Progress In Xth Bipartite Settlement

ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ CONFEDERATION
(Registered under the Trade Unions Act 1926, Registration No.:3427/Delhi) 
           C/o Bank of India, Parliament Street Branch         PTI Building, 4, Parliament Street, New Delhi: 110001                       Phone:011-23730096 T

Circular No. 2015/18                                            Date: 18/03/2015 

TO ALL AFFILIATES / STATE UNITS / MEMBERS       

Dear Comrades, 

MEETING OF THE SUB-GROUP TO DISCUSS CHARTER OF DEMANDS OF OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATIONS HELD ON 16TH MARCH, 2015 AT MUMBAI 

The second meeting of the Sub-Group to discuss Charter of Demands of the Officers’ Association was held on 16th March, 2015, at IBA office at Mumbai. IBA was represented by Sh. Ashwani Kumar, the CMD of Dena Bank and Chairman of the Sub-Committee, Sh. Shailesh Verma, Chief General Manager, SBI, Sh. M.V. Tanksale, CEO, IBA, Sh. K. Unnikrishnan, Dy. CEO, IBA, Sh. K.S. Chauhan, Senior Vice President, IBA and other officials. AIBOC was represented by Com. Y. Sudarshan and the undersigned. General Secretaries of other three officers’ organizations also participated in the meeting. 

While welcoming the members of both sides of the Sub-Committee, Sh. M.V. Tanksale, CEO complemented them on arriving at a settlement to the satisfaction of all and expressed his desire that the signing of the final settlement should take place at the earliest. The Subcommittee Chairman, Sh. Ashwani Kumar also expressed his compliments for clinching a settlement of 15% wage hike along with two Saturdays off. 

It was informed that IBA has taken up the exercise of drafting scales as per the MOU signed on 23rd February, 2015 and discussion on the same can be taken up in the next rounds. We were also requested to give our comments on the draft insurance policy document supplied by the IBA to the Officers’ Organisations. The discussions started on the three issues discussed in the Sub-committee held on 14th January, 2015.

It was noted with satisfaction that one of the demand of Five Days Banking has been partially agreed by making second and fourth Saturdays off. IBA advised that they have already taken up the matter with Reserve Bank of India and Government of India and are waiting for completion of the formalities at their level and this part of the agreement will be implemented immediately after the notification to that effect is issued.

On the issue of Regulated Working Hours, IBA once again assured that a communication to the member banks will be sent advising them not to call officers on Sundays and holidays unless there is any specific emergency. They also assured that the matter will be taken up in the HR Committee of the IBA on the issue of compensatory off or monetary compensation for the days on which officers will be called to work on holidays in emergent circumstances.

On the third issue of Discipline and Appeal Regulations, the IBA wanted us to submit the comparative chart of the present rules in the regulations and the changes required with their justification to enable them to take an early decision on the issue. We are pleased to inform you that the comparative chart has already been submitted by AIBOC on the very next day of the Sub-committee meeting. IBA has also agreed to refer to Government of our demand of CAT for consideration of appeal / representation in case of our Disciplinary cases. 

In the matter of demands pertaining to leaves rules covered in part II of the Charter of Demand, discussion took place on increase in casual leave, treatment of unavailed  casual leave, notice period of privilege leaves, availment of unavailed casual leave without production of medical certificate, child adoption leave, special sick leave for lady officers above the age of 45 years in case of certain diseases, paternity leave, leave for sports activities, sabbatical leave, creation of leave bank.

The demand of accumulation of privilege leave up to 300 days was discussed with logical presentations. IBA also insisted that the guidelines of compulsory availment of minimum 10 days privilege leave in a year should be adhered to. IBA was positive on all our demands and assured that the issues will be taken up in the HR committee of the IBA and will be considered keeping the constraints and service conditions of Government Employees in this regard. 

On our demand of increase in lodging and boarding expenses / halting allowances, mid academic year transfer allowance, transfer of household article expenses, packing and incidental expenses at the time of transfers and other welfare activities were also discussed. 

On the issue of LTC facility, we made a demand of monetization of the facility to enable the officers to avail it in their own way, subject to income tax rules, as prevailing in Reserve Bank of India. IBA asked to submit a paper on the scheme. IBA has also agreed to revise the monetary limits of Rs. 3500/= substantially for defining the dependent. We are once again pleased to inform you that AIBOC has prepared the paper based on the LTC scheme in RBI and has submitted the paper to IBA on 17th March itself.

