The Hindu Business Line : Talks fail; Bank staff, officers strike tomorrow

New Delhi, Jan. 23 Bank employees and officers are to strike work on January 25 as declared earlier. The conciliatory talks between the Centre, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) failed on Wednesday.

“Talks have failed and the strike stands. There was no meeting point on any of our demands,” Mr C.H.Venkatachalam, Convenor of the UFBU, told Business Line after the meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Labour Commissioner, Mr S.K. Mukhopadhyay.

It is learnt that the IBA representative had, at the meeting, made it clear that it could not agree to the union demands that they be given another opportunity to opt for pension as against provident fund.

Bank employees who did not opt for pension and instead chose provident funds as the second benefit in the mid-90s were hoping that they would get another opportunity to opt for pension. On the issue of the merger of SBI associate banks with the parent bank, both the Government and IBA representatives conveyed to the UFBU that they had nothing to comment on the matter.

On the issue of compassionate appointments, it was made clear by the IBA that it cannot go beyond the existing government guidelines for any discussions on the issue.

At the conciliatory meeting, the IBA was represented by Mr Shankarnarayanan, Chief Advisor (Personnel).

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