Unions Now Talk Of Regulated Working Hours When They Fail In Wage Hike?

ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION
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 repre

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 Feb,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.



Pannvalan Pann writes on Facebook

I want to share some important views here. When UFBU instructed the bank staff to strike work in November and December, 2014, I also participated in the strike, even though I have been strongly critical of UFBU leadership for the past 3 years. For that, many criticised me at that time. But, I had clarified that IBA being the common and bigger enemy, we must participate in the strike. But for UFBU's call, no body would participate in (any) strike. 

 Similarly, now we are all... taking UFBU to task due to the suspicion and apprehension in our minds that at the last moment, 4 days strike from 21st January may be called off. If - a big if - the strike action stands, are all of us prepared to participate in it? It is we who have been criticising, scolding and abusing UFBU for not proceeding on strike much earlier. It is we who have been persistently persuading and demanding UFBU to go on strike. 

 So, we must necessarily participate in the strike. During Freedom Struggle, all the citizens of the country forgetting their personal differences and sinking their egos, unitedly fought for freedom. Same way, it's a god given opportunity to us now. 

 If we lose this opportunity, we may lose our bargaining strength further and IBA (in collusion with the very same UFBU leadership) will take advantage of the situation and weaken us case. Then, any Trade Union worth its name in banking industry will become voiceless and powerless. Are we ready to face such a situation? Please think.