible and the
GENNEXT is going to be the sufferers of the situation.
The privatization of IDBI would trigger of other banks’
privatization, if the same is not resisted with full strength by
the workforce in the Industry. Equally resolution of the
residual issues for which a day strike was announced in April
2022. The discussion was held separately with officers’ Unions
and workmen unions on 13th April 2022. AIBOA is of
the firm view that any casual approach in the resolution of
residual issues would result in linking it to future wage
negotiations.
The
resignation of Com M A
Srinivasan, DGS, was accepted
from the Office bearer post as he submitted the resignation.
On the 1st of Aug, 2021, a
meeting of the three Office Bearers of AIBOA with the
representatives of BOBOU was held at Bengaluru and the unanimous
decisions arrived at were conveyed to the participants for
strict implementation. The same were not implemented and
organizational hurdles were created thus stone walling the
implementation of the decisions conveyed. One of the office
bearer of BOBOU filed a case against AIBOA also. As there are
court cases/ counter court cases filed by the two factions of
Bank of Baroda Officers’ union, it
was decided in the meeting that they should sort out the matter
amongst themselves.
13. 9thRemmebrance
Day of Com.RJS.
Our organization is known for associating with social
identification programs on continuous basis. The SKAUST
university is actively engaging in innovation to reduce the
pains of the agricultural workers, climate change and technology
based agricultural activities and they are the pioneers in
India.
15th June 2022, will be the
9thdeath anniversary of late Com. RJS. As a mark of
respect to Com RJS, who believed in extending help to the needy
and deserving students, the office bearers unanimously decided
to extend financial help to two students for four years to meet
the expenses related to the
payment of tuition fees in agricultural stream in SKUAST
University, Kashmir. The modalities are being worked
out.
14.
FELICITATIONS:
Com P N Ganguly, Joint Secretary, AIBOA, who retired on
31.05.2022 was felicitated by our Vice Chairman, Com Alok Khare.
15.AIBOA
(Jammu,Kashmir,Ladakh committee) scored appreciation for their
24/7 services rendered.
Com SyedTasdaqMadni,
President of AIJKBOF,
in his brief address traced his involvement in the trade union
right from the beginning and thanked for providing AIJKBOF an
opportunity to host this office bearers’ meeting in a lush green
environment.
Com Ashwini Pradhan, Convenor, AIBOA Jammu
Kashmir Ladakh committee and Com Madni
were felicitated by Com Alok Khare and Dr Kumar Arvind.
Central Office has provided the financial assistance to the
State committee by handing over of a cheque of Rs 51,000 by Com
K Raghava, Secretary AIBOA.
Com Alok Khare, Vice Chairman, in his concluding remarks
expressed that the decisions arrived at in the meeting will have
to be implemented without any hassles and paid rich tribute to
the team work exhibited by the host unit.
Yours Comradely,
S NAGARAJAN
GENERAL SECRETARY
Circular
No.7/VII/2022
May
18, 2022
Camp: Mumbai
To:
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEE
Comrades,
ALL INDIA CENTRAL BANK OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION
CONSOLIDATION IS COMPLETE.
At the instance of our organization a meeting of Principle office bearers and two deputy
general secretaries of AICBOA along with the representatives of
Nagpur, Bhopal, Jharkhand, Raipur and Mumbai was held to-day at
the office AICBOA, 6th Floor Central Bank of India, Mumbai
Main Office. On our request, Com.Rajan Majumdar and Com.Alam
Hussain participated in the meeting.
2. Com.R.L.Chavan,
representative of Central Bank officers’ Union Mumbai welcomed
all the participants to the meeting and expressed his desire
that this much awaited meeting will conclude with positive note.
3. The participants in an hour-long expressions,
recalled their experiences with late Com. S.L. Das and paid rich
tributes for his selfless service to one and all, irrespective of their official position in the Bank. The
meeting observed two minutes silence in the memory of Com. S.L.
Das and also to the victims of Global Pandemic COVID 19.
4. The purpose of convening the meeting was
presented by the undersigned and the need for working in
cohesive manner to thwart the present attacks of the Government
and the management combines. On the agenda of consolidation of officers under AICBOA, the
house was unanimous and in one voice agreed to take it forward
for the benefits of the total workforce in the Bank. Thus the consolidation was complete in real sense and the
emergence of oneness was experienced by one and all.
5.
The meeting concluded with vote of thanks to Com. Rajan Majumdar specially and Com. R.L. Chavan for
the arrangements made by him for transacting the agenda in
AICBOA office in a smooth manner.
6. It is yet
another milestone in the organizational advancement of the
Officers’ movement under the banner of AIBOA.
With greetings,
Yours Comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY.
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Circular No.5/VII/2022
April 20, 2022
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
THE FIRST TRADE UNION OF BANK MEN ENTERS
77th
YEAR
Today, the first Trade Union of the Banking workforce enters its Seventy Seventh
year. There is an urgent and imperative need to turn the pages of history to draw
the new strategies to combat the present attacks on the Financial Sector and more
particularly in the Banking sector.
From the pages of the History:
Concluding remarks by Sri D.N.Mukherjee M.A., Chairman,
Reception Committee, 1st Conference of AIBEA -20th / 21st April, 1946
" by merely mentioning what the responsibility of the employees to the Institution
should be.
The first is loyalty. He should consider the Institution his own and
always try to give such a shape to his works that
will culminate in the improvement of the Institution. The second in order is the spirit of tolerance, the employee may
not have his desired goal immediately but he should stick to the post. The
employees are to watch the
managements desire to improve the staff and how
such desires are being translated into action...."
Gist of some of the relevant Resolutions adopted in the Foundation
Conference in 1946.
> Building up strong and healthy Unions/Association all over India
> Security of Service be assured
> Co-option of one director in the Board of Director, who will be an elected
representative without the requisite
qualification of a shareholder. "
By the effective leadership right from the foundation day [20.04.1946] financial
upgradations have been conferred though bilateral negotiations in the Industry
between [1966-2020], to the workforce in the Industry. The recent moves of the owners of the Banking system is focused to unleash the attack on jobs and
the job security. The right to participate in the Board meetings as Director is
cleverly denied by the present Government, though the Act passed by the Parliament categorically provides for the participative management . Restoring
this right achieved in 1972 by late Com.H.L.Parvana from the unwilling hands
of the present owners brooks no delay.
Generations after generations have come and become part of the history of our
Industry. The philosophy of a trade union organisation continue to
demonstrate to stand together to resist the attacks unleashed against the
workforce in any Industry.
To quote from the Presidential address in the Foundation Conference of
AITUC in 1920
"Class consciousness: organised capital has destroyed many an old civilisation, enslaved religion,
chained science and placed in bondage all the forces of nature and human
intellect. Humanity is its bond slave....Militarism and imperialism are the twin
children of capitalism; they are one in three and three in one. Their shadow, their
fruit and their bark, are all poisonous. It is only lately that an antidote has been
discovered and that antidote is organised labour....
Think as a class, organize and act as a
class." =founder President of AITUC Com. Lala Lajpat
Rai=
It is relevant to quote of a poet, to present the position of our Nation:
"Think of your Countr y, You foolish Men
Troubled Times ar e to come
the writing is clear on t he hor izon
if you do not take heed,
you will be wiped out,
O' people of Hindustan
Nothing of you will r emain
In the annals of the World Histor y"
We convey the first Trade Union of Bank men established in 1946, which
continues to play dominant role in changing the society successfully right from
1969, appeal to focus new forms of struggles to resist the current attempts to
reprivatise the banks by the present Government, and ensure jobs and job
security to flourish, to benefit the Gen Next.
With Greetings to achieve 100 years
When Go Home, Tell them of us
Tell Them "f or your t omorrows we gave our t oday's"
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular
No.4/VII/2022
March
29, 2022
To:
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
Congratulations
!!
THE
CALL GIVEN WAS OBSERVED WITH TOTAL DEDICATION.
Our
Organisation, in pursuance of the decisions arrived at
Ernakulum, Kerala, served the notice of Strike on Government of
India as well as on IBA on our demands. The Government of India
representative’s expressed in the conciliation proceedings
that there is no forward movement in the matter of privatisation
of two public sector Banks at present. The Government has
already initiated the step to seek expression of Interest from
willing Institutions in the matter of IDBI disinvestment
exercise.
2.
The two days’ strike call on 28th and
29th March 2022 to realise the
demands raised by our organisation was observed, by and large,
with total dedication. Reports have also been received from
units that the participation by our members in the strike call
was in a disciplined manner. Everyone was appreciated of the
approach made on our issues and our Concern. Clearing operations
were also hampered to a greater extent. We
the members of AIBOA extended the solidarity support to CTUs in
opposing the economic and labour policies of the Government of
India. Our deep
concern is in the name of National Monetisation Policy, the
Nation is on sale. Dividing the Institutions, as Strategic and
Non Strategic is also with certain hidden agenda. Forced exit of
the employees from the Institutions is also possible.
3.
We, the banking workforce, are to have necessarily the people
connect to make them understand the role of the Government in
not creating jobs and also ensuring the continuation of the
existing jobs for the youth at large. The step taken by our
organisation is a baby step towards enveloping the workforce
completely. Com. Binoy Viswam Hon’ble Member of Parliament
also took up the matter with the Government of India and urged
them to revisit their decision in respect of IDBI.
4.
Our representatives at all levels should take up the tasks
sincerely and seriously to explain our stand in the matter of
Privatisation of Public Sector Banks and also of sale of IDBI to
private players. The
new concept of 40 hours of work, 40 weeks of work and exit at 40
years of age is the new slogan of corporates. Jobs
and jobs security to Gen next is the real threat to the
workforce.
5.
We shall take necessary steps to enlarge the workforce in right
direction to secure the future of the Nation and secured working
environments for the gen next workforce.
ALL
GLORY TO THE STRIKING WORKFORCE OF BANKS AND CTUS FOR
MAKING
THE STRIKE TOTAL.
Yours
comradely
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL
SECRETARY
Camp:
NEW DELHI.
Circular
No.3/VII2022
March
22, 2022.
TO:
ALL
UNITS /STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
CONCILIATION
EXERCISE BY ADDL.CLC (CENTRAL)
Our
organization, in pursuance of the decision arrived at in the
extended office bearers meeting held at Ernakulum on 5th and
6th March 2022, served the Strike
notice on 11th March 2022, on CLC
(Central) as well as to IBA listing out our demands. In response
to our notice, Addl. CLC (Central) initiated the conciliation
proceedings and fixed the today’s date.
2.
Our organization was represented by the undersigned, Com. Sanjay
Khan, President, AIBOA (DSC) and Secretary AIBOA, Com A.V.
Vithal Koteswara Rao,General Secretary AIIDBIOA and Joint
Secretary AIBOA and Com.G.S.Oberoi, General Secretary AIBOA
(Haryana State Committee) in the meeting. IBA was represented by
Senior Advisor (HR&IR).
3.
On behalf of our Organisation, we have presented in detail, our
opposition to Privatisation of Banks, Not to allow the Sale of
IDBI to private players, satisfactory resolution of
pending demands listed in the MOU dated 04.01.2021, scrapping of
NPS and restoration of OPS, removal of anomaly in payment of D.A
between LIC and Banks and extension of our solidarity to the
CTU’s demands of opposing the retrograde economic and labor
policies, in a cogent manner, duly supported with documents.
4.
The Senior Advisor (HR&IR) presented the views and role of
IBA in the whole process of negotiation based on the mandates
given to them by the member banks. As expected, on Government
policies, they have no say.
5.
The Addl. CLC (Central) after observing the presentations by
both sides, advised the IBA to engage our organization in the
mutual discussions, equally appealed to us not to go ahead with
the two days strike on 28th and 29th March
2022. Since the representative from Government was not present
in the proceedings, Addl. CLC adjourned the meeting to Friday,
the 25th March 2022 at 14.30 hrs.
6.
Comrades, the wolf is at the doorstep. The print media is also
circulating the names of the Banks, which in the list finalized
by Niti Aayog. Attack on jobs and jobs Security, is on the rise.
Hence,
units are advised to make all necessary preparations to make the
strike on both days successful.
With
greetings,
Yours
comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular No.2/VII/2022
March 11, 2022
To
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
TWO DAYS STRIKE ON 28TH AND 29TH MARCH
2022 ON OUR DEMANDS.
As decided in the extended office bearers’ meeting held at
Ernakulam (KOCHI) on 5th and 6th
March,2022, AIBOA shall participate in the
two days strike programme on 28th
and 29th March 2022 to pursue our demands and also
synchronising with the CTU’s thereby extending solidarity to the
striking workers.
2.
The demands are:
OPPOSING
: PRIVATISATION OF
PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS.
STOP SALE OF
IDBI TO PRIVATE PLAYERS.
DEMANDING
:
5 DAY WEEK
UPDATION OF
PENSION.
CHILD CARE
LEAVE
SCRAP NPS.
RESTORE OLD
PENSION SCHEME.
REMOVE ANOMALY IN
DA BETWEEN LIC AND BANKS.
EXTENDING
: SOLIDARITY TO CTUS OPPOSING
THE
RETROGRADE ECONOMIC
AND LABOUR POLICIES.
3. We advise our
State committees and Affiliate units to
effectively mobilise the members for their participation in the
Strike programmes.
With greetings,
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
Circular
No.1/VII/2022
March 8, 2022
To
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Dear Comrades,
EXTENDED OFFICE BEARERS’ MEETING DECIDES
TO OBSERVE TWO DAYS STRIKE
ON 28TH& 29TH OF MARCH 2022
ON OUR DEMANDS.