The demands of DA neutralization / parity in DA for those who retired prior to 01.12.2002, family pension, full encashment of leaves to those who have been compulsorily retired or resigned in the absence of voluntary retirement scheme were also taken up and IBA is positive on these demands. However, they expressed the constraints of financial implications on these issues as well as pension updation. We will continue to pursue these issues. 

Comrades, these were the initial discussions and a couple of more rounds of talks are expected before the IBA would place our demands before its HR committee. We have also submitted our expectations and suggestions on structuring of the scales and IBA has ensured to take care of these while framing new scales structure. We urge upon all our members to ignore various communications, messages and circulars shared through various sources which appear to have no stake or knowledge on the subject and seem to be taking undue advantage of the situation. Please rely upon the authentic information of our organization only.  

  With comradely greetings,    
Comradely yours,  
                                                             (HARVINDER SINGH)                      GENERAL SECRETARY

Workmen Unions Seems to Have Moved Few Inches Ahead  With Non Monetary Issues – 2nd Round of Small Committee Meetings-

By Rajesh Goyal (source allbankingsolutions.com)

Today (on 18th March, 2015),  i.e. after about 24 hours after the meeting,  AIBEA has released its circular describing the details of the issues on which discussions were held in the 2nd Round of Small Committee Meeting held on 17th March, 2015.  [For a change circular is not back dated !] :

 

What AIBEA circular Says	The Impact on the Existing Rules
Units and members are aware that our charter of demands includes demands on improvement in various service conditions apart from increase in wages. Prior to the signing of the Minutes of Discussion on 23-2-2015, there were two rounds of discussions with the IBA on these issues. Yesterday i.e., on 17.03.2015, one more round of discussions took place, during which understandings have been reached on the following issues:-  [We have re-arranged the points so that it becomes easier for analysis / discussion ]	There is no need for explanation as it gives only the background
ENCASHMENT OF LEAVE:   1)     The benefit of encashment of Privilege Leave will be available even in the cases of resignations from the Bank after 20 years of service as well on loss of job due to punishments (other than cases of punishment of Dismissal and cases where there is loss to the Bank). 2)     Privilege Leave can be accumulated upto 270 days (as against the existing ceiling of 240 days). However, encashment upto 240 days would continue as at present.	1)     This is a good development and benefit the bankers who wish to resign / who lose job due to punishment (except is given).  However, this will not allow benefit to youngsters who change job before 20 years of service.   It will have some financial implications for banks but existing rules for unjustified.   2)    Although now PL is likely to be allowed to accumulated upto 270 days but it will not benefit bankers at the time of resignation / retirement as encashment will be allowed only upto 240 days.  No additional financial burden to banks, rather some retiring bankers may forgo some leaves as these will not be encashable.   Banks are likely to gain financially from this move.

 

