The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which has given out a call for a series of strike programmes from the weekend, plans to request the Prime Minister to intervene and resolve its long-pending demands. Comprising individual unions of employees and officers, viz. AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO, the UFBU has given the call for agitational programmes including strike actions on January 31 and February 1 (two days); March 11, 12, 13 (three days) and an indefinite strike from April 1.

Advisory sent to constituent units

The UFBU has directed its constituent units to forward the representation to the Prime Minister through State Governors and District Collectors in the respective state capitals and district headquarters. Prior appointments may be taken so that a delegation of the unions can meet the Governor/District Collector and submit the representation with a request to forward the same to the Prime Minister.

The UFBU, the apex coordination body of nine trade unions of bank employees and officers, says in the representation that wages and service conditions are governed by collective bargaining and bilateral agreements. These are revised once in five years based on the demands submitted by the unions and arising out of discussions with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) that represents a body of member Banks. Accordingly, the last settlement was finalised in May 2015 to cover the term from November, 2012 to October, 2017. Hence wage revision was due from November, 2017.

Meagre offer from IBA

Keeping in mind the past experience of delay in arriving at Settlements, the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, vide their communication dated 12-1-2016, had advised all bank managements and the IBA to expedite and conclude the 11th Bipartite Wage Settlement well before November, 2017. The unions also submitted the Charter of Demands well in advance and the negotiations commenced in May, 2017 with the assurance that the settlement would be arrived at before November, 2017. Unfortunately, the IBA did not make any offer on wage increase until May, 2018 when their very meagre offer of two per cent increase was offered. After a series of discussions over the last 30 months, the IBA has improved their offer only to a hike of 12.25 per cent while even in the last settlement, the Government had cleared a hike of 15 per cent.

Prices up, workload heavier

The UFBU states that during the recent period, prices have gone up steeply and the workload on the banking workforce has also gone up enormously. Bank employees and officers are nowadays handling all the schemes of the Government and there is a lot of pressure on them in not just handling these schemes but also dealing with multitudes of customers. Hence the bank staff expect a fair and reasonable hike in wages in the current settlement. There is huge disappointment and resentment about the inadequate offer of IBA and its rigid approach to the matter. It is in this the context that the UFBU has sought the personal intervention of the Prime Minister in the matter and requested him to advice the IBA to expedite the settlement and resolve its demands favourably.

The Chief Labour Commissioner, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, had held a conciliation meeting yesterday (Monday, January 27) in New Delhi. During the conciliation, the IBA remained adamant and rigid in their attitude and hence there was no improvement in the position. In view of the above, there is no alternative before the unions, which are compelled to voice their demands through the first phase of the agitation on January 31 and February 1 (Friday and Saturday).

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