The extended Office bearers’ meeting convened at a short notice
was held at Ernakulam (Kerala) on the 5th & 6th
of March 2022 to decide the course of action to save and secure
the future of the younger generation who are faced with the
stark reality of joblessness in the industry.
2.
The meeting was held at Hotel
Presidency, Ernakulam North. It was
jointly presided over by Com Alok Khare, Vice Chairman and Com A
N Suresh, President of our organization. The commencement of the
meeting at 10.30 am was with a short and
sweet welcome address by the newly elected
General Secretary Com. O. Prajith Kumar, of the host unit.
3.
IN MEMORIUM: -
General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed
Forces and 12 others, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, a veteran
fighter against racism, Sri Konjeti Rosaiah, former Chief
Minister of A.P., Sri Sadanand Singh, former Minister of Bihar,
Prof.N.D.Patil, leader of Peasants and workers in Maharashtra,
Com.Upen Talukdar, former President, AITUC-Assam, Sri
C.R.Chandrasekaran, our Advocate and former President of NCBE,
Sri T.Dinakaran, Chartd.Accountants-our Auditor, Com.K.K.Nair,
former General Secretary, INBOC and Chairman UFBU,
Com.S.C.Nayak, former General Secretary, AIBOA-Odissa State
Committee, Com.R.Muthuswamy, former CC member of AIBOA [ IOBOU
],
Smt Bani Chakraborti, wife of Late Com Tarakda, Lata Mangeshkar
– famous singer, Com. K Ramakrishna Reddy – General Secretary of
Kotak Mahindra Bank Employees Union, Mr.Bappi Lahiri – Music
director, Ms.K P A C Lalitha – cine artist and Mr.Shane Warne –
Australian Cricketer,
Civilians in Nagaland. The house observed two minutes silence
to pay homage to the departed souls.
4.
On our invitation Com Binoy Viswam,
Hon MP (Rajya Sabha) was present to
provide the birds’ eye view of the whole development in the
country and the retrograde economic and labour policies pursued
by the Govt at the center. The host unit presented the growth
trajectory of AIBOA through an effective power point
presentation for the benefit of the participants. The
participants had the benefit of the history of
Nehru Trophy snake boat
race observed by the Kerala State right from 1952 to emphasis
the effect of the team work. Com Binoy was honored by Com Alok
Khare and Com A N Suresh with shawls. In his seventy minutes
address he covered the crisis slowly accumulating in various
forms affecting the livelihood of the common man of this
country. He was emphasizing that the Bank officers should stand
with the struggles for the betterment of the common man of this
great nation. In his own simple way he appealed to the
participants that Bank Officers under the banner of AIBOA,
having a patriotic duty to save the present and future, to join
in the ensuing strike announced by CTUS.
His speech was simple, appealing and aptly
convincing in content. On behalf of
our organization a memento was presented by the joint presidium
and Com R Jawahar Treasurer, AIBOA.
5.
After the lunch break of 45 minutes, 16 state
representatives and representatives of the affiliated units
presented the grass root level realities as the new generation
have joined the banking Industry hardly one decade back. The
discussion was for a period of 3 ½ hours. The house unanimously
authorized the joint presidium and the General Secretary to draw
the ways and means to finalise the approach of observing the
strike as per the majority members’ expressions. The first day’s
session concluded at 5.45 pm with an appeal to reassemble at
9.30 a.m. on 06.03.2022.
6.
As decided, second day the session commenced at 9.45 am to
transact the issues concerning organizational matters. The house
was informed of the collective decision arrived at to
observe the strike on 28th& 29th
Mar 2022 on our issues and efforts
are to be made to bring other Officers’ organizations too to
join the strike, for the betterment of the younger generations
thereby ensuring security of jobs.
7.CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE: -
Reporting by Com V Ramabhadran.
At the initiative of Com B S Ram Babu, Secretary AIBEA, a
co-ordination committee meeting was held on 03rd of
February 2022 through VC. The committee consisting of Com V
Ramabhadran as a Convenor and Com K Raghava and Com Devidas
Menon as members, participated and exchanged the views that
there is a need to re-build the relationship to get the gains of
consolidation for the benefit of the total work force in the
industry. The initiative was a baby step and broader committee
of the Principal Office Bearers of AIBOA & AIBEA, along with the
convenors are to meet again shortly to prepare the blue print
for the future course of action.
8.LEAVE
OF ABSENCE GRANTED: -
Com Dr Kumar Arvind, Com Vinod Bakshi, Com S A Sridhar, Com
Arvind. Porwal, Vice-Presidents, Com D N Trivedi and Com Vinod
Sharma, Joint Secretaries were granted leave of absence as they
have been held up due to various health and personal reasons.
9. MERGER OF UNIONS: -
Representatives of the Unions have informed the house that the
steps taken by them collectively to merge the union as a single
entity in PNB, Union Bank of India and Indian Bank for the
benefit of the participants. Wherever the counselling is
required from the central office of AIBOA, it has been decided
to extend the same so that the whole exercise should ultimately
result in absolute integration without any problems could be
concluded.
REPORTING ON BOBOU
The house was briefed about the initiatives taken by
Com.A.B.Shetty, leader of erstwhile Vijaya Bank, to narrow down
the functional and organizational differences between the office
bearers of BOBOU on 1.08.2021 participated by Com.A.N.Suresh,
President, Com.K.Raghava, Secretary and the undersigned. One of
the office bearer of BOBOU has filed a case against AIBOA also.
10.
BYE LAW AMENDMENTS: -
Com Anil Kumar, Convenor of the bye law committee, reported to
the house the broad consensus arrived at in the meeting held on
02nd March 2022 through Video Conference and assured
to submit the same to the Central Office of AIBOA within a
weeks’ time.
11.STATE
COMMITTEE CONFERENCES:
It has been decided that the state committee conferences should
be held prior to the national conference and adherence of the
provisions of the bye law should be followed. The affiliation
fee as well as the wage revision levy should be collected from
the affiliated units without any exception before holding the
State conferences.
During this period AIBOA -TNSC held its delegates' session on 23rd
October 2021 and the host unit held its conference on 8th&
9th of January 2022. AIBOA- AP & TS has decided to
hold the conference in the month of August 2022.
12.
FULFILLING THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS:
The affiliated units having collected the wage revision levy are
to necessarily remit the same without any further delay.
Wherever the units have not implemented the direction of
collection of levy should ensure implementation of the same
without any excuses. The decision taken in this regard in Nagpur
CC, subsequently reiterated in Chennai CC shall be implemented.
Com R. Jawaher, the Treasurer, presented the levy collected from
the affiliated units and shared the details of remittance to the
state committees as per the details provided by the units to
Central Office of AIBOA. The financial discipline shall have to
be strictly followed and implemented which is a pre-requisite
for the units’ participation 6tin the ensuing national
conference.
VIII NATIONAL CONFERENCE: -
The State committees of Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat and
U P have offered for holding the conference. The tentative dates
will be in the second week of November 2022. The delegate fee
for attending the conference will have to be enhanced keeping in
view the steep increase in expenses involved in holding the
conference. The secretariet shall meet within a short period to
decide the issues involved.
APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR: -
As our auditor, Mr T Dinakaran, passed away recently, the
necessity has arisen to appoint M/s M A Suriyanarayanan & Co, as
our auditor at the same remuneration. The house approved the
same unanimously.
TWO ROSES: -
The house was shared with the information about the demitting
from the assignment by Com S Lakshminarasimhan on completion of
launching of 100th issue, due to health reasons. The
problems related to renewal from RNI and penalty paid for
non-submission of the annual returns as per the requirements
were reported to the house. The reconstruction work is already
underway.
CONSTITUTION OF WAGE COMMITTEE:-
The house unanimously approved the constitution of wage
committee under the Convenorship of Com V Ramabhadran,
Secretary, AIBOA.
The following are the members of the
committee:
Com Nirmal Kumar Dutta, Joint Secretary, Com Sanjay Khan,
Secretary, Com Gaurav Goel, CC member Uttarakhand and Com
Jayakala, Joint Secretary, AIBOA KSC.
TRANSIT HOME AT VELLORE:
-
The house was appraised of the necessity of procuring a transit
house for the benefit of the banking work force for medical
treatment at Vellore, Tamilnadu. After the finalization, the
developments in this regard will be reported in due course.
FELICITATIONS TO THE CC MEMBERS:
Com.Rajiv Tamhane, Com. Rajesh Tiwari Joint Secretaries AIBOA,
Com. Krishna Kumar,(AIPNBOF),Com.V.Viswanathan(MAHARASTRA),
Com.G.Srivastava(Jharkhand), Com.P.K.Baruah (Assam),
Com.K.Srinivasa Rao (BOBOU) and Com.V.Ramabhadran Secretary were
honoured by Com.Alok Khare Vice- chairman and Com.A.N. Suresh,
President, AIBOA.
GOODWILL GESTURE OF THE HOST UNIT:-
As presented in the commencement of the session, a replica of
the snake boat race was presented to all the participants to
remind that collective work is the necessity of the time and
also a sharp reminder to all the participants for the
performance at state as well as the unit level in fulfilling the
demands of the organization.
VOTE OF THANKS: -
Prior to vote of thanks ,a recording of a melodious song sung by
Com Parvathi of KSC, recorded in a shortest time of the famous
singer Late Lata Mangeshkar was played.
Com D S Ganesan, Secretary AIBOA profusely
thanked the host unit for the excellent arrangements made to
host the important meeting at the shortest possible time.
The team work by the office bearers led by
Com M D Gopinath and Com O Prajith Kumar were duly acknowledged.
The session came to an end at 14.00 hours.
ONWARD MARCH TO THE TWO DAYS STRIKE ON 28TH& 29TH
MARCH
2022.
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
Circular
No.24/VII/2021
December
31, 2021
TO
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
2021
– A YEAR OF LESSONS LEARNT.
The
Global challenges are multiplying. Prominent amongst them
are: Pandemics, Energy crises, climate change, cyber attacks,
besides regional security threats. The economy is global;
politics are local, regional and transnational also.
The rapid return of Taliban to power in Afghanistan is a
serious to the Security. The
ongoing tussle between India and China on Border issues, the
conflict between Taiwan and China in South Sea, and Iran’s
nuclear programme drives home the point of concerns that Asia is
becoming epic centre of security risks. The new combination of
forces emerged between China, Pakistan, and Russia to extend
support to the new Afghan Government.
The emergence of QUAD (Australia, India, Japan and US)
and also an agreement to supply nuclear submarines to Australia
to change the dimensions of the conflicts with China, which is
also preparing to heap the attacks in the sea front also.
2.
Given the developments in a nutshell, the conclusions are
clear i.e. global governance institutions have weakened; there
is no regional security apparatus to secure the Asian nations;
there is no norms, set of rules and practices to ensure stable
and predictable interstate relations in Asia. The survival of
their own Governments, the new voice of nationalism and
populism, are echoed to establish their legitimacy providing no
space to arrive at workable solutions amongst the various
Nations.
3.
New Work Culture: The Global Pandemic COVID
-19 has prepared the work force to accept the Work from Home
culture. This has led to reduction of physical interactions and
dispensing with the need for face-to-face meetings. It took a
long time and also to experience the trial and error to find a
solution to the cost to disease problem.
A new digital society is emerging. Human beings are to
convert themselves as data sets.
4.
COVID -19:
The half of this year was a hit by the disease and the second
half was showing recovery path of the economy. The first wave
hit the urban India and second wave hit the hinterland.
The focus was shifted to vaccinations against the
availability of the medicines.
It started with 1.7 million jabs per day and steadily
raised to a level of 7 million. 1.29 billion Citizens have been
vaccinated so far.
5.
The recovery rate
of taxes during this year was certainly to an unexpected
level. Direct taxes, Excise duty on Petrol Diesel, custom duty
and Goods and Service Taxes have come to coffers of the
Government. The equity market boom was witnessed.
6.
The Government at
the Centre had to faces stiff resistance from the farmer’s
community against the enactment of three farm laws without
any discussion in the Parliament. 13 months struggle, 48000
charge sheets against the agitating farmers and 700 people
losing their lives coupled with the impending elections in 5
states made them to retreat from forceful implementation of
three laws. The
saying Homer has been proved i.e “The force of union
conquers all“. The
united struggle with a firm determination to reclaim the space
for a negotiation is to be acknowledged. The Government at
the Centre does not relish the voice of discontent even in the
floor of the Parliament. For
the protest made by the 12 MPs against adoption of the bill
pertaining to Insurance Sector without any discussion in the
last session, they were suspended to participate in the current session.
Even the reconciliation meeting proposed to be held
between the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was not in a proper
direction.
7.
ELECTIONS IN THE STATES:
The straight wins by the
opposition in three States is West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil
Nadu were of shock to the
ruling dispensation at the Centre. The bureaucrat who had
stood with the Government at the State was inflicted with a
punitive exercise on the last day of his service by the Centre.
Change of Guard suddenly in Karnataka and Gujarat was also
intriguing in all aspects. Equally
sudden changes of the Governors of some states are without any
serious reasons.
8.
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
IS UNDER ATTACK: The Government at the Centre announced the
new policy for Public Sector Undertakings in the first week of
this year.
IDBI, a DFI, founded in 1964 has to be handed over to
private sector during the current year. One non-life
Insurance company was proposed to be privatised along with two
public Sector Banks as proposed in the Budget. In the monsoon
session of the Parliament the bill was adopted without any
discussion to privatise all the 4 non -life Insurance Companies.
The workforce in the Banking Sector observed two days strike in March
2021 followed by in
December expecting the Banking bills would be placed for
introduction, consideration and finally adoption.
The Gen Next had responded well with total dedication and commitment much
against the expectations of the leaders. But this is a baby step
on our part. We have to learn from the Farmers’ Struggle.
