UFBU yet to decide on bank strike
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) is yet to decide on observing strike from January 21 to 24 and an indefinite strike from March 19.
The UFBO comprising the AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC and NOBW had given a call for strike in the month of December to put pressure on the Indian Bank Association (IBA) for 25 per cent enhancement in their wages.
The decision to observe strike was put on hold on January 6 following the positive attitude of the IBA.
Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, UFBO representative Amrit Lal said there was a lot of resentment among the bank employees about the rigid attitude of the government regarding the demand for wage revision. The UFBU had demanded 25 per cent increase in wages and reduced their offer to 23 per cent but the IBA was adamant and had offered only an increase of 11 per cent in the wages. The employees were not satisfied with a meagre increase in wages.
He said a meeting between the representative of the IBA and the United Forum of Bank Employees was held on January 6 where the matter of wage revision was discussed. The IBA revised its offer from an increase of 11 per cent to 12.5 per cent. Thereafter, the scheduled strike of January 7 was deferred to January 21-24 and the indefinite strike from March 19.
Amrit Lal said the UFBU expected further increase in wages. Therefore, a meeting will be held to decide the future course of action. The strike has not been called off as yet, he added.
Govt banks may remain shut for 6 days if talks with govt fail-Tims of India 19.01.2015
Nainital: Those who need to make use of banking services in the next few days should go ahead immediately. Government banks across the state could remain closed for six days starting from January 21.The employees of government banks have planned a four-day strike from January 21 to January 24 in the state in case talks by Indian Bank Association in Mumbai with the government on Monday fails. The talks are to be held on the issue of implementation of the 10th pay band pending for at least two years now. If so, then, the strike will stretch on to six full days as January 25 is Sunday and January 26, Republic Day.
"Huge wage discrepancies in the wages of bank employees need serious attention but our demands went unheard for at least three years now. The statewide strike proposed on January 7 was called off by the bank unions after intervention of the IBA and Centre," said Pravin Shah, president of the Uttarakhand Bank Employees Union.
Around 1,500 branches of government banks will remain closed in the state for almost a week causing a loss running into Rs 500 crore a day. The employees of government banks are planning a four-day strike demanding to implement of 10th pay band pending for at least two years now.
Earlier, employees of government banks had gone on strike for a day on December 3, stalling transactions worth Rs 500 crore. People had to use to ATMs of government and private banks to make withdrawls.
Since 2012, as many as 16 rounds of negotiations have failed to end the stalemate reach an agreement between central government and banks, said union members. The negotiations with the central government failed to reach to an agreement acceptable to all stakeholders.
Tapping private sector, younger talent for top job at govt banks-Business Standard 19.01.2015
Like the recent appointments, this time as well, PSBs would have a non-executive chairman, giving operational responsibility to the MD and CEO
With three key public sector banks (PSBs) still headless, the government is hastening the process of appointments of their managing directors (MDs), sources have said.
As part of the process, new advertisements will be issued with varied appointment criteria. The candidate will be expected to have at least two to three years of remaining service. Applications from the private sector will be invited as well. The government will not compromise on the experience and insist the applicants have at least 10-15 years of banking experience, with four years at upper management.
Currently, the government-appointed panel needs to fill posts of MDs in three category-A banks -Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank.
The government had last month appointed R Kotees-waran and Animesh Chauhan of Bank of India and Kishore Kumar Sansi of Punjab & Sind Bank as managing directors and chief executive officers of Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Vijaya Bank, respectively.
As already reported, it has been decided that PSBs are to have a non-executive chairman, giving operational responsibility to the managing director and chief executive officer.
The post of chairman and managing director (CMD) of Bank of Baroda has been vacant since July 31, 2014 while Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank have been headless since October, 2014.
The appointments for these posts will be finalised after the candidates are interviewed by a panel headed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Raghuram Rajan.
The shortlisted names will be sent to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and subsequently to the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC). Meantime, the process for vigilance and other necessary clearances would be undertaken.
In October last year, the government had cancelled the selection of heads of six state-run banks, beside 14 executive directors (EDs), as a government-appointed panel had found irregularities in the process. These appointments had been made during the tenure of the earlier government.
Splitting of the CMD's post was suggested by RBI to the finance ministry. RBI had contended the CMDs of PSBs dominated their board of directors and separating the post of CMD would aid in empowering the board.
