CLC Advised IBA To Talk

IBA to hold wage-revision talks with unions on Jan 17-Business Line 14.01.2014

KOCHI, JAN. 13:  

The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), which represents the managements of nationalised, private and foreign banks in the country, has invited the United Forum of Bank Unions for wage negotiations on January 17, ahead of the two-day all-India bank strike beginning on January 20.

This follows the suggestion by the Central Chief Labour Commissioner, B.S. Bansariya, who held conciliation talks with the UFBU, a collective of nine bank trade unions, and the IBA. The talks were held at the Labour Ministry’s office in New Delhi on Monday.

The first round of negotiations between the IBA and UFBU will be held at the office of the IBA in Mumbai.

Sources said that at Monday’s talks, Bansariya suggested the two sides hold bilateral negotiations for a wage-revision agreement. The IBA had earlier called the unions for talks on January 29, but the unions had wanted the talks to be held before the strike.

Bansariya pointed out that the two-day strike called by UFBU would inconvenience bank customers and hurt the economy.

He urged the IBA to hold bilateral negotiations before the strike. The IBA agreed and proposed January 17 as the day for talks which the UFBU agreed to, sources said. The unions want the wage negotiation process be held in a time-bound manner, and the two sides have agreed to wrap up the process by June.

STRIKE PLAN

Asked if UFBU would call off the strike in view of Monday’s agreement on negotiations, C.H. Venkatachalam, General-Secretary, All-India Bank Employees Association, said it would not. “We will take a call on the strike based on the outcome of the January 17 talks,” he told Business Line. “If the IBA makes a satisfactory improvement on its initial offer of wage hike, we will revisit the strike call. But if the IBA disappoints us, we will certainly go ahead with the strike.”

The IBA had earlier offered a 5 per cent increase in the ‘payslip component’ which the unions had rejected outright. Since the wage-revision agreement would be in force for five years, the increase should factor in the current and future price rises as well as the increasing workload on the staff, the unions said. The wage accord will impact close to a million banking personnel.

Our  Ref:AIUBOF/DG/14/DEL/160/2013-16 DATE:13.01.2014

TO ALL AFFILIATES/MEMBERS

Dear Comrade,

We reproduce, hereunder, text of AIBOC Circular No2014/05 dated 13.01.14 presenting therein the text

of UFBU Circular no. 2014/15 for your information and circulation among our members.

QUOTE:

CONCILIATION MEETING BETWEEN IBA & UFBU CALLED BY CLC TODAY

Our members were informed that subsequent to our strike notice for 48 hours starting from 6.00 A.M.

on 20.01.2014 to 6.00 A.M. on 22.01.2014, IBA called UFBU for negotiations on 29th January, 2014 at Mumbai.

This was taken as insult by UFBU, since meeting fixed by IBA was to ridicule the strike notice given by UFBU.

The pressure was built up by the leadership of UFBU and specifically by the undersigned after liaisoning

with various authorities. We are happy that our efforts brought results as are witnessed during the discussion

held in the meeting before Chief Labour Commissioner today.

We reproduce, hereunder, text of Circular No 2014/15 of date issued by the Convenor of UFBU giving

details of the discussion for your information and necessary action.

QUOTE :

“Subsequent to issuance of Notice by UFBU for 48 Hours’ All India Bank Strike on the 20th and 21st

January 2014, the conciliation meeting was held today at New Delhi. The proceedings were conducted by Shri

B.K. Sanwariya, CLC(C). The meeting was also attended by the officials from Department of Financial Services.

IBA was represented by Shri M.V. Tanksale, Chief Executive Officer, Shri K. Unnikrishnan, Deputy Chief

Executive Officer and other officials.

The leaders of UFBU argued that the meetings are being held with much delay and there is no

seriousness on the part of IBA to conclude the bilateral discussions at the earliest. UFBU also stated that the

offer of 5% given by IBA is too low.

The representatives of IBA stated that so far five rounds of meetings were held and considering the

constraints of banking industry on account of increasing NPAs and also the rising pension cost, the affordable

offer was given by IBA.

The Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) suggested that another round of talks shall be held between

IBA and UFBU to find amicable solution and further meetings should be held at regular intervals, say

fortnightly, to settle an early wage revision. Agreeing to the suggestions made by CLC(C), the representatives

of IBA offered to hold negotiations with the representatives of UFBU on 17th January 2014. UFBU has

responded and said that it will attend the negotiation with an open mind and also conveyed that the decision

on strike will depend on the outcome of the meeting to be held on 17th January 2014.

We advise all our affiliates and members to go ahead with the agitational programmes as advised

earlier. The outcome of the proposed meeting on the 17th January 2014 will be informed in due course.

sd/-

(M.V. Murali)

CONVENOR

UNQUOTE:

With Revolutionary Greetings,

GENERAL SECRETARY

Ganesh Kumar (Facebook)

Recently i attended UFBU meeting at jantar mantar there leaders revealed that despite of crores of profit Govt agrees on 5% wage revision. IBA representative said due to NPA they are helpless. UFBU say only 20% NPA recovery can manage 35% wage revision. These 20% NPA was due to CGM DGM or upper govt relatives or big corporates like malya such loans were sanctioned under table settelement is it true if it is true shame on govt and shame on IBA ,shame on our higher authorities for there wrong deeds we are suffering........chhi...chhi.. chhi....

Manoranjan Sahay (Facebook )

If wage of the bank employees be determined by the profitability (as stated by govt.) and the govt. of India and IBA stick on that point then every banker must accept this type of decision.
Now bankers raise the question that centre and state govt. are running in deficit, almost all govt. departments are running in deficits, state and central budgets passed in state assembly or parliament is in deficit, so the salaries of all MPs, MLAs, Ministers, govt. officials must be determined in the respect of profitability of centre or state govt.
If not then why only bankers wages are determined on profitability.

T K Vidhhya Sagar (Facebook)

AS UNION HAVE GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO IBA FOR RESOLUTION OF THEIR LONG PENDING DEMANDS .BUT "IBA" IS NOT CARING , SO "IBA " AND "CENTRAL GOVT"WILL BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OCCURRED TO NATION AND INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO ESTEEMED CUSTOMERS DUE TO TWO DAY PROPOSED STRKE