The new work culture is emerging i.e. 40 hours of work,
40 weeks of work and 40 years work.
With Artificial Intelligence seeping into all spheres of work, how will
protect the jobs and Jobs Security of youth? The stark realities
are starring at us in real sense. Do we not take it seriously?
FUTURE OUT LOOK:
Effort must focus on building sustainable banking business, by
which economy can also expand. The setbacks if any to be faced
can also be countered in a proper way.
EMERGENCE
OF OMICRON HOW IT SHAPES OUR OUTLOOK
REMAINS TO
BE SEEN
IN 2022 ?
With greetings,
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY
=====================================================================================
Circular No.23/VII/2021
December
21, 2021
To:
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Dear
Comrades,
LONG
CHERISHED DREAM COMES TRUE.
ONCE
AGAIN AIBOA MAHARASTRA STATE COMMITTEE HAS DONE.
Com. Narendra Kotiawala
the then Deputy General Secretary of AIBOA, whose continuous
efforts right from December 2005 to own premises for AIBOA at
Mumbai was realized on 19th October 2020. He was
continuously straining hard to inaugurate the premises with all
seriousness to synchronize the same with the signing of the 8th
Joint Note of Officers’ wage revision at Mumbai. The Global
pandemic has become the stumbling block to complete the
renovation work in the premises.
2.
The central committee meeting of our organization was
held at Nagpur on 13th and 14th February
2021, marking the completion of forty years of purposeful
existence to serve the workforce in the Industry as well as
Customers of the Banks. The proceedings of the CC were worth
remembering. Com.Narendra was taking earnest steps to inaugurate
the office before Feb 2021.
But the icy hands
of the death had snatched the comrade 0n 13th March
2021. It was a bolt from the blue.
3.
With all environmental constraints in the City of Mumbai,
there was a meeting held on 11th December 2021 to
remember the services rendered by Com.Narendra to all of us
specifically to Mumbaikars. It was held at Corporation Bank
Employees Union, Fort, premises, where AIBOA held its meeting on
27th June 1984 after submitting the first Charter of
Demand under the leadership of Com. Prabhat Kar and
Com.P.K.Menon thethen founder President and General Secretary of
AIBOA.
4.
The meeting was conducted by the joint presidium of
Com.R.N.Patil, Chairman and com.V.Viswanathan President of the
AIBOA (MSC). On our request, Com.Nandakumar Chavan Vice
President AIBEA and President of MSBEF and Com.Vishwas Utagi,
Joint Convenor of Trade unions attended the meeting.
5.
The meeting commenced with the brief presentation by
Com.Devdas Menon, Joint General Secretary of AIBOA (MSC)
detailing the purpose of meeting. The members’ present have
paid floral tributes to Com.Narendra Kotiawala one by one. It
was followed by the rich tributes paid by Com.R.N.Patil,
Com.V.Viswanathan, Com.Nandakumar Chavan, Com.Vishwas Utagi,
Com.Patwardhan, Com.Arvind Chougule, Com.S.N.Kallur,
Com.V.Phaniraj, Com.Dhiraj and finally by the undersigned. We
have lost one of the driving forces in the state of Maharastra.
It is difficult to fill the void created by his demise.
6
CO-OPTION OF
OFFICE BEARERS: Com.Devdas
Menon has been coopted to lead the
AIBOA MSC as General Secretary. In his place Com.Francis
Menezes was elevated as Joint General Secretary. Com.Gurminder
Singh Oberoi and Com.S.N.Kallur have been coopted as Vice
Presidents. Com.V.Phaniraj has been inducted as a Secretary in
the team of Office bearers. The meeting placed on records the
appreciation to the comrades of Corporation Bank Employees Union
who had facilitated the conduct of the memorial meeting. The
session stood adjourned for lunch at 14.15hrs
7.
INAUGURATION OF THE OFFICE PREMISES:
The opening of office
premises at 602, Darshan
Building, 6th Floor, Raghunath Dadaji Lane, Near
Handloom House, Fort, Mumbai-400 001 was inaugurated at
15.45 hours by the undersigned. The function was attended by
Com. Vishwas Utagi. Visualising
the changes happening in the Industry as well as in the
Individual Bank level in providing a roof to unions, the
premises acquired by AIBOA MSC would benefit the units
functioning in the state of Maharastra / Mumbai.
As suggested in the
Secretariat of AIBOA, the new premises has been named after
Com.Narendra Kotiawala
as
NARENDRA
BHAVAN
Thus
the opening of our premises at Mumbai is added advantage on our
performance.
With greetings,
Yours comradely
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY
====================================================================================================
Circular.22/VII/2021
December 17, 2021
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE
COMMITTEES
Comrades,
HALT THE SALE OF THE NATION TO PRIVATE CORPORATES.
SAVE THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM OF THE COUNTRY.
TWO DAYS STRIKE BY THE WORKFORCE – A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
In order to achieve the disinvestment target of Rs 1,75,000
crores, the Government at the Centre has released the list of
assets to be leased out in the name of National Monetisation
Policy (NMP).
|
1 |
Roads |
26700 kms |
|
2 |
Power Transmission |
28698 ckt kms |
|
3 |
Hydel and Solar Assets |
600 mw |
|
4 |
Natural Gas Pipelines |
8154 kms |
|
5 |
Petroleum Product Pipelines |
3930 kms |
|
6 |
Ware Housing Assets |
21000000 mts |
|
7 |
Railway Stations |
400 |
|
8 |
Passenger trains |
90 |
|
9 |
Good Sheds |
265 |
|
10 |
Konkan Railway Freight Corridor |
741 kms |
|
11 |
Fibre |
286000 kms |
|
12 |
Telecom Towers |
14917 |
|
13 |
Airports |
25 |
|
14 |
Ports |
31 |
|
15 |
National Stadiums |
2 |
The rent to be received by the Government in our years will be
Rs.6,00,000 Crs.
Government will hold the assets on paper only.
2. SALE OF IDBI & TWO
PUBLIC SECTOR PRIVATISATION:
In
the current year budget, it was clearly spelt out that IDBI and
two public Sector banks will be privatized. As far as IDBI is
concerned Government at the Centre is holding 46% and LIC has
invested 51% thus 97% of the capital is held by Government and
a Public Sector Financial Institution. LIC was directed to
withdraw its 51% investment in one stroke. DIPAM has already
engaged itself to step up the sale of IDBI to private owners. It
is claimed that INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK AND CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA
are the two banks shortlisted by NITI AAYOG and forwarded to the
Finance Ministry for taking up the issues further. This is the
beginning of putting the clock back to 1969. As it had appeared
in the print media, the important functionary in the Finance
Ministry, clearly indicated in phases all the Public Sectors
banks will be taken back to the position prior to 1969.
3. SEVEN APEX LEVEL UNIONS
TOOK STEPS TO RESIST THE MOVES OF THE GOVERNMENT.
On pronouncement of the proposed bank privatization in the
budget, the entire workforce under the aegis of nine unions
observed the two days strike call on 15th and 16th
March 2021. There was no move to place the bill in the
Parliament in the monsoon session. But in the current session,
the bill to amend the Banking Laws of 1970 &1980.was listed for
introduction, consideration and adoption Still after a detailed
discussion, we were forced to observe the strike on 16th
and 17th December 2021 as the Government was not keen
in assuring that the said bills will not be taken for discussion
in the current session. Reports are highly encouraging about the
observance of Strike throughout the country. Young and Old,
seniors and Juniors, men and women have shown their total
support to the two days strike by the bankmen. Banking
activities have been brought to a grinding halt.
It is only a baby step on our part.
4.
EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER:
The farmers’ agitations stretching to 13 months period,
witnessed 700 individuals sacrificed their life and 48000 court
cases against the farmers in various high courts and ultimately
the Government has to come down and the repealed three farm laws
in the first day of the current Parliament session and committed
in writing to discuss further with the farmers’ representatives
on their demands.Collective sacrifice, conviction to achieve the
desired decisions and rock like unity have brought the relief to
the agitating farmers.
Hence our two days strike is only the baby step towards the
long journey of the struggle. Get ourselves prepared for the
same. Our struggle is for the nation building exercise and halt
the sale of the Public Assets to the private hands and Public
Sector Banks are Nation building instruments. The PSBs are to be
preserved, protected and promoted. The efforts on our part is to
prevail upon the powers that Private Sector Banks are to be
nationlised to protect the interest of the depositors, investors
and also public at large.
ALL GLORY TO UNITED MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT LINE WARRIORS OF THE
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
With revolutionary greetings to all,
Yours comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY.
Circular No.21/VII/2021
December 6, 2021
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
COMRADE SUBHASH CHANDRA NAYAK IS NO MORE.
Comrade Subhash Chandra Nayak, former General Secretary of
AIBOA(Orissa State Committee) and Central Committee Member of Our Organisation passed away today in the early hours at Apollo Hospital.
2. Born on 12th March 1949, on completion of Graduation, joined as a clerk in Central Bank of India in 1972 and promoted to officer in 1981.He was forced to opt out of the Bank on account of his transfer by the management of Central Bank of India.
3. Com.Subhash Nayak was the founder General Secretary of Orissa State Central Bank Employees union and on the formation of Orissa State Central Bank Officers union, he was the natural choice of the people to lead the officers’ movement from the front. He was the General Secretary of AIBOA (Orissa State Committee) from its foundation till 2010. Quarter Century he led the officers’ movement.
4. He was one of the respected comrades in the State for his sterling qualities. He admired by one and all in the State as well as in AIBOA.
5. AIBOA movement has lost one of the finest comrade. We share the grief of the family members and convey our heartfelt condolences to them.
AIBOA dips its banner in the memory of the departed comrade.
COM. Subhash Chandra Nayak Amar Rahe Amar rahe.
Yours in grief,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Circular No.20/VII/2021
December 1, 2021
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE OMMITTEES
Comrades,
TWO DAYS STRIKE ON 16th and 17th December 2021
RESISTANCE STEPS BY SEVEN CONSTITUENTS &
LONG DRAWN STRUGGLE IS IN THE OFFING.
The nine constituents met on 29th and 30th November 2021 through Video Conference. The first day meeting was participated by Com. V. Ramabhadran Secretary AIBOA. Second day meet was participated by the undersigned. It was decided to observe two days’ strike on 16th and 17th December 2021 opposing the proposed move of the Central Government introducing, consultations and consideration the bill pertaining to the Amendments of Banking Regulations Act 1972 and 1980.
2. All our State Committees and Affiliated units are to coordinate with the State committees and make the programmes a resounding success.
Participate enmass and prepare for a long drawn struggle against the Government,
Comrades.
The circular issued in this regard by UFBU is sent herewith.
Yours Comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY.
ENCL AS ABOVE.
==============================================================================
Circular
No.19/VII/2021
November
23, 2021
TO
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades
GOVERNMENT
ATTEMPTS TO PUT THE BANK PRIVATISATION BILL
IN
FAST FORWARD APPROACH.
SUSTAINED
STRUGGLE IS THE ONLY WAY TO REVERSE THE STEPS.
In
the current budget presented in the Parliament, it was made
known to mob of Rs1,75,000 crores through the process of
disinvestment route. Prior to the presentation, Dept .of
Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) issued a office
memorandum stating that bare minimum presence of the existing
public sector Commercial enterprises will be retained under
Government Control. The rest of them will be considered for
privatization or merger or subsidiarization with another PSE or
for closure. Followed by this announcement, one official
from the Government made an clear expression that Banking Sector
will be privatized.
2.
Massive participation in the Strike on 15th
and 16th March 2021 by the workforce was a clear
caution to the Government not to go ahead with the Financial
Sector or Public Sector Undertakings the proposed process
privatization. Selected Public Sector Banks’ Chiefs were
advised to appear before the Parliamentary Committee on Sub
Ordinate Legislation In June 2021 with details of performance
of their Banks.
3.
In
the meanwhile, it was decided by the nine constituents to
mobilize the public opinion through signature campaign by the
workforce, as it was done earlier in the case of FRDA bill,
Which
was subsequently withdrawn by the Government of India. Recently,
the print media carried a report that there is clarity on the
road map is needed in the matter of Privatisation of IDBI, IOB
and Central Bank of India. RBI yet to decide on the corporate
ownership in Indian Banks.
4.
The bill to privatise the two public sector banks is
listed for introduction, consideration and passing in the
Current session of the Parliament. Hence, preparation to conduct
a sustained struggle is the need of the hour. We have witnessed
the resistance movement launched by the farmers and the
sacrifices made by their families.
5.
We advise our
state committees and affiliated unions to prepare the workforce
in readiness to implement the organisational calls of united
movement of banking workforce in our country.
LET
US BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE.
Yours
comradely
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERALSECRETARY
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular No.18/VII/2021
November 23, 2021
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
GET READY FOR A SUSTAINED
STRUGGLE.
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF WORKERS
MEET AT DELHI.
The
CTUS and independent federations had a National
Convention at New Delhi on 11.1.2021. Our Organisation was
represented by Com. Sanjay Khan, President AIBOA-Delhi State
Committee and Secretary AIBOA in the Convention. The convention
has decided to observe two
days’ strike during the budget session against the policies
pursued by the present Government.
2.
The attacks are mounting on the working people in various
forms. The sustained of the farmers for the one year and also
sacrifices made by them during this period by them brought them
a sigh of relief partially. Such a strong resistance should be
developed by the banking workforce to withdraw their bill slated
to be tabled in the Parliament.
GET
READY FOR THE
STRUGGLE and
participate in the agitations organized by the CTUS in
the respective states
Yours Comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL
SECRETARY.