On December 25, a government-selected panel for appointments at PSBs conducted interviews and shortlisted 15 general managers for appointments as EDs in state-run banks.
CIRCULAR No.3/VI/2015
January 15,2015
TO
ALL UNITS / STATE COMMITTEES
.
Dear Comrades,
SUB COMMITTEE MEET ON OFFICERS' ISSUES.
While concluding the 15th round of discussions on 7th Jan,2015,it was mutually agreed to discuss the issues listed in the charter of demands of respective categories in a small committee and also the Hospitalisation Scheme. Accordingly, three committees have been formed by IBA to address the issues pending for resolution and the information was also released by IBA in this regard.
In this background, the subcommittee to address the issues of the officers met on 14th Jan,2015 at IBA office, Mumbai. IBA team was led by Shri. Ashwini Kumar, Chairman Dena Bank, Shri. V.S.Krishna Kumar, CEO Canara Bank, Shri. Shalilesh Verma, CGM, SBI, Shri. M.V.Tanksale CEO IBA, Shri.K.Unnikrishnan.Dy.CEO IBA ,besides officials of HR department of IBA.
The officers' subcommittee was led by Com.K.K.Nair,Chairman UFBU/General Secretary INBOC, Com. G.V .Manimaran, Vice President AIBOC, Dr.S.U.Deshpande,General Secretary NOBO besides the undersigned representing our organisation.
In three hours long discussions, the following issues have been taken up for a detailed presentation from our side. [1]. Discipline and Appeal Regulations- Amendments,[2]. Regulated Working Hours and [3]. 5 days working.
On Discipline and Regulations, this round of discussion is second sitting, which centered around the implementation of the earlier decisions of IBA pending with Government ie CVC jurisdiction to Board level appointees and one level below the board level appointees, time limit for the disposal of the Appeals and submission of the Appeal by the officer directly to the Appellate Authority instead of routing through Disciplinary Authority, guidelines on Revocation or continuation of suspension, classification of Misconduct, Effects of Punishments, Removal of the restriction on number of cases to be handled by Defence Assistance, extension of defence by Retired officers etc were presented by the team. A special emphasis was placed that the Accountability Policy in the matter of credit decisions should be more of officer friendly to facilitate the officers to take decisions to develop the business of the Banks. The experts engaged by the Bank ie Legal Advisers, Valuers and CAs are in one way or other instrumental in the retail advances getting into crisis in most of the Banks. Officers are to be protected from this work situation prevailing by and large in all Banks.
On Regulated working hours for officers, a detailed document supported by the communication from government of India, RBI decision to have flexi hours with 8 hours of work and IDBI circular on the captioned subject that 44 Hours of work per week was presented to the IBA team. Our presentation was more focused to evole a scientific manpower policy and also exploring the possibility of technology enabled solutions for completing day end activities at the back office. There were strong observations about the officers not staying in the headquarters and also the branch functioning on consecutive holidays by the IBA team. Our team was more emphatic for defined working hours rather than for any alternative compensatory concept to be brought in as a part of the package.
On 5 day working, it was informed by the IBA team that Chairman IBA has already taken up with Government and development in this regard will be communicated to us in due course of time. While folding up the discussions, at the end, there was an Appeal made by the CEO IBA that the proposed strike action would alone precipitate the solution to the situation. It was further informed that the proposals would be placed before HR Committee of IBA and subsequently to be placed before Management Committee for arriving at an appropriate understandings.
Comrades, we have been given to understand that there is a communication emanated from IBA addressed to the convenor UFBU, assuring to arrive at the conclusion of the present wage revision discussion on 15th Feb,2015,which was also earlier expressed by Shri. Rajeev Rishi, Chairman, Negotiating Team IBA on 7th Jan,2015. The other two sub committees are scheduled to meet on 19th Jan 2015 at 10.30am and other one at2.00 pm at Mumbai. UFBU has convened a meeting at Mumbai on 19th Jan 2015 at 5.00pm to take stock of the situation.
AIBOA stands for clinching the issue of Regulated Working Hours,5 days working, Amendments to Discipline and Appeal Regulations and Reasonable and Respectable wage increase commensurate with Risk, Responsibility, Accountability and Transferability of officers community.
Await for further communication,
Yours Comradely,
S.NAGARAJAN.
GENERAL SECRETARY.
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