ALL INDIA BANK OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION
AK Nayak Bhavan, 14, 2nd Line Beach, Chennai-600001
CIRCULAR TO UNITS 24-9-2017
Dear Comrades,
- Clarion call from National Trade Union Convention
- Fight back the anti-worker labour policies of the Government
- 3 Days continuous massive Dharna in Delhi - Nov. 9,10,11
- Prepare for INDEFINITE STRIKE by entire working class
In order to build up strong resistance to the increasing anti-work labour reform measures of the Central Government, at the initiative of all Central Trade Unions, the National Trade Union Convention has called upon enlarged mobilisation of workers to fight back these attacks and offensives. The Convention has given the call for the following programmes.
- Massive 3 DAYS DHARNA at National Capital on 9th, 10th & 11th Nov. 2017 to be attended by lakhs of workers from all over the country.
- The National Convention calls upon the working people to prepare for INDEFINITE COUNTRYWIDE STRIKE ACTION against the anti-people, anti-national activities of the Govt.
While reproducing the Declaration adopted at the Convention for wide circulation amongst our rank and file members, we call upon all Office Bearers and Central Committee members of AIBEA and AIBOA to participate in the Dharna on 9th November, 2017.
With greetings,
Yours comradely,
C.H. VENKATACHALAM S. NAGARAJAN
GENERAL SECRETARY GENERAL SECRETARY
AIBEA AIBOA
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF WORKERS
8th August 2017, Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi
Declaration
The National Convention of Workers being held today, the 8th August 2017, in Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi jointly called by the ten Central Trade Unions, in association with all independent National Federations of Workers and Employees of both Industrial and Service sectors, expresses serious concern over the deteriorating situation in the national economy due to the pro- corporate, anti-national and anti-people policies pursued by the Narendra Modi Government, grievously impacting the livelihood of the working people across the country.
This National Convention unanimously condemns in strongest terms the conspiratorial and authoritarian attack of the BJP Govt. to deprive the biggest Central Trade Union in the country, the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) from all representations in the tripartite and bipartite forums and committees, including in the international forum. This is nothing but a severe and heinous onslaught on the rights of the entire trade union movement. It will be unitedly fought back and national convention pledges for that.
The Convention notes with utter dismay that the Government has been continuing to arrogantly ignore the 12 point Charter of Demands on minimum wage, social security, workers’ status and pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatization and mass scale contractorisation etc. being jointly pursued by the entire trade union movement of the country. Despite numerous nationwide joint strike actions, the most prominent being those of 2nd September 2015 and 2nd September 2016, participated by crores of workers against the policies of the Governments, the ruling regime at the centre has been increasing onslaught on the rights and livelihood of the working people of the country. Both the organized as well as unorganized sectors are victims alike.
Unemployment situation is getting aggravated with employment generation practically turned negative even in the most labour intensive sectors. The phenomenon of closure and shut-down of industries and the forecast of huge job-loss in the IT sector is adding fuel to the fire. Price-rise of essential commodities including public transport, electricity, medicines etc is mounting pressure on daily life of the people in general leading to widening as well as deepening impoverishment. Hasty implementation of GST has added fuel to fire. Drastic cut in Government expenditure in social sector and various welfare schemes has made the conditions of workers, particularly those in unorganized sector more precarious.
The anti-labour authoritarian character of the Government is all the more evident in their refusal to implement even the consensus recommendations (in which the Government was also a party) of the successive Indian Labour Conferences in respect of equal pay and benefits for equal work for the contract workers, formulation of minimum wage on the norms agreed by 15th ILC/Supreme Court Judgment and workers status for the scheme workers viz., Anganwadi, Mid-Day-Meal and ASHA etc. Shockingly Modi Government is even refusing to implement the recent Judgments of the Supreme Court of the country on the most genuine issue of “equal wage and benefits for same work” and on EPS, 1995 on contribution and calculation of pension on actual pay and dearness allowance.
Despite opposition of all the trade unions in the country irrespective of affiliations, the Government has been aggressively pushing through its programme of pro-employer and utterly anti-worker labour law reforms which is aimed at imposing the condition of slavery on the working people. The latest onslaught is the move to evolve a ’Social Security Code’ by dismantling and demolishing the existing statutory Social Security infrastructure under Employees Provident Fund Organization, Coal Mines Provident Fund and Employees State Insurance Corporation and many others welfare statutes, abolition of welfare related cess, and usurp the huge social security fund subscribed by the workers amounting to more than Rs.20 lakh crore and make them available for the speculation in share market under the most deceptive and fraudulent camouflage of ‘universalisation of social security’.