Encl:
DECLARATION – NATIONAL CONVENTION OF WORKERS
-11.11.2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF WORKERS
11TH November 2021, Jantar
Mantar, New Delhi
DECLARATION
The
National Convention of Workers being held on 11th
November 2021 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi at the initiative of
Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent sectoral
All India Federations and Associations calls upon the working
people to heighten the ongoing united struggles to the level of
resistance against the desperate pursuit of anti-worker,
anti-farmer, anti–people, pro-corporate and anti-national
destructive policies by the Govt of India which has brought the
lives and livelihood of the entire people and the country’s
economy to the brink of disaster. The Struggle now is not only
to save the rights and lives/livelihood of people but also save
the country’s economy and the entire democratic system and the
society as a whole from disaster and destruction being
engineered by the authoritarian
forces in governance with the active support of private
corporate, both domestic and foreign.
The situation has been deteriorating, from bad to
worse. Phenomenon of increasing unemployment has been
competing with faster pace of job-losses arising out of
destruction and extreme degeneration of existing employment and
livelihood-avenues, throwing not only the working people in
rural and urban areas but also the entire youth-student
generations in a situation of futureless destitution and
desperation. The earnings of
overwhelming majority of people has been pushed below the
human-survival level : during the two-three months of the second
wave of Covid in April 2021 onwards, the earnings of 23 crore
workers have been pushed down to much below the prevalent
statutory minimum wage level which has
already been below the standard for human survival.
As a consequence, intensity of hunger, that too
among the working people, has increased alarmingly, bringing
India further down to 101st
rank in Global Hunger Index out of 107 countries and our
country is trailing much behind our neighbouring countries in
that regard.
Each and every policy drive and action of the
present Govt at the centre is aimed at continuously squeezing
the human survival entitlement of the people only to benefit the
handful of private corporate, both domestic and foreign and may
be those in governance. Even health services entitlement has not
been spared by the privatization-deregulation spree of the Govt
as has been witnessed in the procession of deaths during the
pandemic, particularly during second wave when common people
died more for want of oxygen, hospital beds and medicine than
due to Covid itself. The Govt had in the initial stage thrown
the mass-vaccination also in the hands of private and market
forces, but subsequently have to retreat owing to pressure of
public opinion. Still 25% of vaccine was left for private
procurement and profiteering.
In midst of such widespread impoverishment and
hunger, pushing almost half of the populace below the
destitution level poverty line, prices of essential commodities
are skyrocketing to unbearable level. Price rise is not just
happening, it is being made to happen by the Govt’s atrocious
discriminatory taxation and other policies, only to benefit the
small big-business/trader/corporate section of society.The
prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and other fuels are
increased almost on daily basis by the present reckless taxation
regime which is having cascading impact of price rise in all
other commodities and public transport and other services.
Almost half of govt revenues are coming from taxation on fuel.
High indirect tax-rates through GST mechanism on essential daily
requirements, increasing user charges of almost all public
utilities including health, medicine, education etc are further
adding fuel to fire—all contributing to increasing intensity
of hunger and distress among the mass of the people.
Simultaneously and shamelessly enough, the Govt of
the day has been continuously lowering the corporate tax rates,
abolished wealth tax, declaring moratorium on payment of
charges/taxes payable by corporate and also moratorium on debt
repayments by the same willful defaulter corporate/big-business
community, who actually gained a fortune during this crisis
ridden pandemic period by way of increasing their wealth by more
than 40 per cent—all at the cost of misfortunes and miseries
being suffered by majority of working population. The
distribution of GDP, created by the working people only, is
brazenly discriminatory against them, with the richest 1%
cornering more than 70% of the same and lowest 50% of populace
getting less than 10%. The Govt has in fact waged a war against
the common people only to serve their corporate masters. Its
arrogant refusal to meet at least the basic human survival
requirement of the common people by way of free ration and a
bare minimum income support of Rs 7500/- per month to all
non-income-tax paying households as demanded by the joint trade
union movement, drastically curtailing MNREGA, ICDS and other
Social Security allocations on the pretext of their coffers
being empty, are all reflections of such inhuman criminality.
In the midst of this horrifying situation for the
country and the people, the Govt. at the centre has been hastily
pushing through its project of all out reckless privatization
through multi-pronged routes of all national productive assets
and PSUs including mineral resources, financial institutions
like banks and insurance, security sensitive sectors like
defence production and major Ports, petroleum and natural gas,
Railways, Airlines & Airports, Electricity, Steel,
Engineering, Highways, telecom and postal services, selling 500
coal blocks and what not. And to facilitate privatization and at
the same time to benefit the debt-defaulting corporates, the
Govt. has legalized pilferage of banks fund by them through
debt-route by enacting Insolvency Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and
further amending it which allow the debt defaulter to move free
without repayment of large part of their debt and compel the
banks to forego the amount in the name of “haircut”. It is
to be noted that the Workers involved in such cases are not
allowed any representation in the decision-making process. The
latest move is the amendment of the Bank Nationalisation Acts
for privatizing the banks in favour of the same
defaulter-corporate community, for which the Bills are going to
be introduced in the forthcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
The
audacity of privatization has gone to such heinous extent that
in its latest move, Govt has decided to handover almost all
infrastructural assets, built by public funds over past seven
and half decades, to private hands, virtually free of cost, for
making money out of the same, in lieu of its minority shares to
Govt. It is called the National Asset Monetisation Pipeline
project (NMP). Besides loss and destruction of these
infrastructural assets, this will inevitably increase the burden
on the people through reckless increase in user charges by those
private corporates for free fortuitous profit without any
investment. Can
criminality and cronyism go further ? Or should such plunder of
our national assets be allowed to happen? This process is also
taking away constitutional right of reservation in government
jobs for Dalits, tribals and other downtrodden sections of
society.
Privatisation spree is not limited to production and
services sectors alone. Through mass scale contractorisation and
outsourcing of work in most of the Govt departments and
administration, entire governance system is being planned to be
privatized. In fact the slogan of the Modi Govt for minimum
Government and Maximum Governance is being executed by
privatizing the entire government machineries and establish the
absolute grip of the corporate class on the entire
governance.The employees movement in central government and
state governments and also the municipal administrations in most
of the states are facing
this onslaught. And
the pension/social security savings of the people and employees
are not being spared from such exercise of loot by private
corporate. The Govt employees, both in central and states have
been subjected to tremendous loss through the National Pension
System (NPS). This was also made applicable to common people
through contributory mechanism. Now the entire fund with NPS,
both for the Govt employees and people are being taken out of
the supervision and regulatory control of Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA) by amending PFRDA
Act in order to put the entire NPS fund under a corporate entity
or a Society registered under Societies Act with virtually no
Govt control, thereby leaving the huge amount of pension/social
security savings of the employees and the people for boundless
speculation, endangering even the
meagre pension available under NPS. Under neoliberalism,
the spree of loot and plunder of people can go to any nefarious
extent.
In the same brazen fashion, country’s agricultural
sector, providing livelihood to more than 60% of our population
is being sought to be plundered in favour of handful of
corporates through enactment of three Farm Laws- designed for
ultimate corporate take-over of land and entire agricultural
sector. The Food security of the people is going to be a big
casualty, besides promoting essential commodity speculation to
an atrocious extent, contributing to unmanageable inflation and
price rise terribly affecting the entire population, not merely
the agricultural community which will be the first victim.
The working class movement is fully aware of this
atrocious and destructive policy regime and has been struggling
against it continuously since the very beginning. And Farmers
organizations and their joint platform have also been fighting
against these policies; and their almost year-long historic
struggle around the borders of Delhi demanding repeal of the
Farm Laws, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and enactment of
statutory MSP and other issues with simultaneous joint
agitations and actions throughout the country along with the
workers and trade unions have changed the dimension of the
united struggle of the entire people against the anti-national
destructive policy regime to a new height. The Govt has remained
arrogantly unresponsive. Farmers
struggle is going on combating all offensive by the Govt and its
agents, latest being the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur
Kheriallegedly by a Minister’s son against which the workers
and peasants of entire country have registered strong
countrywide protest. We, the workers and peasants’ movement
together, must carry forward this struggle to its logical
conclusion of decisive defeat of this retrograde policy regime,
their perpetrator corporate class and their agents in
governance. “To Save the People and Save the Nation” must be
the battle cry of our Mission India.
There are challenges before the working class
movement no doubt. But we are carrying on our united struggles
combating those challenges.
Along with the destructive authoritarian measures in
economic policy front, the Govt has been overactive in gradually
demolishing the democratic governance structure, trampling
underfoot all constitutional norms, including basic
parliamentary provisions as well. Most retrograde UAPA has been
enacted and any opposition and dissent to their policies is
sought to be suppressed by the Govt through arrests, detention
under sedition clause, and reckless abuse of CBI, ED, NIA etc,
thereby creating a
reign of terror. Simultaneously the machinations by Govt
sponsored communal divisive forces have been acting overtime to
divert peoples’ attention to non-issues and divide and
polarize the people on communal-casteist-divisive lines.
Labour Codes are enacted by way of repealing 29
existing labour laws and the Codes are aimed at completely
demolishing and altering working conditions, rights at workplace
and trade union rights in favour of the employers’ class. The
Govt. has further gone ahead in enacting Essential Defence
Service Act in further curbing and over-riding the provisions on
right to collective agitations and strikes in defence production
while empowering Govt. to extend such prohibitory curb to any
segment of industry and service on the plea of its linkage with
defence sector production. It was nothing but a design of
imposing conditions of virtual slavery on the working people to
ensure “ease of doing business” for their corporate masters,
both domestic and foreign. The rules of labour codes which have
in many cases gone further
beyond the provisions of Codes in curbing labour rights, are
being unilaterally finalized ignoring the opposition and
pointers by trade unions by the central govt and also in many
states,
In such a situation of ongoing authoritarian
machinations of the entire governance, the governance of the
economy, political system and the entire society as such,
Working People must heighten their united intervention to demand
a halt to this process of assault on lives and livelihood,
employment, alarming intensity of impoverishment and hunger,
assault on democracy and also unity of the people and thereby
save our dear nation from disaster. The Joint Platform of
Central Trade Unions have to take the frontline and decisive
role to build towering resistance to this destructive and
disastrous corporate driven regime. We have to demand from all
political parties of the nation to incorporate “protection of
right to work, living wage, free quality health and education to
all citizens and all legitimate constitutional rights” in
their political manifestos for the coming assembly elections in
2022 and for the elections scheduled for 2024 and take oath
publicly to fulfill their assurances and to support the demands
of workers, farmers and all people of the country if they come
to power. The sudden drop in petrol/diesel prices now has more
to do with debacle faced by the ruling party in the centre in
the recent by-elections than the crises faced by the people. Now
it is the turn of the ruling regime to find itself in crises in
the coming period. We have to heighten our struggle resolutely
pressing for our demands, particularly for
- Scrapping the Labour Codes;
- Repeal of Farm Laws and Electricity
(Amendment) Bill,
- No to Privatisation in any form and
scrap the NMP;
- Food and Income Support of Rs 7500 per month to
non-income tax paying households;
- Increased allocation for MNREGA and extension
of Employment guarantee Scheme to urban areas;
- Universal social security for all informal
sector workers;
- Statutory Minimum wage and social security for
Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other Scheme workers;
- Proper protection and insurance facilities for
frontline workers serving the people in the midst of
pandemic;
- Increase in public investment in agriculture,
education, health and other crucial public utilities by
taxing the rich through wealth tax etc in order to revive
and revamp the national economy;
- Reduction in Central Excise duty on petroleum
product and concrete remedial measure to arrest price rise.
Along with other demands already formulated and
being pressed for by the Joint Platform of CTUs and
Federations/Associations.
The Programme of action:
Massive Demonstration on 26th November
2021 throughout the country on the completion of one year of
last countrywide general strike against the anti-people and
anti-national policy regime and the historic Farmers March to
Delhi. Effort should be made to coordinate with the peasants’
organizations to have joint demonstration wherever possible.
State level joint convention in all the states to
plan for further joint activities including district/area level
joint conventions during November/mid-December
Joint meeting of public sector unions
Intensive and extensive joint campaign against the
policies up to the grass root level through joint meetings,
general body meetings, signature campaign and any other forms to
be decided at state level during December,2021 – January,
2022.
State/District/sector level agitations through
rallies, demonstrations, jathas, day-long dharna, multiple days
mahapadav (continuous dharna) etc to rouse the people for strike
action till Mid January 2022
Two days countrywide General Strikes during the
Budget Session of Parliament in 2022. (dates to be decided)
The National Convention calls upon the working
people and people in general to make the two days countrywide
General Strike a massive success to further heighten the ongoing
united struggle to “SAVE THE PEOPLE AND SAVE THE NATION”.
INTUC
– AITUC – HMS- CITU-AIUTUC
TUCC
– SEWA – AICCTU – LPF – UTUC
And
Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular No.16/VII/2021
August 31, 2021
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 6TH
Central Committee meeting
PEOPLES’ OWNERSHIP FOR PEOPLES’ BANKING
TAGLINE OF OUR ENSUING CONFERENCE.
The Central Committee meeting, as per the notice issued, was held at our
Tarak Institute of Banking and Trade union Research, RJS Bhavan,
Mamallapuram on 28th and 29th August 2021.
The hoisting of our organizational flag was jointly done by Com.
Alok Khare Vice Chairman and Com A.N. Suresh, President of
AIBOA, followed by the floral tributes to the legendary leader
of the Bank Employees’ movement Com. Tarakeswar Chakraborti
and also to Com. RJS the leader of our organization,
participated by all members. Thus, the commencement of the
session was set in motion.
2. JOINT
PRESIDIUM:
Com. Alok Khare, Vice Chairman, Com. A.N. Suresh
President, Com. S.A. Sridhar and Com. Arvind Porwal Vice
Presidents constituted the joint Presidium for the meeting.
