National Convenor,
United Forum of Bank Unions
Dear sir,
As the facts stand, nothing goes well at UFBU. One of your major constituents, AIBOC walked out in actions, be it 21st Dec.18 strike or 4th Feb., 2019 Dharna at Jantar- Mantar, New Delhi or Memorandum of the sort to Sri Rahul Gandhi by Soumya Datta on following day with nice snap on social media.
Having heard his media clip, banking fraternity was aghast to see, how the UFBU or its other constituents were tried to be surpassed, side tracked, suppressed and put under shadow. Till then differences were only guessed, but on 4th it was given vent in eloquent proportions. That made me make a public Comment on 6th, after two days, with due diligence & application of mind, as banking fraternity at large was badly put to confusion, shock & disappointment particularly at a juncture when their wages and service conditions are under recast process. The Comment evoked tremendous support and concerns from across the country. However, one or two barked, which was very much on expected line from natural 'faithfuls', but many more facets unfolded in next week days, breaking the silent.
One 'Faithful' termed me trying serving two masters, one AIBEA (of which I am proud of) other BJP. Today the fashion is to brand one of BJP if he talks of facts, truths, Nation, National flag, Anthem, Constitution, Parliament, Vande-Matram, Bharat-Mata, Institutions, Honesty, Hard- work, Right-things, terrorists, separatists, urban naxals, immigrants etc. If asserting all these makes one BJP, let us accept it, well as a Patriotic citizen.
The said 'faithful' called me rector of economic thoughts as against Amartya Sen, Pan Gadhia, its okay. These two plus many others were/ are self seekers of vested interests and considerations from power block, whereas we are very common people with limited purpose of serving for livelihood. Once term is over, we don't aspire to be placed at loot points. That's the case of Amartya Sen.
It was shocking to note the averment of other 'faithful'. He said, 'After a long time, AIBOC, has got a General Secretary in Saumya Datta who not only has a will to fight for a decent wage settlement based on COD, but has a genuine inclination to resolve the issues of Pensioners & Retirees.' If the said is interpreted, earlier General Secretaries of AIBOC were not as as the Datta is, they hadn't fought for decent wage settlement or had no 'genuine' inclination towards Pensioners. Here lies the crux. Saumya Datta is out on 'Digvijaya' mission. Saumya Datta was not GS of AIBOC at the time of Associate Banks merger, otherwise it wouldn't have happened! Others had no 'spine at all' to raise demand of NPS, who compromised for NPS in 2010. Saumya Datta has spine, at all if, but he didn't show it by holding a very simple Dharna at SBI Corporate Office. Yes, he showed his spine to push all officers in strike on 21.12.18. Spine is very useful organ and its functions if would have been honored, we shouldn't have the problems of such magnitude.
I am writing this mail just in very straight and candid terms:
1. If the house is disturbed, being mindset problem, it is not possible to bring in order. One has no right to anyway inter into domain of other organization or question the legitimacy of leadership. It's none of AIBOC or else business, as to raise finger on AIBEA leadership being retired, old or otherwise capable or incapable. It's the domain of it's 5 lakh members to decide.
2. UFBU was formed on 'status of all constituents being equal'. It's UFBU founder father, Tarakeshwar Chakravorti, word, to which AIBEA stands from ground onward.
3. Being largest following in command, cultural bond is to honor & respect it as elder brother. It's not wrong at all.
4. If we can't go together, well let us take departure and work according to own situations. Goodwill must remain, so that when people come across face to face and eye to eye they don't feel ashamed. Let us not write obituaries by forced & forged relations. This will help in public preface to retain ourselves into a healthy fraternity at ground level, where officers- workmen sit together, work together & honor social bond. By such acts of misdemeanour as to showdown one another, we cant be good fraternity.
5. For last two years, blames have been afloat that UFBU is under AIBEA hegimoney and its retired and old leaders are the perpetual target. All wrongs are attributed to AIBEA. It's totally bad and unbecoming in the trade unions culture, particularly while living under one roof of UFBU.
6. The Govt is aware of your acts & conducts. It's going to cost banking fraternity. It shows, you have fractured spines, cant hold your body balanced.
7. Right or wrong, must be transparent. Why Pension Revision is not done, is a question hunting the mind of Pensioners. How the need of better wages, allowances & service conditions of serving employees & officers is greater than the need of Pension/family Pension revisions? Pension Scheme is a part of service conditions. How could there be a complete settlement without Pension revision?
8. There was no '2nd option clause' in Pension Regulations, 1995. Dare, say yes. It was first & final option given very specifically, when the Pension was introduced. Admit this fact. In Pension Agreement, 1993, pension revision clause was, but in Regulations, 1995, it was silenced. Don't shirk from stark reality. If you can fight and achieve 2nd pension option, of which no mention existed in Settlement-1993 or Pension Regulations, 1995 , rather such option was insisted upon by most of your constituents, who were dead against any such Pension Scheme and to suffice it recall to your attention the fact that 52% workmen or officers opted to remain out of Pension Scheme to their best advantage, why can't Pension Revision be done, which existed in Agreement, 1993 and missed in Regulations, 1995? It shows, there was never a will or sincere endeavour at all from you.