Privatization of all strategic PSUs, including Defence Production, Public Sector Banks and Insurance and also Railways, public road transport, oil, power etc through disinvestment, strategic sale, outsourcing in favour of private sector, promoting 100 per cent FDI in many vital and strategic sectors are increasing day by day. Moreover stripping all the cash rich PSUs from the investible cash reserves are added assaults. In fact Defence Sector privatization move is actually designed to destroy manufacturing capability and Research initiatives developed by the country over last six and half decades. The worst and most dubious is the game plan to outsource more than 50 per cent products including weapons and critical equipments, so long being produced by the Ordinance establishments. Complete privatization of the Railways, step by step, are going on.
Operating private trains in the existing tracks built by Railways is being permitted. Moreover free access to railway yards, sheds and workshops for maintenance of private coaches, wagons and engines etc are being offered to private operators. Already 23 railway stations in all metro cities have been shortlisted for privatisation. Railway employees shall be worst victims of privatization in terms of job security, democratic trade union rights and protection of achievements in the areas of pay, perks, social security etc. Like Central Electricity Regulatory Authority (CERC), a Railway Development Authority (RDA) has been created. Given the sky-rocketing increase in electricity tariff by CERC, under RDA railway fare and goods freight is poised to be hiked hurting the common people and benefiting the private profiteers.
Public sector Banks are under attack through various legislative and executive measures. The ultimate target of the Government is privatization and to extend undue favour to the same private corporate crooks, whose default of paying back the loan has put the banking sector in severe difficulties. The retrenchment of contractual employees has been resorted to already in some banks.
Insurance sector is also under such attack. Legislative measures to pave the way of privatization of our major ports are also in the advanced stage. CPSUs even including the core and strategic sectors like Energy, Petroleum, Telecom, Metal, Mining, Machine Building, Road, Air and Water Transport, Port & Dock and more are under the privatization onslaught of the Government. The Convention notes that workers of these industries are fighting sectoral battle unitedly. United struggles have been launched by the workers and employees of Government Services Sector including the Scheme Workers as a whole. The Convention extends full support to these struggles.
Attempts are being made by the state governments to dismantle Public sector road transport by issuing route- permits to private parties. The central government intends to get the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2017 hastily passed in the current session of parliament which will allow wholesale privatisation of road transport. The convention while taking note of the protest action by transport workers, condemns the state govts. and central govt’s anti people and anti-worker moves in the transport sector.
The National Convention of Workers extends full solidarity to the fighting farmers in various states as well as under the Joint National Forums of Peasants’ Organizations. It is the same set of pro-corporate, pro-landlord policies which have created a severe crisis in agriculture, biggest livelihood provider in the economy leading to continuing increase in spate of suicides.
This National Convention of Workers records its strong denunciation against the communal and divisive machinations on the society being carried on with the active patronage of the Government machinery under the present polity. The peace loving secular people in the country are facing a stark situation of terror and insecurity all around. Communal forces are cultivating an atmosphere of conflicts within the society on non-issues. It is disrupting the unity of the workers and the toiling people in general, so vital to carry forward the ongoing struggles based on our 12-point Charter of Demands as detailed above. Working class must raise their strong voice of protest.
The situation before the nation is the deepening all round attack on the rights and livelihood of the working class and the toiling people in general by the private corporate friendly Government of the day. On the other hand the working class has achieved solid unity of the trade union movement and also achieved unprecedented response in the ongoing struggles including the strikes actions opposing such suicidal anti-people policies.
The task before the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and independent national federations is to further intensify the surging struggles in various sectors through a concerted united agitation and mobilization at national level to be followed by countrywide general strike action as a culmination and consolidation of all sectoral struggles. The National Convention of workers therefore adopts the following programmes:
1. To work for achieving and accelerating united struggles in all the sectors of the economy on respective demands, which has already begun
2. To Organize Block/ District/ Industrial Centres/ State level massive campaign, mobilisation and convention in preparation to central mobilization to be followed
3. Massive 3 days Dharna at National Capital on 9th, 10th & 11th Nov. 2017 to be attended by lakhs of workers from all over the country.
4. The National Convention calls upon the working people to prepare for indefinite countrywide strike action against the anti-people, anti-national activities of the Govt.
The National Convention calls upon working people across the sectors and throughout the country irrespective of affiliations to make the above programmes a total success.
INTUC AITUC HMS CITU AIUTUC
TUCC SEWA AICCTU UTUC LPF
And Independent Federations of Workers and Employees
No.126/2017 23rd September2017
To: All State Affiliates/members
Dear Friends,
Proceedings of the Central Committee meeting held at Lucknow
The Central Committee meeting of ALL INDIA UNION BANK RETIREES’ FEDERATION was hosted on 16th & 17th Sept 2017 at Lucknow by our UP Unit. The Central Committee began with an open session attended by all members of our UP Unit & CC Members from various parts of the country.
The Chairman inaugurated the session. The President placed before the gathering, information on the history of AIUBRF from the year 2000 onwards, with the struggles to create a movement for retirees, with emphasis on how different actions like raising cases of RLC and RTI could bring relief to retirees’ issues.