3. IN
MEMORIUM:
The house observed the one minute silence in the memory
of departed leaders, comrades and also citizens:
·
Com.K.R.Gowri
Amma, Outstanding Women leaders of the Country and former
Minister of Kerala.
·
Sri.
Kalyan Singh, Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
·
Com.
Joginder Singh Doyal, prominent National leader of Youth and
farmers in Punjab.
·
Com.
C.P. Kurian Veteran TU and CPI leader of Kerala.
·
Com.
Rajen Mishra, doyen of Indian Classical Music.
·
Guru
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, Kathakali Maestro.
·
Milaka
Singh, sprinter and also Olympic medalist.
·
Hussain
Lala former football player.
·
Com.
P. Sethuraman, veteran TU Leader in Madurai.
·
Com.Ramnath
Chakraborti Militant Leader of Bank Employees In Jharkhand
·
Com.
S.R. Kulkarni, former Chairman of AIBRF.
·
Com.
K.D.Bhandari former Vice President of AIBOA.
·
Com.Narendra
Kotiawala, DGS AIBOA,
·
Com.M.R.Pandya
Joint Secretary AIBOA
·
Com.K.J.Ramakrishna
Reddy General Secretary of Kotak Mahindra Bank Employees Union.
·
Com.
K.K.Anand founder member of AIBEA in J & K.
·
Milkha
Singh – Legendary Sportsmen
·
Dilip
Kumar – Noted Film Actor
·
Bankmen
&their family members who lost their lives during Corona
pandemic.
4. CONFIRMATION
OF MINUTES:
The minutes of the 5th Central Committee
meeting which was held at Nagpur on 13th and 14th
February 2021 to celebrate completion of 40 years of purposeful
existence was presented by Com. V. Ramabhadran, Secretary AIBOA
to the house. The same was adopted by the house with an addition
of the donation of Rs 25000/-made by Kotak Mahindra Bank
Officers Association to the unorganized trust.
5. LEAVE
OF ABSENCE:
Dr. Kumar Arvind, Com. Vinod
Bakshi Vice Presidents, Com.I.Harnath, Secretary, Com.Ajoy Kumar
Routray, Com.Tapan Sarkar, Com.D.N.Trivedi, Com.Rajesh Tiwari
Joint Secretaries have sought leave of absence due to personal
and health reasons.
Com.V.P.Ponkshe, Com.Nirmal Singh Virk, Com. K.
Sathianathan, Com.M.S.Jaishankar and Com.S.K.Shengar Advisors
have expressed their inability to remain present in the meeting.
The Central Committee members from Assam, New Delhi,
Jharkhand, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, All India Federation
General Secretaries Viz; Com. Devidas Menon, Com.Sandeep
Akhouri, Krishna Kumar and Praveen Goel could not attend due to
travel restrictions in the respective States due to COVID 19 as
well as some personal commitments.
The house granted leave of absence to them.
6. DEVELOPMENTS
IN THE INDUSTRY:
The C.C. meeting noted that the observance of two days
All India Strike on 15th& 16th March, 2021,
called upon by AIBOA along with other constituents of UFBU to
oppose Government’s policies of Privatisation of Public Sector
Banks was highly successful with younger generation
participating with whole hearted enthusiasm. However, the
momentum generated could not be carried forward by observing
other decided programs mainly due to resurrection of 2nd
wave of Corona pandemic and consequent restrictions. Government
however keeps merciless persuation of its anti-people,
anti-worker, privatization agenda, manifesting in its policies.
All kinds of concessions are continued to be extended to
monopoly houses while the desired steps to support economically
weaker and downtrodden sections, generate employment and curb
rising prices have been blatantly lacking.
The house had the benefit of a brief presentation about
the attitude of the Government at the center in the matter of
handling the Farmers’ Struggles, Corporatisation of defense
sector, banning the strikes of the defense sector unions, power
sector employees’ agitation and passing the bill of
privatizing the General Insurance Corporations amid chaos in the
Parliament and Cabinet approving IPO of LIC for Government
ownership dilution were significant developments in our Country.
Parliamentary committee on Sub-Ordinate Legislation directing
the Institutional Heads of five banks to appear before them on
30th June 2021 was also reported. The fast forward
steps of the Government directing the LIC to exit from IDBI
coupled with appointment of auditors for valuation exercise was
also presented.
The matter of early clearance of already settled Family
Pension improvement and hike in NPS contribution were repeatedly
taken up by our organization in various fora.The family pension
of 30% without ceiling w.e.f. from 1.04.2021 and the NPS
contribution of 14% from the management side with effect from
11.11.2020 was finally cleared by GOI on 25th August
2021.
On up-dation of
Pension, AIBOA reiterated that the formula adopted by
Government of India in considering the Up-dation in RBI, should
be made applicable with effect from 05.03.2019 and merger at
4440 points to the Bank retirees.
AIBOA has also made its demands/suggestions to IBA
regarding improvement in Medical Insurance Scheme, Pension
updation and expeditious disposal of other issues pending at
their level.
Finally, the CC Meeting lauded the role and contribution
of our banking fraternity in keep serving the Nation and its
people in spite of all risks and hazards during Corona 2nd
wave even though the Government support was not adequately
available.
RESPONSES:
The whole spectrums of developments are interwoven with
each other i.e.Privatisation, Merger, UFBU and Co-ordination.
To involve the GENNEXT in the ongoing struggles, the
steps that are to be initiated by the units: Educate, Engage,
Encourage, Empower and Elevate. The submission
made by twenty-three speakers were converging to a single point
ie; continue the preparation to combat the attacks on the
Industry and involve the beneficiaries of the Bank
Nationalisation through various programs suitable to their area
of operations. Co-ordinated programs are also to be executed
with more seriousness.
7. UNIFICATION
OF THE AFFILIATES IN THE MERGED BANKS:
Com. R.K. Mahendru, General Secretary AIOBOA
expressed that the MOU inked on 13th June 2020 with
AIPNBOF could not be implemented so far with required emphasis
pertaining to the reorganization of the units and also
representatives. He stressed that the meeting as was scheduled
to be held after Nagpur CC should now be held on priority with
the participation of all three units. Com.Nirmal Kumar Dutta,
General Secretary UBIOEA expressed the process of
amalgamation of the three units should be taken forward at the
earliest.
Com.R.Jawaher, General Secretary IBOF explained the steps taken by the
organization right from 31.01.2021 for the amalgamation of
AIABOF with them and also the difficulties that have delayed the
completion of the exercise.
Com.D.S.Ganesan, General Secretary AIUBOSA, expressed in clear terms that the
total amalgamation of three affiliates in Union Bank,
Corporation and Andhra Bank will be completed by the first
quarter of 2022.
8.
Amendments to the Byelaws of our Organisation :
Com. Anil Kumar, Convenor of the Bye-law committee
reiterated his observation that the affiliates should strengthen
State committee with membership as well as fulfilment :of the
financial obligations in full measure. In the absence of
response to the suggestions made twice, he informed that the
units are take up the tasks as immediate and important in the
background of the ensuing the 8th Conference of our
Organisation. The committee would finalise its recommendations
in next few months.
9. CLEARANCE
OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO AIBOA:
As decided in the 5th Central Committee of
AIBOA, levy on the wage revision @2% on net of taxes should be
collected without any exception from members by the Affiliates.
Out of the 1% share to be shared between Apex organization and
state committees, the following units have so far remitted in
full.
·
Punjab
National Bank officers’ Association Kerala remitted the
collection.
·
Canara
Bank officers’ Union remitted Apex level share as well as the
State committee Share, which was sent to State committees by
AIBOA.
·
Kotak
Mahindra Bank Officers’ Association has remitted the share to
Apex and the list has been submitted of the states’ eligible
to receive their share from Central Office.
·
All
India Union Bank officers’Staff Association has remitted the
collection to Apex as well to State share.
·
Bank
of Baroda Officers’ Union has remitted amount received from
the members, as the check off system has not been restored in
the Bank due to Court Case pending for final disposal.
·
All
India State Bank of India Officers’ Coordination Committee
remitted the levy as well as the subscription.
·
Bank
of Maharashtra officers Association has paid ad-hoc amount of
levy.
·
United
Bank of India Officer Staff Association has paid a token amount
of levy.
·
Central
Bank Officers’Union, Tamil Nadu, as per the past practice
adopted by AICBOA Units in the past 2010 and 2015 remitted the
share to apex as well the share to State.
10.
Submission of Accounts for the year ended 31.12.2020.
The audited accounts for the year ended 31.12.2020 was
presented by Com.R.Jawaher, Treasurer, which was adopted
unanimously with the following sanction by the Central
Committee.
[i] The
amount shown as due from AP State Committee in the Accounts of
the purchase of the office in the joint names AIBOA and
AIBOA(AP&Telangana)State Committee treated as Donation to
the State Committee.
(ii) The
franking machine shown after depreciation of Rs 8080 has to be
written off due to the system changed to electronic one. The CC
approved the proposal unanimously.
Future Programs :
The following broad consensus
decisions have been arrived at from the inputs shared by the
participants drawn from16 state committees and 10 Affiliated
units during over fourteen hour’s discussions in two days.
1.
The struggle against the Privatisation of Banks should be vigorously
taken up by the units by involving the beneficiaries of the Bank
Nationalisation by drawing the programs at unit /State level/All
India level.
2.
The CC confirmed the steps initiated to extend whole hearted support to
All India IDBI Officers’ Association, in fighting back the
privatization move of IDBI, by Government of India.
3.
The signature campaign which is muted one to be taken up at the branch
level and the customers across the counters to be approached to
be part of our struggle.
4.
Social Media Campaign should also be taken forward to propagate our
organizational stand on Privatisation of Banks.
5.
Officers are to be advised specifically not to respond to the SMSs
received from their Administrative heads between 8.00P.M. and
8.00 A.M should not be responded as the same is meant for
personal and family purposes.
6.
The meeting of representatives of three affiliates in erstwhile OBC and
United Bank with PNB will be held in Consultation with the three
affiliates as a prioritized exercise.The contents of the MOU
drawn on 13th June 2020 will have to be kept in mind.
7.
The representatives of IBOF are to engage themselves to finalise the blue
print drawn on 31st Jan 2021 with AIABOF at the
earliest.
8.
The AIUBOSA to complete the process of amalgamation at the earliest with
our affiliates in the e-CB and e-AB and not later than
31.03.2022.
9.
The affiliates are advised to clear the financial obligations to State
Committees and also Apex level. Non- payment of levy and
subscription by affiliates shall certainly attract
organisational action as decided in the Nagpur CC.
10.
The affiliates and state committees are to consult their Central
Committee and forward their suggestions pertaining to the
Byelaws of the Organisation with specific emphasis for
strengthening of the state committees with Human as well as
financial support for effective functioning, representation in
the CC members from State Committees etc within 15 days.
11.
The office purchased in the name of AIBOA and AIBOA (MSC) shall have to
be inaugurated at the earliest and not later than the Second
week of October 2021.
12.
The induction of youth in the trade union activities by conducting a
training on trade union education, as decided in 5th
Central Committee at Nagpur, will be taken up for its
implementation after collecting the inputs from the State
committees and affiliates of the earlier exercise carried out at
Hyderabad in December 2016.
13.
The state Committees are directed to take up the assignment of holding
their state conferences in a systematic manner in consultation
with Central Office AIBOA.
14.
The venue and date of the 8th Conference of our Organisation
shall be decided by the Secretariate and in due course.
15.
The defunct coordination committee at the Apex
level has to be revived to strengthen and also to draw the plan
to repulse back the attempts of the Government at the centre of
their policies related to our industry in particular and common
people in general at the earliest possible.
VOTE OF THANKS:
Com.D.S.Ganesan, General Secretary AIBOA-Tamilnadu State Committee and
Secretary of AIBOA proposed the vote of thanks for the active
participation of the members of the Central Committee for
arriving at definite decisions for implementation.
The meeting concluded at 14.45 hrs on 29th August 2021.
Yours Comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY.
=============================================================================================
Circular No.15/VII/2021
July
19, 2021
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
53rd NATIONALISATION DAY- 19TH JULY 2021.
A DAY TO BE REMEMBERED IN THE ANNALS OF THE
HISTORY.
The Nationalisation of the Banks on the 19th July 1969 was a
turn of events in the annals of the political history of our
Nation.
2.
Looking back
to the developments, even before the independent India was born,
the Indian National Congress in its Karachi session, the
founding fathers felt the need of prioritizing the steps to be
taken by the Government was the Nationalisation of the Banking
Industry. What was the purpose? Our Industry, which pools and
collects the savings of the People and these savings, should be
available to those who need the same. As long as our Industry
was in Private sector, this philosophy was never pursued.
3.
On 19th July 1969, the fourteen nationalized banks had a
paid-up capital of Rs 28.60 crores and reserve fund amounting to
Rs 38.57 crores. The deposits with the Banks totaled Rs 2741.75
crores and had investments worth Rs 781.64 crores. Statement
made in the floor of the Parliament on 29th July 1969
by the Prime Minister was:
“The
financial stake of the shareholders of a bank is almost
negligible. The paid - up capital and the reserves constitute
hardly 2.4% of the deposits. As against a total deposit of
nearly Rs 2750 crores of these banks at the end of December 31,
1968, the paid-up capital was only Rs 28.5 crores or just a
little over one percent. The bank managements were thus
operating almost exclusively with other people’s money-”
4.
The Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG)
policy pursued by the then Government at the center and
succumbed to the market forces had to announce one Public Sector
Bank viz. New Bank of India merger with another Public Sector Bank PNB ON 6th September 1993.
5.