Leaves : 1) LEAVE: The present stipulation that Casual Leave (CL) upto 4 days can be availed continuously provided the total absence including Sundays and holidays does not exceed more than 6 days would be deleted. 2) Presently Unavailed Casual Leave (UCL) can be availed for a day without production of medical certificate. In addition UCL may be availed without production of medical certificate for 4 days at a time once in a year or 2 days at a time twice in a year. 3) Privilege Leave (PL) can be availed on 4 occasions in a year (as against 3 occasions at present). 4) 15 days' Notice would be sufficient to avail Privilege Leave (as against 30 days' notice at present). 5) Privilege Leave can be accumulated upto 270 days (as against the existing ceiling of 240 days). However, encashment upto 240 days would continue as at present.	It is good move by Banks as these were small irritants which did not allow flexibility to the bankers to avail what is due to them. They will have now much better flexibility However, there is a need for caution as small percentage of bankers who are habitual of taking leave without any concern for bank work, will misuse these and other staff members are likely to feel the pinch of the changes as such habitual offenders will flex their muscles to avail these at times when bank needs them the most. Thus, there will be need for balancing the right to leave vs work load to be suffered by other staff members on account of such misuse by small number but repeat offenders.No additional financial burden on banks on account of these flexible norms, but good for majority of the bankers.
Special Sick Leave with Salary for a maximum period of 30 days would be sanctioned to an employee while on hospitalisation for donation of kidney or any organ.	Very Good move as it will encourage people for donation of organs to the needy.
Maternity Leave / Paternity Leave : 1) Maternity Leave for legal adoption of a child would be 6 months (now 2 months) 2) The facility of Maternity Leave would also be available to a biological mother in cases where the child is born through surrogacy.3) Paternity Leave would be extended on the lines of Government employees i.e. 15 days at a time on 2 occasions.4) Part time employees would also be entitled to Maternity Leave for adoption and biological mothers5) Maternity Leave, within the overall entitlement, would be granted for 60 days (now 45 days) in the case of hysterectomy.	(1), (2), (3) and (4) are inline with the changed circumstances of the society and is a progressive move by banks as we need to amend our rules with the changes in the society norms. Paternity leave will be a boon for young staff.(5) This will give more flexibility to ever increasing young female staff.
Other Leaves : 1) Study Leave upto 2 years would be sanctioned to workmen employees as available to officers. 2) Sabbatical Leave for women employees would continue to be extended on the lines of government guidelines. 3) Sabbatical Leave for male employees would be referred to the Government for consideration. 4) Extraordinary Leave (without Pay) would be sanctioned upto a max. of 720 days during the entire service (as against the existing ceiling of 12 months). 5) Special Casual Leave for absence due to curfew would include exigencies like riots, prohibitory orders, natural calamities. 6) Special Leave for Sports activities, trekking, mountaineering, etc, would be dealt with at each Bank level.	These are again flexible norms now being allowed to the bankers who may like to avail of these facilities as per their needs.However, there is no financial burden on the banks.
INTRODUCTION OF LEAVE BANK: System of Leave Bank would be introduced by which employees can voluntarily donate a part of their entitled leave to a common pool from out of which leave with salary would be sanctioned to employees who are compelled to be on prolonged leave due to treatment of major diseases/accidents and other contingencies beyond their control and where such employees have exhausted all their leave	Excellent move as it will help the needy employees who fall ill for prolonged periods.However, Banks are likely to frame strict rules for availing leave from such a pool so that its misuse is stopped. I think UFBU may ask IBA to transfer all the PL remaining unavailed / not encashed at the time of retirement be automatically transferred to this pool. This itself create a big pool of leave as now employees will accumulate 270 PLs but encashment will be only for 240 days.
Other Issues : a) Diem Allowance: Diem Allowance payable while on travel on duty would be revised upwardly and quantum would be finalised in the next meeting. b) When employees travel on duty to another station and stay in a hotel, the room rent would be reimbursed; the eligible rates would be finalised in the next meeting. c) Transportation of goods while on transfer: An employee while on transfer from one station to another can transport his personal effects by train or road (even if the places are connected by train) upto the stipulated weights by an IBA approved Transport Operator.d) Dependents' Income Criteria: Income limit to define a dependent would be Rs. 10,000/- per month (as against the existing Rs.3,500/- p.m.)	All these are good moves and in line with the needs on account of inflation, more frequent transfers etc.
Pension for part time employees: The entire service period would be taken for arriving at eligible pension instead of pro-rata service.	Very good news for part time (senior ) employees as they will be able to get higher pension
Other Facilities : Compensation for Breakages: Compensation for losses due to breakages or damage to goods while transporting would be reimbursed as under: Existing amount on production of receipts for Clerks - Rs.1120 to be revised as Rs.1500 Existing amount on production of receipts for Substaff - Rs.745 to be revised as Rs.1000 Existing amount without production of receipts for Clerks - Rs.745 to be revised as Rs.1000 Existing amount without production of receipts for Substaff - Rs.560 to be revised as Rs.750 24) Travel on Duty/on transfer: Existing for Non-Subordinate employees 1st Class to be revised as AC 2 Tier Existing for Subordinate employees 2nd Class to be revised as AC 3 Tier	All these are good moves and in line with the needs on account of inflation, more frequent transfers etc.
Last Paras : Important issues like construction of revised Pay Scales, revised DA formula, HRA rates, Transport Pay, introduction of Grade Pay, revision of Special Pay, LFC, revision in other allowances, retirees' issues, etc. and other issues/ demands would be taken up for discussions in the subsequent rounds of meetings. Further development on these issues will be informed to members in due course.	This gives the future agenda for the meetings.

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Comments by ABS: The workmen unions seems to have been able to extract certain benefits and announce the same in their circular as compared to Officers unions who failed to finalise any issues during the 2nd Round of talks. Although, in real terms, the benefits from above developments will be limited, yet they will remove lot of irritant constraints introduced by management of banks over a period of time. Moreover, the above rules regarding various types of leave, encashment of leave etc. will be copied for officers also and the role of officers unions has become limited on these issues.

Let us hope that the final agreement is on the lines given above and there are no if and buts added to these changes.

However, workmen unions too have failed to discuss issues relating to retired bankers and clarify on the issue of mere 2% hike on Basic Pay. Bankers are awaiting for these clarifications.