Letter To UFBU AND To Labour Commissioner

Sri S. K. Bandlish,

Convenor,

UFBU, 

Chandigarh

Dear sir,

 ACTS OF OMISSIONS & COMMISSION

Though, we have been given to understand by your emissaries that you don't give any cognizance to communiques, come what may, but in present day of IT, such an attitude may prove to be wrong, detrimental and prejudicial to the vital interest of any organisation. For Trade Unions of your eminence, such an attitude may be a cause of misinformation, disinformation, vilification, confusion and over all disbelief in rank & file. Also, it depicts arrogance & high headedness. So, we feel organisations working at such scale must have vibrant and speaking communication system to put the issues and developments straight and transparent with a view to keep folks together and well informed.

Knowing your policy stand of no cognizance, we have to write you followings, with hope, it gets your attention followed with consideration:

1. Member of your constituent Unions feel that while in job they attend to Banks' jobs & assignments with all sincerity, honesty and diligence. Apart from this they  attend to Organisational tasks with unflinching devotion, dedication and loyalty, pay every month usual subscriptions, levies whenever called for and join industrial actions, irrespective of consequences.

2. Members of your constituent Unions feel that internal relativity in wages and service conditions has been jeopardized and hugely compromised by their Unions, resulting in widening & unbridgeable gap between award staff and officer cadre. External relativity needs no comment. This has happened particularly under UFBU dispensation.

3. It is widely held views of banking fraternity, whether working or retired across the cadre that Banks and UFBU Unions, both, have become estrange fellows to them. For banking fraternity, they (Banks & Unions) have joined hands together and unitedly scuttled rights and privileges of working & retired staff, in settlements, totally unmindful of resultant economic distress.

4. In series of acts, they feel,  the Banks & Unions, jointly, have robbed the rights and privileges through various modus -operandi, even ignoring government directives. The Banks & Unions have selectively robbed the right of Welfare Funds benefits to retiree fraternity. 

5. The Banks & Unions, jointly, deprived retiree fraternity, uniform DA compensation, whether 100% neutralization or increase/ decrease on quarterly average. 

6. The Banks & Unions, scuttled right to 50% pension by entering into obnoxious term of 1616/1684, which later they called as aberrations and rectified from 2005, but not from retrospective effect of 1.4.1998, the day it occurred.

7. The Banks & Unions entered in an agreement for 2nd pension option with obnoxious terms & conditions in contravention of terms & conditions already existed in Pension Regulations, 1995 in matters how to refund Banks' Provident Fund share with accrued interest + additional interest @6% & pension from date of retirement. Through this evil design, the settled principles in Regulations, 1995 had been unsettled. 

8. The Banks & Unions agreed to scuttle Pension by segregation of 7.75% to 11% * of basic pay into Special Allowance in 10th Settlement, which doesn't qualify for Pension. 

9. From 2010 Old Pension Scheme had been abandoned by  sweet Agreement, between Banks & Unions. Reason? Reason shown was that NPS was implemented in Government services and so in PSBs old scheme hold no justification, NPS should come in.

If holi pretext of NPS in Central Services was held so high in regard, then why not Central Government wages, service conditions and Pensionary benefits were requisitioned by Unions for Banking industry?

10. Who have been in centre of all these decisions? Members feel: for sure, it has been Bank employees and officers whether in service or retired in centre of these decisions!

11. They feel that in past Central Government appointed one  Bhoothlingam Committee to formulate DA formula for Government/PSE employees. They recall that the then Government wanted to implement Bhoothlingam DA formula in Banking. The then Unions fought against that obnoxious move and defeated government fiat to impose Bhoothlingam DA in Banking by preserving our prevalent DA system. 

12. Bank men feel that Govt desire of NPS in Banking was akin to Bhoothlingam DA desire. If then Unions fought against then govt attempt to impose Bhoothlingam DA and maintained existing DA agreement, why in Old Pension Scheme matter, UFBU & it's constituents succumbed to Banks' pressure and agreed to NPS, replacing Old Pension Scheme?