Reform reflection: The process of disinvestment of Government equity started from State
Bank of India in 1992-1993. The workforce was enticed to own the
shares of the Bank and they were granted loan at a cheaper rate
of Interest. Then followed OBC and the same exercise was
carefully carried by the management.
6.
Public Sector Banks are the saviors: Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Punjab
National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and the IDBI Bank Ltd
had taken over the Private Sector banks viz: Kashinath Seth Bank Ltd, Barelley Corporation
Bank, Sikkim Bank ltd, Banaras State Bank Ltd, Nedungadi Bank Ltd, Global Trust Bank, IDBI bank
ltd and United western Bank between 1995 and 2006. The common men
savings in these banks was thus secured by the Public Sector
Banks.
7.
FINANCIAL INCLUSION EXERCISE- ROLE OF PUBLIC
SECTOR BANKS:
As per the latest data available, out of 42 crores accounts under Jan
dhan Scheme, 40.75 crores accounts were opened by Public Sector
and RRBs. Rs 1.39.864 crores is the amount collected under the
above scheme. More than, half of the beneficiaries are the
women. The workforce deserved congratulations for their efforts
to make the scheme a successful one.
8.
The role of public sector banks in moving the wheels of
the economy of our nation needs no further elaboration. When the
country is saddled with the health emergency, like any other
frontline warriors (FLW), the workforce in the Bank stood the
test of the times and implemented various measures announced by
the Government from time to time. The sudden announcements of
mergers of Public Sector Banks by the Hon’ble Finance Minister
was bolt from the blue. The technological glitches occurred had
driven the customers to other financial Institutions including
Private Sector Banks. The creation of Small Banks and Payment
Banks are certainly going to be like any other private Sector
Banks. ‘Yes Bank’ bail out operation by SBI was another
example in the current period.
9.
COMPULSIONS
OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
Indian Banking System had moved into market driven competition. The
dynamics of diverse markets and consumer preferences are now
dictating the drivers of growth in business. With ever
increasing expectations of the customers for new products and
service, the Banks are forced to innovate on an ongoing basis
new product and services coupled alternative delivery channels
suiting to the needs of the customers using the state of art of
Technology. Internet is the engine for Banking growth and e
commerce shall be the preferred tool for the customers.
10.
The new challenges are: change in the composition of the workforce,
disruptive technology, burgeoning bad loans and Government’s
policy of Bank Privatization.
We hail the role played by the Public Sector during the 52 years. We are
to preserve it intact.
To Conclude:
Every problem is a challenge:
Donot seek to run away from it.
Face it with courage and faith and walk like a man.
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular
No.14/VII/2021
July
9, 2021
To
ALL
UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
DISCUSSION
ON INSURANCE BACKED HOSPITALISATION SCHEME.
IBA
has invited the constituent unions for a preliminary discussion
on the captioned subject on 8th
July,2021. The
meeting was conducted through VC. Our organization was
represented by Com. Alok Khare, Vice Chairman in the discussion. The circular
issued by the Convenor UFBU is reproduced for the information of
the officers.
Yours
comradely
/S.NAGARAJAN/
“Units and members are aware that under our
10th Bipartite Settlement/Joint Note achieved in
2015, a Group Medical Insurance Scheme has been introduced both
for the in-service employees and officers as well as for the
retired staff and these Policies have been getting renewed every
year since then. This
year’s policy also needs to be renewed from October/November,
2021. While IBA has
initiated the process for such renewal, they wanted to hold a
meeting with UFBU to elicit our views and suggestions based on
the experiences and feed back received from our unions and
members.
Accordingly, IBA convened a meeting today
through Google Meet App. All
constituent Unions of UFBU participated in the meeting.
IBA was represented by Mr. Gopal Murali Bhagat, Dy. Chief
of IBA, Mr. Brajeshwar Sharma, Sr. Advisor-HR&IR, IBA, Mr.
S.K. Kakkar outgoing Sr. Advisor, HR,
and CGM/GM-HR of PNB, BOB, Canara Bank, Union Bank of
India, Bank of India, Indian Bank and Karnataka Bank who are
members of the Sub-Committee dealing with this issue.
Initiating the discussion, the IBA informed us
that they are in the process of finalising the rates of premium
for the ensuing year based on the quotation/offer from National
Insurance Company and if there would be any increase in their
quote over the current year’s premium, they would float fresh
tender seeking quotation from all others.
In this background the IBA wanted the
viewpoints from our Unions.
From our side, the following points were raised and taken
up during the meeting.
●
The
Group Medical Insurance Scheme should be continued.
●
Accordingly
the policy should be renewed further.
●
If
possible, the renewal may be for 2 or 3 years in one go.
●
At
the time of introduction of the Scheme, it was assured that more
and more hospitals would be tied up for cashless facility.
This should be followed up with Insurance company and
TPAs and more number of hospitals should be covered by cashless
facility, particularly in smaller cities and towns so that
employees are not required to travel to bigger cities for
treatment.
●
Wherever
cashless facility is not in place in a hospital where an
employee/officer is getting admitted for treatment, then some
advance amount should be made to him/her to deposit the same
with the hospital as may be
required by the hospital concerned.
●
TPAs
have to be strengthened and TPAs should be advised to settle the
claims within a timeframe failing which, penal conditions should
be made applicable.
●
Medical
expenses reimbursement is to be treated as a welfare measure and
not as a business opportunity for the Insurance Company or TPAs.
●
Proper
information/details should be made available to the claimant
employee about the claims settled and items rejected, etc.
●
Management
should enable help desks to follow up the claims with the TPAs
for expeditious settlement.
●
Bank-level
Committees of management, TPA and Union should be set-up to take
up and resolve the issues pertaining to delay or non-settlement
of claims or disputes on claims, etc.
●
The
flexible options available under the Retirees Scheme should be
continued.
●
Premium
under Retirees scheme to be reduced by finetuning the scheme.
●
A
portion of the premium payable by the retirees should be
subsidised by the Banks under respective Staff Welfare Schemes.
●
Apex
Unions to be periodically provided details of claims settled,
Claim-settlement ratio, etc.
●
Utilisation
of Buffer amount to be made more transparent.
●
Ex-gratia
of Rs. One lac payable for major ailments should be paid
immediately on claim as delay defeats the purpose of such
ex-gratia.
●
New
types of treatments being suggested by Doctors and hospitals to
be included in the Policy for reimbursement.
●
Problems
of pending claims at the time of change of TPAs to be addressed
and resolved.
●
Tracking
system to be introduced to follow up pending claims.
●
Existing
coverage of Rs. 3 lacs/4 lacs to be revised upward.
●
In
view of present pandemic situation, special provisions like cost
of treatment during home quarantine/isolation period to be
included for reimbursement.
●
IBA
to take up with the Government for exemption of premium amount
from GST.
IBA took note of these suggestions and assured
to keep these points in mind while further processing the
renewal of the Policy. IBA
also requested us to inform them of any further suggestions to
further make the implementation of the Scheme more
employee-friendly.
Improvement
in Family Pension/NPS
: During this
meeting, we pointed out to the IBA that there is undue delay in
the approval of the agreed issues i.e.
1) improvement in Family Pension and 2) enhancing
Banks’ contribution to 14% under NPS.”
=UFBU=
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular No.13/VII/2021
June 25, 2021
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMTTEES
Comrades,
ALL
THE WRONG TURNS.
MOVES OF PROPOSED PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS/BANKS
SHOULD BE DEFEATED.
The
Government at the centre is hell bound to sell the family silver
ie Public Sector undertakings and also the Banks, to mobilise to
fill the coffers with Rs.1.75 lacs crores, by hook or by crook.
Our Nation is passing through one of the worst times in the
history of Health emergency as well as economic emergency.
2. The Banking workforce, as
Front Line Warriors(FLW), the recognition accorded by the
Parliamentary Committee, encountered precarious situations and
discharged their duties to the best of their abilities, in
carrying relief measures extended by the Government, in various
forms. During this period the number of deaths of the workforce,
was hovering round 1500, leave alone the family members affected
by the dreaded disease, which has new variant character. The
second wave is yet to be brought to rest, in the meanwhile, the
sudden development in its spread is also causing concern.
3. Industries are
struggling to perform.
The
industrial growth is faltering. Value of Index of Industrial
Production is certainly discouraging. The data rolled out by
couple of expert studies provide that the situation is not
comfortable. The migrants who had to get back to their natives
in the first wave time, there also spread has increased due to
non adherence to social distancing and other protocols specified
by the health ministry.
4. As per the information
available, a meeting of Committee of Sub-ordinate Legislation Lok Sabha, was to meet four
Institutional heads in the fourth week of April,2021, which was postponed. The points references are:
a.
Examinations
of Regulations formed under Section 19 of Banking( Acquisition
& undertakings) Act 1970
i)
The administrative/management Structure of the Bank and
its overall functioning.
ii)
The capital Structure of Banks.
5. The budget presented in the
Parliament categorically expressed privatisation of two public
sector banks and also of Insurance Company. The banks that are
not in the radar of the Government, so far are:
[1.] Bank of India, [2.] UCO Bank [3] Bank of Maharashtra, [4].Punjab
& Sind Bank, [5].Central Bank of India and [6.] Indian
Overseas Bank.
Out
of the six banks, IOB and CBI are under Prompt Corrective Action
classification of RBI, where restrictions on lending as well as
on Branch expansion have been imposed. The performance
indicators are also not promising, as per print media.
6. The huge bad loans in IDBI
Bank, owned by LIC and Government of India, to a tune of 97% of
the equity, is in the process of forced exit from the present
category. This Institution, established by the Act of Parliament
in 1964 as Developmental Financial Institution(DFI)facilitated
to provide infrastructure finance to develop the nation its
economy. But the owners are seldom bother about the legacy of
this great Institution and its contributory role. The top four
bad loan accounts constitute nearly 13500 crores out of the
total bad loan amount of Rs 50000 crores. The role of NCLT and
the IBC mechanism are not worth mentioning.
7. NCLT
FAVOURS THE DEFAULTERS AND DECISION CAUSE A BIG HOLE IN THE
BANKS PROFITABLITY: (sample study)
The
loans lent to 7 borrowers namely: 1]. Essar, [2.] Bhushan Steels, [3] Jyothi
Structures [4]. Electro
Steel, [5]. Ispat, [6.] Alok
Industries and [7]
Videocon availed a total sum of
Rs 2,21,320 crores as loan &
NCLT gave remission ranging from 94% to 23%. The total loss suffered
by banks is Rs.124184 crores ie 56% waived.
8. Punjab
and Haryana High Court’s Observations:
The
bench consisting of Hon’ble Justice Jitendra Prasad and
Hon”ble Justice Vivek Puri,observed that:
“Privatisation is not the panacea for all its ills, Public Sector
undertakings were created by Government of India to make a self
sufficient Nation.”
“ To achieve this ideal of the Constitution as wished about, by one
of the makers of this country, especially in a precarious times
that we live in, it becomes imperatives upon the administration
to safeguard such Institutions that protect the livelihood.
9. THE WAY FORWARD: The
bill, is likely to be placed, before the Parliament, in the
ensuing session. If we have collectively conducted a Public
Campaign and made the Government(NDA 1.0) to withdraw the FRDA
bill, with the same force, we should make all out efforts
to stir up the citizen’s
of the country to stand along with us to make the present rulers
to reverse their approach of selling the family silver instead
of taking severe actions against the loan defaulters. The only course available to the workforce to Save Public
Undertakings /Banks is to Struggle unitedly with the
beneficiaries of the Public Sector Banking.
10. We concentrate in our campaigns, which
is restricted due to covid-19 second wave not to get disturbed
with the print media reports appearing in different dates in
different parts of the country.
Yours Comradely
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular
No.8/VII/2021
April 19, 2021To:
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
STILL A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD
Trade unions are instruments for social
change. It has been an established fact that in the Banking
Industry,
the trade union
established in the river banks of Hooghly on 20th
April 1946, brought
tremendous changes in the Financial world. Our Nation was built
by the Public Sector undertakings ably supported by the Public
Sector Banks during the fifty-two years of consistent and
constructive cooperation to the development.
2.
The developments during the seven and half decades of the
Organizational Journey, important lessons were learnt. Failure
of private entities in the Kerala State triggered the demand for
Nationalization of Private Banks. The service conditions of the
Bank employees spread over the country were forced to be unified
before the tribunal hearing at the Financial Capital of the
Country. Judicial intervention in reduction of Pay in a Bank in
the State Bengal gave rise to a Strike Call to establish the
resistance movement and also termination of the leader and
terming the Strike Call as illegal. The State power directly
intervened to curb the right to strike. The result of the Strike
was emergence of a leader par excellence. The foreign Bank
management lost one of the best bank employee but Nation got one
of the best Parliamentarian for a decade. One of the recognized
and identified leader was Com.Prabhat
Kar. The call for the
halt of tribunalisation was demanded and achieved through
conclusion of negotiated settlement by the first bilateral
understandings between the workers’ representatives and owners
of the Private banks through IBA 0n 19th October
1966.
3.
For giving true expression of collective dissenting voice
against the unfair labour practices, Com.H.L.Parvana,
an officer by
designation was dismissed by the erstwhile private entity Punjab
National Bank. He fought very many battles to secure the
recognition for the trade unions in our Industry relentlessly.
The remarkable one was the reinstatement of the employees
numbering more than 150 in 1961 after nine years of struggles in
the tribunals. He was one who was instrumental in synchronizing
the demand of Nationalization of Banks with the political
approach of the then ruling party and the made tremendous
efforts to win the demand, the dream came true. A political
turmoil was set in motion by the timely move of the trade union.