9. During 10th Bipartite Settlement process, AIBEA made commitment to banking fraternity, not to sign settlement without Pension Revision. Bank employees, particularly Pensioners want to know who stabbed from behind? Also, please tell to people, why no steps were taken on Joint Notes, dated 25.5.2015, though AIBEA raised it. Were it really good and becoming of an umbrella organization of Banking, whose decisions and settlement impact entire financial sector?
10. Be sincere, serious and honest in Pension Scheme matter. Mere words are not enough. Banks haven't given any mandate to IBA for pension revision, where you are discussing this issue. If for no mandate in scale matter by 5 banks one organization can take stand, was it not desirable to take a stand for Pension mandate collecyively, which covers all banks & pensioners? However, Pensioners don't know the strategy as to how AIBOC can fulfill it's promise not to sign settlement, without Pension revision, when they are on boycott mode and not on table. Same way, it is beyond Pensioners sense as to how the UFBU is expecting Settlement on Pension Revision, when IBA has no such mandate from it's member Banks.
11. You can't deny or disown the fact that still there are over 4 lakh employees and officers in-service. They want to know, whether they will have to languish in such distress conditions, as existing pensioners are, or will they have a right to get their pension updated, whenever in-service employees/officers wages are revised? It calls for very clear answer.
Please, therefore, make this issue very candid and speaking, as to what's in store. Are you going to take stand not to sign 11th Bipartite Settlement without (i) Pension Updating, and (ii) Pension revision hence in future with in- service employees/ officers wage revisions clause.
12. Mr. Datta was unilateral in his approach, so others have no choice, but to go ahead. Now, why he cries? His cry is foul. He cant blame others for taking a call of situation. If he sits in management lap and think, he can nurture his fractured spine, I think he is wrong. As far his audience with Rahul is concerned, I can just wish Mr. Datta to get the photograph framed and hang it in his drawing room, hang it on his chest while going to meet his Chairman. His Chairman may be impressed.
13. Bank employees and people of this country know, how banking was plundered by Congress, how banking and its resources were politicized. Today, if banking is bleeding, Congress is responsible. Sorry, you all remained silent spectators and today when bank employees and officers find their wages & service conditions hit below the belt, you all join the chorus of Bankers of no profit or affordibility. Hope, you don't mind to own and accept your collective failure to bring disgrace of low pay, allowance and service conditions to Banking industry.
Urge is, please don't make your selves a laughing stock. You are looked upon by bank employees, officers & pensioners, with great expectations. You are held in high regard & respect. Such fissiparous tendencies don't help or serve the real causes or suit to your stature. Please, therefore, settle the wages, pension and service conditions on priority basis.
Thanks for your tolerance, you shown to read this letter. Shall be grateful, if issues are resolved immediately. There is no need of boasting or hanging under eggo.
Regards & Greetings,
(J. N. Shukla)
National Convenor,
Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists,
PRAYAGRAJ
18.2.2019
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Jantar-Manter:
4th Feb Dharna AIBOC
-----------------------------------
( Open Comment )
According to Saumya Dutta, General Secretary, AIBOC there are 'Critical issues' against which bank officers are confronted with. He told, 20000 officers from across the country are participating in Dharna. He briefed media on critical issues as under:
First, he said, he is against the amalgmation of BOB, Dena Bank & Vijaya Bank. He termed it retrograde that amounts to reverse nationalization. It's intention is to reduce public sector banking space. He alleged, govt wants to privatise banks and hand over to crony capitalists like Ambanis, Ambanis.
Second, he wants descent wage revision as per Charter Of Demands, which is based on principle of minimum wage and as per Central Govt wage structure, since Bank officers are implementing all govt schemes. He demands, like in past, mandate for wage revision should cover uptown scale-7. Five Banks, which gave partial mandate upto Scale-3 should be directed to give unto scale-7.
Third, he wants willful defaulters list published. He told, he has written a letter to Mr. Arun Jaitley asking him to publish willful defaulters names, which he is hiding. He alleged, hundreds of such defaulters have had fled from the country.
Fourth, he wants Pension/ Family Pension Revision, which is pittance and not revised for last 20-25 years. Pointing towards thousands of young male- female officers assembled over there under NPS he said that they dont know exactly what will they get after 40 years of their job.
NOW, let us analyze above 4 statements:
1. Had this amalgmation been with SBI, whether Mr. Dutta would have taken this issue at this scale?
If he says yes, then next question to him would be as to why he didn't agitate against first two and subsequent 5 Associate Banks amalgmation with SBI?
Why he didn't agitate on Mahila Bank transformation?