13. Members of your constituent Unions feel that the truth needs guts to admit, which their Unions don't have. They have been evasive and giving hoax. They have plenty  frivolous connotations to support all  their deeds/ misdeeds. But, these Unions welcomed Banks' NPS proposal and willingly agreed to abandon old pension scheme by peaceful agreement, is a bare truth.  And, in return they could not bargain even improvement in existing Pension Scheme as available in Central Pension Rules. Not only this, in Second Pension Option, Unions agreed  totally derogatory terms to make second option as mazboori kaa sauda. 

14. In our mail dated 20.10.2019, we sought your due consideration to include Retirees Association in UFBU, to which you have not made any consideration. You talk of high of trade union fraternity, but hate and treat untouchable your own senior veterans under Retirees Associations. If you don't treat them as fraternal organisation, how should they expect IBA, Banks or government listening them as representative of Bank Retirees?

15. Banks say, they don't have money. If banks have no money for wages, pension and establishment expenses, naturally employees or officers shall not bring money from their home. To run the Banks, bring capital and meet expenses are ownership/ management issues. How they matter for employees, officers, pensioners or their Unions?  They can't do any help in these regards.

16. Pension Agreement, 1993 & Pension Regulations, 1995 are based on premises of quid pro quo. Meaning of quid pro quo says:

"In common law, quid pro quo indicates that an item or a service has been traded in return for something of value, usually when the propriety or equity of the transaction is in question. A contract must involve consideration: that is, the exchange of something of value for something else of value."

Terms of 'pension deal' are set in Pension Agreement, 1993 and Pension Regulations,1995. How, Banks can turn their back from contractual obligations & bindings?

17. You and your constituents didn't coordinate with fightings of RBI, or raise pension decision issue independently. Not only this,  you helped IBA through Joint Notes 25.5.2015 by agreeing to IBA stand that pensioners have no contractual relationship with their respective banks.  Even after RBI revision you all have been maintaining stoic silence, no any move forward.

18. You know well even Bankwise All India Unions can't tailor wages, pension or service conditions. They just deal in residual matters not covered in industry level settlements. Under circumstances, how Pensioners Associations can be expected to take up the issue of Pension Revision or agitate, being industry level issue and settlement? In this regard, you have just shown your casual and callous approach for all these last over two decades of your rule.

19. We, have genuine cause of concerns to growing dissention, & discontentment flourishing on the floor of Banking. We write our concerns, because all above happened in your dispensation. Earlier Unions were doing on their own and members were very much satisfied and contended. Ever since you came into being things have had been deteriorating. Employees and officers at floors are much cohesive, while your constituents are fighting like cats and dogs. You unitedly destroyed a lot. Bank men are sure, you can't address their issues, so they have been talking of Pay Commission. If had you been in 1990s, had there been Pension Scheme? Bit by bit you are selling employees & officers.

20. You know, there are about 4 lakh pensioners still in banks' service. You rob their post retirement benefits to show them rosy picture today. You have been giving host of reasons for no pension revision, for sure, bigger than Bankers. People want to know the reasons why you all knee down stupidly and cow down like a timid beggar? Bank men are ashamed to have you all at the helm of affairs and management canning bank men indiscriminately.

21. In our numerous mails during October, November, 2019 we raise all above issues with details, but you did not look into or likes but side tracked or you have no answers or remedies. However, it was desirable to apprise banking fraternity of your failures and incapabilities, instead hiding.

Your time is marked as compromising with past principles and achievements, thus you failed to achieve anything new or improved upon old one or could preserve existing one. 

If you give no cognizance and do not offer your views on all above contentious issues, Banks Employees, Officers and Pensioners shall presume that you have no views to offer, admit all your deeds, misdeeds, guilts as set our above. Further, Bank men shall be free to take independent view with regard to their association with their respective organisations. Please note, Bank Men on alert and watch of your reactions. Further, please note that no reply means, admission of guilts, as silence is a short of acceptance.