4 . Com.H.L.Parvana,
with broad social outlook of making the banking available to
common man of this country did pilot the concept of workers
participation through appointment of Workmen Directors in the
Banks’ Board, which was made as a part of the BR Act 1972. He
was the one to sow the seed of thought process of Credit plan as
well as the development of the society to have the credit
available to lower segment of the society. The bank employees’
movement received a body blow on his untimely demise 0n 18th
April 1975. He was hardly 52 years of age.
5 .
Our Nation had the bitter experience of the Emergency in the
last week June 1975. The organization and also leaders of the
organization, who were respected by the ruling dispensation in
1969, were subjected to harassment and humiliations. As the
saying goes, TRUTH
SHALL PREVAIL, late Com.Prabhat
and Com.D.P.Chadha,
were given a clean chit by commission appointed to go into the
details of emergency excesses.
6 .
The volume of transactions handled by the Banks by human hands
was huge. The transformation exercise in the working system in
the Banks were in active consideration by the unions and Banks.
It was the leadership of Com.D.P.Chadha,
the President of AIBEA, who was the architect of introducing,
restrict use of technology through a negotiated Settlement.
7.
The much-debated issue of Cradle
to Grave, i.e.
Pension in lieu of Provident Fund., demanded by Late Com.P.K.Menon,
the then President of AIBOA was ultimately accepted by the
organization after examining the issue by two committees
appointed by AIBEA. The understanding gave rise to different
perceptions and the divided house was once again visible as that
of 1978 – Restricted DA Compensation through Boothalingam
Committee Recommendations.
8 .
The fifty years of the organization saw the attack on wages due
to mismanagement of the three banks, in the background of income
recognition norms of loans.30th November, 1996, saw
the first step of foundation of all the unions coming together
on the same platform paving way for formation of UFBU to fight
against the policy of the Liberalization, Privatizations and
Globalizations.(LPG).
9 .
The attacks unleashed by the Government at that point of time of
24 parties combinations at the centre, recommended for closures
of three banks, on account of inability to provide capital
infusion from the Central Government. The instant struggle
launched by Com.Tarakeswar
Chakraborti, the
tallest leader of the movement, was a remarkable one. Not only
halted and aborted the recommendations of CII, but also achieved
the wage revision on 14th December 1999 at the dead
of the night at Mumbai. The situation made the individual bank
wise unions to address the crisis within the Institution. One of
the best model of revival of the Bank in the current history of
Banking was Indian Bank.
10 .
Subsequent to above remarkable performance, the leadership in a
collective form added the benefit of another option of Pension
i.e. 3,30,000 were provided with the social security cover after
17 years from the first settlement, providing introduction of
upgraded technology etc. To quote:
" No matter how tall your sky scrapers,
how big your market share or how Global your Organization, when
the paradigm shifts, everyone goes back to zero. Your past
success guarantees nothing in future. Toyota put General Motors
back to Zero. Dell did it to IBM. Wal-mart did it to Sears, the
Japanese to Swiss."
11.
The current struggle against the re-privatization of Public
Sector Banks is the firm agenda of the Government at the Centre.
Hence the journey to retain the Public Sector Character a long
journey. Let us
cherish the achievements made by AIBEA in its 75 years existence
and prepare for a bitter struggle to retain the rights won and
also serve and discharge our national duty.
Yours
comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular No.6/VII/2021
March 22, 2021
To:
ALL UNITS /
STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
STRUGGLE TO CONTINUE.
SAVE NATION.
SAVE FINANCIAL SYSTEM OF THE NATION.
HALT THE MOVES OF PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS.
While congratulating the
entire community of the Workforce in our Industry for the
successful implementation of the two days strike actions on 15th
and 16th March 2021, supported by CTUs, Farmers
organisations and overwhelming the political parties inside and
outside the Parliament, the reiteration of the Hon’ble Finance
Minister in a Public Function to go ahead with the
implementation of the Budget Decision, the meeting of the
constituent unions, held at Kolkata decided unanimously decided
to escalate the resistance movement in a planned manner. The circular released is
appended :
“Meeting
of the UFBU was held at Kolkata today, in the aftermath of our
successful strike on 15th and 16th March, 2021 against the
decision of the Government to privatise public sector banks and
against the retrograde banking reforms.
Congratulations:
The meeting conveyed its congratulations and greetings to all
the constituent unions and all our members all over the country
for making the strike a massive success with unprecedented and
enthusiastic participation of the rank and file.
The meeting was appreciative of the determination
exhibited by the employees and officers manifesting their
unequivocal objection to the decision to privatise public sector
banks.
Special kudos to youngsters: The meeting
conveyed its special greetings to the younger generation of
employees and officers who turned out in large number in the
rallies and demonstrations.
Support from Trade Unions :The meeting
expressed its thankfulness to all the Central Trade Unions –
BMS, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, SEWA, LPF,
UTUC and BKS – for extending their support to our struggle.
Similarly, the meeting was thankful to Samyukt Kisan
Morcha representing 42 farmers’ organisations for their
support to the strike of UFBU.
Many sectoral trade unions of employees and officers
extended their support to our strike and the meeting conveyed
its thanks to all of them. In the insurance sector, in addition
to supporting our strike, the employees and officers of GIC and
LIC also observed strike on 17th and 18th
March against privatisation of insurance sector respectively.
Support from political parties
: The meeting was thankful to the various political parties –
Congress, DMK, AITC, Shiv Sena, NCP, YSRC, TRS, TDP, AAP,SP,
RJD, NCP, CPI, CPI-M, CPI-ML-L, VCK, and others for their
support to our struggle. Many
of their MPs also took up the issue in the Parliament on 15th
and 16thand also addressing letters to the Government
to reconsider the decision to privatise the Banks.
Successful Mass Petition and Twitter Campaign:
The meeting noted that our online Mass Petition campaign was
endorsed by more than one lakh people and our twitter campaign
was supported by more than 2,20,000 people including tweets by
many political leaders and eminent
public personalities. It was notable that our Hashtag
“BANK BACHAO DESH BACHAO” was trending at No.1 and made a
mark on that day.
Government’s attitude:
The meeting noted that despite our very successful
strike, the Government’s attitude was disappointing.
On the other hand, during the press briefing, Finance
Minister reiterated the Government’s stand to privatise the
Banks. The Finance
Minister also clarified in a reply to a question in the
Parliament that after necessary recommendations are received
from NITI Aayog, the matter would be considered by the
Alternative Mechanism and after that the Government would take a
final decision.
Hence, the
meeting came to the conclusion that our campaign and struggle
has to be further carried forward and intensified.
However, the meeting noted that so far the Government has
not come out with any specific Bill in the current Budget
Session of the Parliament to amend the existing Banking Laws to
facilitate privatisation of Banks.
Get ready for more campaigns and struggles
:In view of this, after discussions, it was felt that we must
intensify our campaign amongst the people, particularly the
beneficiaries and other sections of the people. To enable and to
solicit the support of the people, it was decided to undertake a
mass campaign of collection of supportive signatures in the
petition to Prime Minister.
It was also
decided to undertake further preparatory programmes to involve
the employees and officers to go for intermittent strikes,
prolonged strikes and also indefinite strike.
Keeping these in view, the following programmes have been decided
upon:
- Collection of 5 crore
signatures from the people in the Petition to Prime Minister
with a copy to the Hon’ble Speaker during April, May,
June, 2021.
- Organisational
meetings at all levels during April, 2021 to ensure total
membership contact.
- Mass Rallies,
Dharnas, Seminars, Workshops, etc. in all the States in
April, May and June, 2021.( to be decided in respective
States according to local convenience)
- Nationwide Strikes,
intermittent strike strikes, prolonged strikes as may be
warranted looking to developments. (Dates to be announced
later).
- Strike call at short
notice, if Government announces any decision on
privatisation of banks
Details of
campaign programmes to be undertaken in the next two months will
be given in the next circular.
Comrades, as
everyone of us will understand and appreciate, we are facing the
challenge on account of the Government’s announcement to
privatise public sector Banks.
We are opposed to privatisation of Banks and we
are convinced that privatisation is not the solution to the
problems faced by the Banks. It is imperative that we
should prepare ourselves for a prolonged and sustained struggle
and also elicit support from the people.
We call upon all our unions and members to prepare
accordingly to make our struggle a successful one.
With greetings,”
=UFBU=
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Circular
No.5/VII/2021
March 16, 2021
To:
ALL UNITS / STATE
COMMITTEES
Comrades,
WE
HAVE DONE IT ONCE AGAIN
SOLIDARITARITY
SUPPORT FLOWS
FROM
ALL- CTUS,
FEDERATIONS
IN LIC, GIC.
FARMERS'
ORGANISATIONS AND POLITICAL PARTIES.
“
Kudos to all our comrades,
colleagues and members of all our unions under UFB for the
massive response to the 2 day strike call, which has been a
stupendous success. Because
of your unity and militancy, our call for 2 Days’ Strike on 15th
and 16th instants has become a total success all over
the country. We
convey our greetings and congratulations to all our unions and
members for making the strike an overwhelming success.
As
per reports reaching us from various parts of the country, the
strike has been overwhelmingly participated by the employees and
officers. In many
centres, other stakeholders like retirees, farmers, SHG members,
students, workers joined our agitational programs. Their
disapproval of the Government’s decision to privatise the
Banks and the enthusiasm to express the same was amply clear and
visible in all the demonstrations and rallies.
Normal
banking services were paralysed and affected because of our
strike. Almost all
the Branches remained closed and shutters were down.
Clearance of cheques could not be processed.
Percentage
of employees and officers who participated in the strike was one
of the highest in the recent years.
Notably, younger employees were in the forefront of this
struggle. Our strike action has conveyed the clear signal to the
Government that all of us are opposed to privatisation of Banks.
We
are opposed to privatisation of Banks because it is retrograde,
it is not in the interest of the customers, the beneficiaries,
the general public and of course the employees and officers of
our Banks. Privatisation will only benefit the big corporate
companies who will purchase and own our Banks.
Privatisation will affect the common people and the
ordinary customers. Privatisation will impact social orientation
of our Banks. Privatisation
will also adversely affect the jobs, job security, service
conditions, reservation policy, etc.
That is why we are opposed to privatisation of public
sector Banks.
The
only ill afflicting the Banks today is the burgeoning bad loans.
Everyone knows that bulk of the bad loans is attributable
to private sector. Hence,
one does not understand as to how handling over the Banks to the
private hands will improve the efficiency of the Banks.
It
is also our experience that contributions of public sector banks
in the last five to six decades have been remarkable and
commendable. Equally
our experience with the private sector banks has been bitter.
Many of them had collapsed at regular intervals due to
mismanagement and public sector Banks had to bail them out.
Hence,
privatisation is no panacea for the problems and challenges
facing the public sector Banks.
Rather privatisation would aggravate the problem.
We
are thankful to all the Central Trade Unions who have extended
their fraternal support to our struggle.
We are thankful to farmers’ organisations, for their
support. We are also
thankful to the various sectoral trade unions who volunteered
and extended their support to our strike.
We
are thankful to all the Unions in LIC and GIC, Power Sector,
Central Government Officers, NCOA, MTNL, BSNL who not only
supported our strike but also organised solidarity
demonstrations in many centres.
We
are thankful to All India Reserve Bank Employees Association who
supported our case. We
are thankful to All India Bank Retirees Federation and other
retirees organisations who had expressed their solidarity with
our agitation.
we
are thankful to all the political parties , Congress, DMK, Shiv
Sena, Trinamool Congress, CPI, CPM, AAP, VCK and others for
their support. Their
MPs have raised our issue in the Parliament also.
Many MPs addressed letters to the Government extended
their support to our struggle and urging upon the Government to
reconsider their decision.
Comrades,
we are committed to efficient public sector banking and we are
always ready to extend our best co-operation to strengthen our
Banks. We hope that
Government would engage in meaningful dialogue with us and all
other stake-holders before proceeding further.
If
unfortunately, the Government moves further with their agenda,
we would be left with no other alternative than to further
intensify our struggle.
However,
UFBU will meet shortly to discuss and decide future course of
action.
With
greetings
=UFBU=
Yours comradely,
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL
SECRETARY
Circular
No.4/VII/2011
March 13, 2021
COM
NARENDRA KOTIAWALA AMAR RAHE,
Com. Narendra Kotiawala, Deputy General
Secretary of
our organization breathed his last yesterday at about
09.00 pm at his residence. He
had actively engaged himself after the conclusion of
our Central Committee Meeting held at Nagpur on 13th
and 14th Feb 2021 in refurbishing the
office premises at Mumbai with a focussed attention to
inaugurate the same at the earliest as a part of the
celebration of organizational activities.
2.
Com. Narendra Kotiawala joined the bank as a
clerk and rose to the level of the senior manager in
the erstwhile Oriental Bank
of Commerce. He had qualified as a Graduate with
a Specialisation in Law. He was the Director of the Bank’s Board representing our
Organisation between
2014 to 2017.
He was
also a good teacher in the training college in
Recovery Management apart from other areas of Banking
Subjects. He superannuated from Bank's service in
April 2018.
3.
Com. Narendra Kotiawala right from the
beginning evinced a keen interest in trade union
activities and trained by Late Com. J.M. Paranjpe, the
tallest of Maharastra Bank Employees’ Federation
(AIBEA). was the natural choice chosen to be closely
associated with Late Com. P.K.Menon, Late. Com.
Tarakeswar Chakraborty, Late Com.R.J.Shridharan
leaders of the trade union movement of AIBOA and
AIBEA. He
was elected as the
office-bearer in the AIBOA Team by Com.RJS in Chennai
Conference in 2011 and rose to the level of DGS, the
second in command in the organisation AIBOA. In
ALL INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, he was principal functionary and member of the negotiating team of
AIOBOA.