Guest speakers from UP State Retirees’ Federation, Dena Bank Retirees’ Association of UP State and others greeted the Session. Thereafter, members from the open session spoke on the pending issues of retirees, and particularly emphasised their anger against the increase in domiciliary premium amount, setting the tone for the Central Committee deliberations.
The General Secretary also summed up the placements made in his report and assured the members present of fruitful deliberations by the Central Committee.
The CC began debating after the General Secretary had placed the agenda. The house, after discussions, unanimously endorsed the proposal to co-opt 3 new OBs:
Shri M.K.Mundul, as Joint General Secretary, Shri L.S.Barai, as Organising Secretary, and 1 post for UP Unit, name to be proposed by them.
The house also unanimously agreed to amend clause 9 of the constitution increasing the number of CC members from a Unit from max 10 to 15.
Initiating the debates on the Report, General Secretary invited discussions on:-
- Present banking situation with some Banks entering into MOUs with Unions, the crisis of NPAs & steps being adopted by the Govt/RBI to recover dues and the threat of mergers & consolidation of Banks.
- The unilateral increase in Insurance premium for those opting for domiciliary benefits/claims.
- The approach of our Federation to UBIREMAS considering the reduction in profit & expected drop in budget allocation to Staff Welfare Fund.
On the agenda (a), after placements by members it was agreed to submit views of the Central Committee to AIBRF at its ensuing CC meeting on 7/8th Oct 17 at Ujjain, for a comprehensive outlook at the seriousness of merger of Banks, and its effect on retirees.
On the agenda (b), there was heated discussion against increase of premium for domiciliary facility quoted by M/s. K. M. Dastur Re-insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. It was unanimously resolved that protests be made by all members to concerned authorities, and other action programs be taken to convey the anger of retiree members against the increase.
On agenda (c), suggestions on improving budget & schemes for retirees under REMAS, and exploring possibility of getting relief from high premium amounts for lesser paid pensioners, were made. It was agreed to step up coordination with members of Staff Welfare Committee and ensure retirees’ views were reflected in the meetings.
Debate on other aspects of the Report was also continued and following decisions taken:
- AIUBRF should take steps to ensure Grievances Cell is established at the Central Office, for timely redressal of issues of retirees. Comprehensive demands should be made again to Bank Management, and all steps should be adopted to ensure discussion by AIUBRF with Bank Management.
- The Central Committee also debated the co-ordination with the other retirees’ organisations in Union Bank. It was felt that whatever decisions are adopted by the apex body AIBRF in this matter, should be the guidelines for AIUBRF.
- AIUBRF should write to the Bank to withdraw the instructions to recover all kind of services charges from staff pensioners’ accounts such as accepting standing instructions, ECS, processing for loan applications, exceeding number of transactions, cheque return charges etc.
- AIUBRF should ensure that the date of effect for the payment of revised Gratuity amount of Rs. 20.00 lacs should be uniform as made available to the government employees i.e. 01/01/2016.
- AIUBRF should take up the cases of denial of second option to the retirees who were otherwise eligible to opt for pension in 2010.
- AIUBRF should actively participate in all the action programs chalked out by working unions/associations in the matter of merger / consolidation of public sector banks and NPA recovery.
- AIUBRF should write to the bank to allow the spouses of the employees deceased in harness, to become member of UBIREMAS.
- AIUBRF should write to the Bank to continue to subsidize the premium of Medical Insurance to the family pensioners as had been granted in the previous year.
The Chairman of our Federation proposed Shri. Uma Maheshwaran, ex-Chairman and Shri. P. B. Raghavendra Rao, Senior Vice President of AIUBRF should be nominated as the permanent invitee to all the Central Committee meetings of AIUBRF and requested to consider the proposal favorably. The house unanimously approved the above-named senior ex office-bearers as the permanent invitees to the Central Committee of AIUBRF.
At the conclusion of the meeting it was decided the following protest sms/emails be sent to UIIC/IBA/M/s. K. M. Dastur Re-insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd.:
"The Central Committee of All India Union Bank Retirees Federation strongly protests unilateral high increase in domiciliary premium for bank retirees and demands the amount should be immediately reduced to enable continuance of much needed domiciliary reimbursement facility.”
Shri. P. B. RaghavendraRao, Chairman of the A. P. - Telangana Unit, thereafter, expressed his gratitude to the host Unit for the excellent arrangements made for conducting the Central Committee meeting. He was all praise for the volunteers from our UP Unit and said without the support of these volunteers the Central Committee would not have been held in such a fine order.
After a vote of thanks, President declared the Central Committee meeting as concluded.
Friends, let us pledge to fight with unity to achieve our legitimate demands.
With warm greetings,
No comments:
Post a Comment