With greetings,

(J. N. Shukla) National Convenor , Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists,Prayagraj, 15.12.2019

Special allowance Crafted in 10th Settlement by subtracting Basic Pay with sole intention to under cut Pension entitlement:

  

PTS to Officer Scale III   7.75%

Scale 4 & 5                     10.00%

Scale 5 and 6 +              11.00%

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

To All Pension Activists:

FBPA ( Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists), by now made abundantly clear, it's work policy. We stand for Unions and unity of entire Banking fraternity, as there is no alternate of Unions in organised set of industrial  productions and services. Definitely, banking fraternity is beleaguered of unimaginable problems created by their leaders of Unions.

We want to give a name of our 'mission' to fight & expose ills & wrongs. Please apply your mind and give us your opinion/suggestions.

Today, we have written a mail to UFBU, analysing their deeds, misdeeds,guilts. First, please read it twice to your convenience and then share the same on social media. Please get print outs and circulate among working bank fraternity to tell them facts.

If our statements are wrong, infructuous, we are ready to apologize entire banking fraternity and shall accept all condemnations and reprimands. We are ready to not only argue, but prove what ever we have avered in our post.

Mission is on, join it. Behind every mission there is a brain, but here behind our mission we have countless dedicated veterans across Banking & cadre where retired or working. As against this strength, cowards and spineless opportunists and self seekers can't stand, they are trembling, trying to flee like sparrow.

Awaited your reply.

Greetings & Regards,

( J. N. Shukla)

National Convenor

__________________________________________________________________________

*"मैं न होता तो क्या होता”*

अशोक वाटिका में जिस समय रावण क्रोध में भरकर तलवार लेकर सीता माँ को मारने के लिए दौड़ पड़ा, तब हनुमान जी को लगा कि इसकी तलवार छीन कर इसका सिर काट लेना चाहिये, किन्तु अगले ही क्षण उन्हों ने देखा मंदोदरी ने रावण का हाथ पकड़ लिया, यह देखकर वे गदगद हो गये। वे सोचने लगे। यदि मैं आगे बड़ता तो मुझे भ्रम हो जाता कि यदि मै न होता तो सीता जी को कौन बचाता???

बहुत बार हमको ऐसा ही भ्रम हो जाता है,  मै न होता तो क्या होता ? परन्तु ये क्या हुआ सीताजी को बचाने का कार्य प्रभु ने रावण की पत्नी को ही सौंप दिया। तब हनुमान जी समझ गये कि प्रभु जिससे जो कार्य लेना चाहते हैं, वह उसी से लेते हैं।

आगे चलकर जब त्रिजटा ने कहा कि लंका में बंदर आया हुआ है और वह लंका जलायेगा तो हनुमान जी बड़ी चिंता मे पड़ गये कि प्रभु ने तो लंका जलाने के लिए कहा ही नही है और त्रिजटा कह रही है की उन्होंने स्वप्न में देखा है, एक वानर ने लंका जलाई है। अब उन्हें क्या करना चाहिए? जो प्रभु इच्छा।

जब रावण के सैनिक तलवार लेकर हनुमान जी को मारने के लिये दौड़े तो हनुमान ने अपने को बचाने के लिए तनिक भी चेष्टा नहीं की, और जब विभीषण ने आकर कहा कि दूत को मारना अनीति है, तो हनुमान जी समझ गये कि मुझे बचाने के लिये प्रभु ने यह उपाय कर दिया है।

आश्चर्य की पराकाष्ठा तो तब हुई, जब रावण ने कहा कि बंदर को मारा नही जायेगा पर पूंछ मे कपड़ा लपेट कर घी डालकर आग लगाई जाये तो हनुमान जी सोचने लगे कि लंका वाली त्रिजटा की बात सच थी, वरना लंका को जलाने के लिए मै कहां से घी, तेल, कपड़ा लाता और कहां आग ढूंढता, पर वह प्रबन्ध भी आपने रावण से करा दिया, जब आप रावण से भी अपना काम करा लेते हैं तो मुझसे करा लेने में आश्चर्य की क्या बात है !

इसलिये हमेशा याद रखें कि संसार में जो कुछ भी हो रहा है वह सब ईश्वरीय विधान है, हम और आप तो केवल निमित्त मात्र हैं, इसीलिये कभी भी ये भ्रम न पालें कि...

 मै न होता तो क्या होता