Ref: 2016/572 Date: 29.10.2016
The Chairman
Indian Bank Association ( IBA )
MUMBAI
Sir,
Re: Intimation of next phase of Struggle to be launched
By AIBRF in support of the long pending demands
We request you to refer your letter no. HR&KU/GS/ 37 dated 7.4.2016 addressed to AIBRF and other letters written by IBA to the Chairman, Parliament Committee on the subject of retiree issues wherein you have stated as under:
“ As regards main issues raised by various retiree federations including your federation viz. 100 Dearness relief to pre-220 retirees w.e.f. 1-5-2005, improvement in family pension, updation of basic pension, pension option to all left over retirees, including compulsorily retired employees and resignees etc. we are in the process of collecting the latest data/ information from all Public Sector Banks as suggested by actuary to assess the cost factor and affordability of the Banks and also provisioning requirement as per AS-15(R) in this regard. On compilation of data/information received from the banks and after assessing the cost factors well as provisioning requirement as per actuarial calculations same will be put up to the Managing Committee of IBA for deliberations and further course of action.”
2. More than 7 months have passed but we yet to hear from IBA about the fate of the exercise and decision of the managing committee on them despite our follow up in the matter by written communications as well as oral requests. We have carried out nationwide agitational programmes in support of our demands during the months of May and June, 2016 which were brought to your knowledge from time to time. But we find that IBA has not shown any concern and sympathy to the senior citizens of age of 80/ 85 years on the streets and has not even bothered to advise us the status and fate of their own commitment made as above.
3. Similarly, overall attitude of IBA on group medical scheme for retirees and its very indifferent handling during last one year has also created huge anger and disappointment among the lakhs of retirees. Recent decisions to make hefty increase in premium without rationality and in violations of the terms of the policy has compelled large number of retirees to opt out of the scheme putting them simply in no situation land. It is also surprising that IBA is not ready to hold discussion with AIBRF and take initiative to arrange tripartite meetings among IBA, Insurance Company and AIBRF meetings to sort out the issues. It seems the scheme basically meant for employees who have different health related issues have been in wholesale imposed on the retirees without holding discussion with them (retirees) and understanding crucial issue of affordability of premium by many pensioners which they have to shell out the premium from their own pockets unlike employees where it is entirely borne by banks. It is unfortunate that insurance company has been allowed to charge extra to the retirees for domiciliary benefits and exempting the employees from this extra charge and this position give strong impression to the retirees that this extra premium is being charged to cross-subsidise premium chargeable to employee group. We have written detailed letter no. 570 dated 29.10.2016 on the subject to you.
4. In view of the continuous indifferent attitude of IBA, AIBRF and its lakhs of bank retirees have been forced to launch next phase of struggle in support of our demands. We request you to take note of it. Our struggle will continue till IBA holds discussion with us and find some acceptable solution on our pending issues.
With Warm Greetings,
Yours Sincerely,
( S.C.JAIN )
GENERAL SECRETARY
c.c. to P.M.O. on line
c.c. Banking Secretary, D.F.S. New Delhi
c.c. to Regional Labour Commissioner, Mumbai
ALL INDIA BANK RETIREES FEDERATION (REGD.)
( A.I.B.R.F.)
MORE THAN 1300 DELEGATES & OBSERVERS RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY AT 4TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD AT THRISSUR ( KERALA ) FROM26TH TO 28TH NOVEMBER 2015.
SLOGAN & COMMITMENT OF BANK RETIREES
“WE SHALL STRUGGLE & WE SHALL ACHIEVE”
ALL INDIA BANK RETIREES FEDERATION (REGD.)
MEORANDUM ON PENDING DEMANDS
OF BANK RETIREES
Bank retirees in the country have been agitating and struggling for last more than one decade under the banner of All India Bank Retirees’ Federation (AIBRF) which represent more than 1, 50,000 retirees from 44 banks on the following long pending demands/ issues.
In last 15 months, AIBRF delegations have met 9 Honorable Central Ministers, 60 Honorable Members of Parliament and submitted Memorandum on pending issues of bank retirees to seek their support and intervention, sent more than 25000 on line representation to the Honorable Prime Minster and organised Dharna Programmes at more than 66 centers in which more than 30000 retirees participated in support of our demands. We are happy to know that we received overwhelming response from political leaders, public, media etc for our issues. However final success is yet to come.
AIBRF has decided to continue the struggle and organise various action programmes in support of our demands during the months of November and December, 2016. We have decided to meet 300 Honorable Members of Parliament to seek their intervention and support for our issues and organise Hunger Strike at 100 centers in the country with participation of more than 1 lakh retirees in it and Massive Centralized Rally in Delhi in Feb./ March 2017. AIBRF and its membership shall continue to agitate and struggle till our demands are met and IBA hold discussion with us for this purpose.
PENDING DEMANDS
(1)100 PERCENT DEARNESS ALLOWANCE TO THOSE RETIRED BEFORE NOVEMBER 2002 ( PENDING SINCE 2005)
There are about 60,000 surviving retirees who retired before November, 2002 who get dearness allowance at much lower rate since May 2005. About 2,40,000 retirees who retired after November 2002 get dearness allowance at higher rate as per the settlement signed in 2005.