In said amalgmations, didn't he found as retrograde or reverse nationalization or reduction of Public Sector Banks space?
How the amalgmation or consolidation could be termed as privatization or seen as a plan to handover the banks to Ambanis/Adanis?
Is it not mere rhetoric of olden days Tatas/Birlas/Dalmias?
In past many banks were saved by merging in PSBs and so far none of the PSBs have been been doled out to any Capitalists. Double speak needs no explanation or justification as it brings with itself it's own testimony.
2. Yes, his point is right to have complete mandate and settlement of demands as made in Charter of Demands. Here, minimum wage as per law is not a issue. Issue is 'comparative' wage, as per central govt scales as 'according to Mr. Dutta' officers are implementing all govt schemes.
Here, notable fact is that govt pay scales are decided by Pay Commission. So, in plain words Mr. Dutta was found arguing for Pay Commission like some constitutional platform to decide wages & service conditions of Bank officers.
He knows well, Pillai Committee was appointed in past within the constitutional provisions. He should have demanded 'Committee' directly, instead wasting precious time in several twists & turns.
In Negotiated settlement issues can be settled through bargain based on 'paying capacity', 'affordability', 'load factor'. These 'formulas' were invented and agreed to by Unions. Now, settlements, reached through these formulas, are termed stale, soar and rotten. Better, people at the helm of affairs should own their faults, causing fatal impacts on entire banking fraternity.
3. With regard to defaulters list, this is being made a issue for long.
But, is it possible in existing laws?
RBI & Govt., both, have taken constitutional position into consideration and have disagreed to it.
Anyway, it's made out issue, to which unions or Bank employees have nothing to do or gain. If the list is published, will the unions file FIRs/ recovery civil suits against defaulters? Surely, they cant do it and have no intention as such.
However, if they want to start a movement to focus on defaulters, no problem, direct their base Unions to do it, as all accounts of defaulters are maintained ultimately in some Branch of Bank, irrespective of sanction level. Defaulters list is no required for this. I think, it's not the issue at all. It is just gimmick. So, it's just rhetorical issue, hardly hold any relevance to employees wellness.
4. In Pension/Family Pension revision matter, his concern was of some substance, but the question remains that when it is bilateral issue can be looked into between the parties, then how Mr. Dutta would be able to help in this issue, if he continues bycotting sittings and heads towards Committe?
Notable fact is that during last settlement such categorical statement was give by Gen. Secretary, AIBEA, but ultimately nothing happened.
Mr. Dutta should have thrown light on then difficulties and brought to focus as to WHO opposed that. Bank Pensioners are yet to know as to who was villain to sabotage Pension Revision last time. All were tight lipped. Visibly, they all signed Joint Notes on 25.5.2015- a death warrant of the sort. So, all Unions are right culprits, till the actual names are not revealed.
Pensioners know, what they are. They know, their pension pittance, financial distress and plights on account of no Pension Revision.
They don't need oral sympathy. One shouldn't try to be smart to shed crocodile tear.
Look to future days in lap, when sitting people will plunge in same pathetic conditions.
One should'nt become high-head God and behave in sinical manner with swollen mind.
Pensioners know, its bilateral issue. They know, thousands had died in quest of pension revision. They know, they are tired, old, bent, left in lurch by their own parent Unions, anyway surviving & counting days, while inching towards finality.
They know, they worked & retired gracefully, obeyed Unions first and then the management.
However, at all, if they dont know anything, they don't know the art of treachery. They, really, dont know their faults or the culprits & villains who killed their rights & privilege to have revised Pension which is not bounty.
Mr. Dutta, pensioners look beyond words of assurance. Your words are taken just as rolling stones, which have no count.
Why today, you are very categorical, Pensioners know well. Anyway, under dead darkness of tunnel a ray is of some indication, we hold your words as very important, in right earnest and await your immediate return to table, where you can do better not only to officers, but to entire banking fraternity.
-J. N. Shukla,
Prayagraj,
6th Feb.19
___________________________________________
In the UFBU meeting held today( 20th February, 2019), we, on behalf of AIBOC, have presented our views clearly and in no uncertain terms . We have stated that unless unconditional and full mandate is offered by IBA, we will not take part in further talks. Additionally, we also have informed that the talks should be based on Charter of Demands only! The important issues of Updation/ Revision of Pension & Family pension, Scrapping of NPS etc. should also be addressed meaningfully.
Sunil Kumar, Chairman
Debasis Ghosh, President
Soumya Datta, General Secretary
*Govt Approves Recapitalisation Of 12 PSU Banks*
➡ To Infuse Rs 48,239 Cr In 12 PSU Banks
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GOVT
To Infuse Rs 6,896 Cr In Allahabad Bank
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To Infuse Rs 2,560 Cr In Central Bank Of India
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To Infuse Rs 2,839 Cr In United Bank
To Infuse Rs 3,330 Cr In UCO Bank
To Infuse Rs 3,806 Cr In IOB
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