4.
He is known for his unflinching loyalty to
AIBOA and AIBEA, impeccable integrity in dealing with
financial matters. During his strenuous
efforts in 2005, he conducted a musical programme and
ensured a contribution of Rs. 4,00,000 to Tarak
Institute
of
Banking And
trade union Research.
5.
Our organisation, has lost
one of the best comrades of our movement. The void
created by him in AIBOA as well as in AIBOA (
Maharastra State Committee) can never be filled up. We
express our deepest condolences to the family members
and we stand with the family in the time of grief.
6.
AIBOA
dips the flag of AIBOA in the honour of the departed
Comrade Narendra Kotiawala.
COM
NARENDRA KOTIAWALA AMAR RAHE
Yours
in grief
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
|
Circular No.3/VII/2021
February 18, 2021
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
Comrades,
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH CENTRAL COMMITTEE AT NAGPUR.
DELIBRATIONS AND CELEBRATIONS – COMMENCEMENT OF 41st
YEAR.
CURTAIN RAISER OF THE 8th CONFERENCE OF OUR
ORGANISATION.
In pursuance of the decision of the office bearers’ meeting held
in the last week of November 2020, the
5th central
committee was held at Nagpur (Maharashtra), the
orange city of India, after forty years on 13th and
14th February 2021. The historic meeting presided by
the
Joint Presidium consisting of
Com. Alok Khare, Vice- Chairman, Com.A.N.Suresh President, Com. Dr
Kumar Arvind, Com.Vinod Bakshi and Com.Arvind Porwal
VicePresidents
of our organisation and held at the Hotel LEGEND INN as Chairman
of the Hotel had climbed Mount Everest in the year 1965.
2.
WELCOME ADDRESS: Com. Narendra Kotiawala, General Secretary AIBOA(MSC) and DGS
AIBOA, in his narrative style, traced the importance of the central
committee linking it to the foundation conference of AIBOA,
hosted by Eastern Maharashtra Bank Employees Association led by
late
Com. G.S.Rajput in Feb 1981.
The meeting commenced with the lighting of the lamp and floral
tributes to the founding fathers of our organisation.
3.
IN MEMORIUM:
The house observed two minutes of silence in the
memory of the following departed leaders. Comrades and citizens:
Shri.Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, former President of India, Shri.
Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister, Shri.Jaswant Singh, Former
Union Minister, Shri.Ahmed Patel Senior Congress Leader,
Shri.Tarun Gogoi, former CM of Assam, Shri.S.N.Patil Former CM
of Maharashtra, Com.Gurudas Dasgupta Veteran Leader of AITUC and
CPI, Mrs Gupta, wife of Com.Gurudas Dasgupta, Sri.Satyanarayan
Singh, Kisan Leader of Bihar, Sri.S.P.Balasubramanyam legendary
playback singer, Sri.Soumitra Chatterjee, legendary Bengal
Actor, Shri.Infra Khan film Actor, Sri.Rishi Kapoor. Film Actor,
Com.Shyamal Chakraborti Veteran CPM Leader, Com. K.Varadarajan,
Veteran TU Leader, Com.Subhash Sawant, General Secretary INBEF,
Com. V.S.Govindan Nair, TU leader of IBOF. Com.M.Dayala Babu
former Vice President AIBOA Com.Giri Srinivasa Rao, Joint
Secretary AIBOA Com.S.L.Das, former office-bearer of AIBOA
(MSC)Com. B.S.Aggithaya, Chairman CBOU, the recent tragedy at
Chamoli district, deaths of Bank employees as well as common
people including Physicians, Nurses, Health workers, Police
Personnel who became victims of COVID 19 pandemic.
4.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE: The house granted a leave of absence for the
following members of the Central Committee: 1. Com.S.A.Sridhar,
2. Com. Ajoy Routray. 3.Com.Tapan Sarkar, 4. Com.Paresh Ganguly
5. Com. P.K.Baruah, 6.Com.Nirmal Singh Virk 7.Com.V.P.Ponkshe
8. Com. M.S.Jaishankar.
5.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES:
The minutes of the 4th Central Committee
meeting which was held at Indore on 19th and 20th
October 2020 was placed before the committee by
Com.V.Ramabhadran Secretary AIBOA
and the same was adopted unanimously.
6.
ADDRESS BY GENERAL SECRETARY AIBEA: Com.C.H.Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA, after paying floral tributes to the
founding fathers of our movement, addressed the Central
Committee. In his 70 minutes address, he recalled the days of
the foundation conference attending as a volunteer compiling the
details of the participants along with Com. Alok Khare, the
recent budget announcement about Privatisation of Banks,
withdrawal of LIC and Government of India from IDBI, enhancement
of limit of FDI from49% to 74%, privatisation of one General
Insurance Company, inept handling the issues of ongoing farmers
struggles in the Capital of Our Nation, amendments to the labour
laws thereby disrespecting the views of the CTUS. He
reiterated the necessity to work together in repulsing back
attacks and offensives unleashed by the Government against the
common people of the country in general and the Financial Sector
in particular.
Holding the banner of unity together and the slogan of
Working Together works should be converted into reality are the
thrust areas to be focussed on priority. Since the CC was held synchronising with the completion of 40
years of purposeful existence of our organisation, he was
presented with a memento by the Joint Presidium.
7.
DISCUSSION ON THE ORGANISATION:
As the listed agenda on Organisation always take a
backseat due to time constraints, this time we initiated the
discussion on the Organisation and the representatives of units
were advised to present their views. By and large, the processes
are already set in motion to complete the whole exercise of
affiliated units getting unified. The meeting of representatives
of
AIOBOA and AIPNBOF
held at Panipat on 13th June 2020 and implementation
of the same in letter and spirit has to be taken forwarded.
There were virtual meetings held between the representatives of
the units in Corporation Bank, Andhra Bank and Union Bank of
India and they have decided to complete the process in
mid-September 2021. The meeting of representatives of
IBOF and AIABOF
was conducted on 31/01/2021 and a coordination committee of 14
members was constituted with a working core group of 5 with
Com.R.Jawaher as a convenor of the committee.
8.
ISSUES OF THE AFFILIATES: The approach of Government in the matter of pulling out the
process from
IDBI, the introduction of a new service condition of
Non-performance/achievement of targets to remove an officer
through a committee, the extension of working hours in
Nainital Bank
and unwillingness on the part of the management to reverse the
same despite repeated approaches by our unit, proper leaflet to
educate the
Gennext
in the Industry about the protection of Jobs, propagation through
social media, a tool and the necessity of time to reach out a
larger section of the society,
court case filed by our unit in Bank of Baroda
to challenge the APAR system and also denial of the check-off
system to our union in BOB, Bank wise
settlement secured by our unit Kotak Mahindra, CTC Employment in Banks, the
revival of the co-ordination committee at the apex level,
an
upward revision of Pension for retirees
were prominent issues by the participants.
9.
REPORTING ON WAGE REVISION:
Com.V.Ramabhadran, Secretary AIBOA and Convenor Wage Committee, presented in brief the achievement made by the collective
efforts of officers’ organisation and the role by our
organisation in uniting the whole section to secure a respectful
wage revision for officers’ fraternity. There were
specific presentations by Com.D.N.Trivedi General Secretary AIGBOA and Joint Secretary of AIBOA about the delay in implementing the
8th Joint Notes provisions in
RRBs and the attitude of the Sponsoring Banks in denying the benefits
through inordinate delays. Though there is a clear cut verdict
by the Supreme Court of India to extend the benefits to the
workforce in RRBs, still the implementation is an elusive one.
Four comrades presented their observations and sought
clarifications. The first-day session ended at 18.15 hrs.
10,
CELEBRATIONS – COMMENCEMENT OF 41ST YEAR OF AIBOA- A CURTAIN RAISER TO
8TH CONFERENCE: The second session commenced its proceedings at 09.40hrs.
Unfurling the flag of AIBOA
by Com. Debesh Bhattacharya,
former working President of AIBOA,
Com.Alok Khare Vice-chairman, and Com.A.N.Suresh President,
followed by
lighting the lamp floral tributes to the founding fathers of
this great movement culminating with the Cake cutting function
in the beautiful environment of revolutionary workers songs from
the yesteryear movies. The youngsters, Com. Goyal of Uttrakhand
State Committee honoured Com. Debesh Bhattacharya and Com.
Sachem Ahuja of Nainital Bank honoured Com.Alok Khare, Vice
Chairman AIBOA and Com. Srikant Deshpande, one of the delegate
attended the foundation Conference in 1981 by Com. Narendra
Kotiawala along with other office bearers present in the venue.
Accepting the felicitations,
Com.Debesh Bhattacharya recalled the organisational
foresightedness of AIBOA in
the matter of demanding the introduction of Pension in 1989,
thereby debarred from Negotiation with IBA subsequently got back
to negotiation by the intervention at Government level and the
call for 5 days week and regulated working hours were the
demands raised in the Silver jubilee Conference in the year 2006
at Delhi, which was partially realised in 2015.
He was overwhelmed by the conduct of the organisation in
remembering the elders.
11.
DELIBERATIONS FOLLOWED THE CELEBRATIONS:
The participants had the benefit of the clarifications related
to wage revision and the house was informed about the release of
the stagnation increments to the retirees between 1.11.2012 and
30.04.2015 as well as the benefits accrued to Ex-Servicemen.
There is a departure in the matter of the APAR system in two
banks, which is likely to be implemented in other banks too. The
members reiterating their concern on Industry as well as the
jungle law prevailing in some banks.
The best examples of adhering to the directions of the
organisation; Karnataka Bank Officers’ Organisation and All
India IDBI Officers Association.
IDBI unit has cleared the dues up to 2020 to all states as well
as to the Central office AIBOA.
AIBOA MSC PURCHASED THE OFFICE AT MUMBAI:
The house was informed about the purchase of the office at
Mumbai
in the name of AIBOA and AIBOA (MSC)
12.
BYE-LAW COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS:
The committee met at Chennai on 07.11.2019 after Indore CC
and sought suggestions from the States as well as from the
affiliates. The response was a muted one. However,
two important observations were presented by Com. Anil Kumar Convenor
Bye-Law committee.
1.Restructuring the state committees are to be made and
affiliated units are to have liaison with the state committees.
2. No let-up in the financial discipline by any unit or
person.3. Financial discipline has to be enforced.
13.
ADOPTION OF THE ACCOUNTS: The
audited accounts for the year ended 31.12.2019 was presented by
Com.R.Jawaher Treasurer,
which was adopted unanimously.
14. The resignation of Com. S.S.Shishodia Chairman was also
accepted by the Central Committee. The withdrawal of resignation
by Com.M.A.Srinivasan from the post of DGS, has been remitted to
the committee consisting of Vice Chairman, President and Dy.
Gen, Secretary. The substitution of one of the member from the
committee instead of the undersigned was made in consultation
with Com. Vice-Chairman and Com. President to uphold the dignity
of the office.
15. The broad consensus after deliberations by representatives of
the
14 State Committees and 14 affiliated units
are as under:
a. The
fight against the Privatisation of Banks
and attacks on the Financial Sector shall have to be escalated
through continuous
organisational actions as decided by the 9 constituents unions.
b. The execution of
8th Joint Note on Officers’ Wage revision was hailed
and CC recorded their appreciation for the stellar role played
by our organisation in unifying the officers’ organisations was
appreciated.
c. The units are to necessarily
collect levy from each member @2% net of taxes without fail.
d. Those
units, which have not adhered to the directions, the Secretariat
shall decide the participation of the units and also the members
in the ensuing All India Conference.
e. The
wages of RRB workforce shall be pursued with GOI
and also with NABARD.
f. The
8th Conference of AIBOA will be decided
in consultation with the
Secretariat.
g. The seamless
merger of AIOBOA and AIPNBOF
in terms of the understanding arrived at Panipat on 13th
June 2020 shall be taken forward and a meeting will be held in
the last week of February 2021 at Delhi.
h. The amendments to
bye-law provisions will be once again collected
from the State Committees and affiliated units.
i. The
management of Nainital Bank will be approached by us
to reverse their approach
on men and matters
failing which we shall be compelled to take up with the
Controller of Banking System.
k.
A training
programme of Gen Next working in the States and the affiliated
unit will be
conducted in the mid-summer at a convenient place.
l. The
financial sanctions for the enhancement of wages for the office staffs was also
presented to the House for information.
m. The secretariat has considered the
sanction of laptop on buyback
arrangement at cost of not more than Rs,80000/, as the earlier
one presented by the AIBOA (AP and Telegana State Committee) is
becoming obsolete.
n.
To strengthen the organisation for the mutual benefits of AIBOA
and AIBEA, the defunct coordination committee has to be revived.
CONCLUSION:
Com. Kamala, a CC member from Tamil Nadu took sufficient and earnest steps and helped the AIBOA (MSC) to
fix the venue at Nagpur.
The CC
recorded its heartfelt and sincere thanks to the protector of
Law and Order of the State of Maharashtra
for his timely help but for whom the 41st Foundation
Day would not have been held at NAGPUR after 40 years.
TEAM MAHARASHTRA HAS DONE IT ONCE AGAIN
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP COM. NARENDRA KOTIAWALA, General Secretary
AIBOA (MSC) and Deputy General Secretary AIBOA.
The arrangement was simply superb and worth remembering by all
participants.
The CC felicitated him for the wonderful execution of the work schedule and upholding
the high traditions of organisational discipline true to AIBOA.
Com.Naren, you have made it to happen. RED SALUTES TO ONE AND
ALL.
Yours comradely
/S.NAGARAJAN/
GENERAL SECRETARY
“
LET US FACE
THE CHALLENGES UNITEDLY”
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