This group of retirees strongly feel that this is a sheer discrimination with them. These retirees are at the advancing age and most of them are above 70 years presently. About 40000 retirees from this group have left the world without getting benefit of uniform DA.
It may be mentioned that in the government sector and in RBI pensioner retired before November 2002 get DA at par with the pensioners retired after the above date. In government sector the principle of higher pension with advancing is followed while in banking sector it is other way round.
All India Bank Retirees’ Federation has been raising the issue on regular basis for last 10 years at various levels without any solution. During this period , two wage settlements, one in 2010 and another in 2015 have been signed in banking industry revising service conditions of employees and retirees with considerable outlay of funds without addressing this issue where outlay funds is very nominal.
In the settlement dated 25.05.2015, Indian Bank Association which handles wage settlements in banking industry has come out with the assurance in the document known as Record Note dated 25.05.2015 that it would consider this demand on humanitarian grounds after completing the cost study on this demand. Even after lapse of one year, IBA informs that exercise of cost study is still not completed and it remains unresolved.
(2) IMPROVEMENT IN FAMILY PENSION
In banks, on death of the pensioners, family pension is paid at the rate of 15 percent of last pay drawn while in government sector it is 30 percent of last pay drawn. Recently RBI has also enhanced family pension to 30 percent for its pensioners.
Because of very low ratio of family pension in the Banking Industry, amount of family pension comes down to almost one third of the normal pension on the death of the pensioner. It becomes highly difficult for the spouses who happen to be ladies in 98 percent cases to manage the life.
Therefore AIBRF have been pleading with IBA/ Government to increase at par with the government sector / RBI to ensure dignified life to the family after death of pensioners
(3)UPDATION OF BASIC PENSION TO PAST RETIREES.
Pension scheme in the banking industry on the lines of pension scheme applicable to the central government employees was introduced in the year 1995.
More than 20 years have gone since introduction of pension scheme in banks. During this period 5 wage settlements have been signed giving good increase to the employees in their emoluments. Periodical increase in salaries during last 5 settlements has given increase in pension also to those employees who retired after the settlements.
But no increase in basic pension has been considered for the past retirees while signing the wage settlements for employees during last 20 years.
This situation has created huge gap in the pension of those retired 10 years or more before and those retiring now. In some case the gap is more than 3 times.
AIBRF has been representing to the government and IBA for quite some time that updation exercise need to be carried out for bank pensioners to draw fair and just balancing and fine tuning between pensions of those retired in the past those retiring now.
(4) PENSION OPTION TO LEFT OVER RETIREES
Banks had given one more pension option to the left over employees and past retirees in the year 2010 to enable them to join the pension scheme since they could not exercise pension option originally in the year 1995.
Today almost 98 percent of bank employees and retirees are the pensioners. But while implementing the pension scheme in 2010, banks did not allow pension option to two categories of past retirees (a) Resignees (b) Compulsorily Retired employees.
AIBRF want that pension option should be given to the left over retirees whose number is very small to provide them time tested social security at the advancing age of life.
(5) IBA MUST HOLD DISCUSSION WITH AIBRF
Indian Bank Association has been refusing to hold discussion/ consultation on retiree issues with AIBRF which represent more than 1.5 lakhs retirees in the name of specific mandate from bank managements.
AIBRF wants that periodical discussion should be held with the retirees to ensure speedy disposal of retiree grievances and to create harmonious and cordial relationship with the fast growing community of bank retirees.
OTHER DEMANDS OF RETIREES
AIBRF has also been pursuing the following pending issues for early settlement
(1)One more pension option to all the leftover retirees including Resignees and compulsory retired employees
(2) Settlement of pension related issues of retirees of foreign, private sector banks and RRBs who are members of IBA
(3) Setting up of proper and effective Grievance Redressal Mechanism for retirees at the industry level
(4) Strengthening of Grievance Redressal Mechanism introduced in 2009 at bank level
(5) IBA should ensure that insurance company fulfills its commitment for reimbursement of domiciliary expenses to the retirees under group medi-claim policy.
(6) Speedy settlement of all pending legal cases of retirees through discussion with the individuals/ retiree organisations as per the National Litigation Policy of the Government
(7) Uniform allocation of funds for retirees from staff welfare funds.
(8) IBA should ask private banks to implement all decisions taken on pension at the industry level.
FUND POSITION OF PENSION FUNDS IN BANKING INDUSTRY
It may be pointed that fund position of pension funds in the banking industry is quite healthy and is increasing year after year after meeting payment liability of the pensioners. We enclose sheet giving positions of pension funds of public sector banks.
We request the Government / Indian Bank Association/ Bank Managements to settle the above demands at the earliest and hold discussion with AIBRF.
SD/-
(D.A.MASDEKAR)
CHAIRMAN
,
SD/-
(S.M.DESHPANDE) ( S.C.JAIN )
PRESIDENT GENERAL SECRETARY
OFFICE BEARERS & CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AND
1, 50,000 PRIMARY MEMBERS
ALL INDIA BANK RETIREES FEDERATION (Regd.)
(A.I.B.R.F.)
No comments:
Post a Comment