Undue Delay In Strike Call

This step was required When
2% wage increase offer was made!

Strategic omission is always very dangerous.
That causes deep injury & leave spot. And, strategic offensiveness is the first key to victory. Tragedy of Bank Unions has been that they indulged in omissions repeatedly in last 2 decades. And, we never saw in them strategic offensiveness. In our earlier articles we have had discussed about the desired actions on 2% offer, that UFBU should have taken, which they couldn't. For ready reference we would like to quote few lines below:

"On 2% wage hike offer of IBA, Unions made (second) blunder to listen and continue parleys. It was a golden opportunity, that they missed, to strike back IBA by boycott & no return to IBA office. They should have gone on protest actions to bring IBA on knee. Just, Unions should have stressed to know whether 2% increase had any concurrence of Govt or just it was made as teaser. Unions should have made a condition not to sit any more with IBA in their office. But it needed guts & spine as well, which was found  missing."

Bank Unions have been suffering from extreme scarcity of understanding. It's going on affair for last 20 years. They always stood sort of required intelligence, understanding and strategic preparedness matching to emerging problems and challenges under which they have been  committing blunder up on blunders. They have been found crossing all limits, when they bundled their wrongs as achievements forceably put in the mind of bank employees to extract zindabad from mouth. If you question their intelligence, it is taken as blasphemy & heinous crime. Intelligence is their copyright, but that they have mortgaged with IBA and IBA is taking advantage of it.

However, at this juncture, to say more, will not be opportune & appropriate. Banking fraternity is bleeding profusely. It needs immediate relief. We in our mail dated 10th Jan.2020, demanded of UFBU to demand & achieve 25% wage rise so as to replenish the shortfalls. But, after talk failure of 13th Jan.2020, we could know that they demanded of 20% rise. On this 20% rise demand we made our reaction with UFBU stating that in last settlement where bank men got rise of 15%, LIC got 17.5%. And, if LIC is maintained this time on previous 17.5% level, then Bank men should be given 17.5%+ 2.5%= 20% to compensate them. Parity with LIC is not wrong, looking to past trend when Bank men had an edge over LIC. Here demand itself is 20% which is subject to bargain. We had talked of satisfaction fatwa on 9% rise!

In last 20 years incomplete, illogical & faulty settlements have had taken place. Pension Revision  vanished from settlements into thin air, while still there are 4 lakh pensioners in active service and Unions. Pensioners are ignore like beggars by Unions.



हम जीते हैं संघर्षों में,     we live in struggles,
हम मिटते हैं संघर्षों में!   we vanish in struggles!
मुठ्ठी में साहस की पूंजी भर, have the capital of courage
डरो नहीं बस खड़े रहो, dont fear, just demain standing
है ऐसा कोई  तूफां क्या,  is there any storm,
जो चलता हो बर्षों तक?  which ladta for years,!
फिर, हताश मन क्यों होता है, then why to discourage mind
साहस धर बस बढ़ता रह, have the courage & march on
कोई ऐसी रात नहीं,. There is no such night
जिसकी कोई सुबह न हो!! which has no dawn
कोई ऐसी रात नहीं,  there is no such night,
जिसकी कोई सुबह न हो. which has no dawn

सफलता की शुभकामनाओं के साथ


ऐसा कदम तो उसी दिन उठाना था,जिस दिन 2% का आफर आया था

रणनीतिक चूक हमेशा बड़ी घातक होती है. घाव के गहरे निशान बना जाती है.  और, रणनीतिक आक्रामकता जंग जीतने की पहली कुंजी होती है.बैंक यूनियनों की बिडम्बना रही है कि वे  बारबार चूक करते आ रहे हैं   और   रणनीतिक 

आक्रामकता तो कभी दिखी ही नहीं. पिछले लेखों में फोरम ने 2% वेतन वृद्धि के प्रस्ताव पर यूयफबीयू से अपेक्षित कार्य-वाई का जिक्र किया था,जो  उनसे हो न सकी थी.संदर्भवस 

कल के लेख की चंद लाइनों की तरफ पाठकों का ध्यान आकृष्ट करना चाहूंगा :

"आईबीए के 2% वेतन वृद्धि के प्रस्ताव पर,  उसे सुनना और उस पर आगे वार्ता जारी रखना यूनियनों की (दूसरी) भूल थी. यह आईबीए को पीटने का सुनहरा अवसर था, जो वे वार्ता का वहिष्कार करके कर सकते थे, जिसे यूनियनों ने गवां दिया. आईबीए को घुटने पर लाने के लिए, यूनियनों को प्रतिकारात्मक कार्यवाइयों पर उतर जाना चाहिए था. आक्रामकता जरूरी थी और अच्छा खासा मौका हाथ लग भी गया था."

यूनियनों के पास सोच का ठाला रहा है. पिछले 20 वर्षों से ऐसा होता आ रहा है. समस्याओं   और  चुनौतियों  के  सापेक्ष आवश्यक ज्ञान, समझ  और रणनीतिक तैयारी के अभाव के चलते यूनियनें बड़ी से बड़ी गल्तियां  करती  रहीं  हैं. हद तो 

तब हो  जाती है, जब  गल्तियों  को  ही अपनी उपलब्धियों का पुलिंदा बना कर बैंककर्मियों के मुंह में ठूंस कर जिंदाबाद 

के नारे  लगवाते  हैं. ज्ञान  की  बात  पर सवाल  करना  तो  महाअपराध  समझा जाने  लगा है. इसका  कापीराइट  इन्ही 

के  पास है, जिसे  वे  आईबीए  के  यहां बंधक में रखा है और लाभ आईबीए लेता है.

फिलहाल, इस मोड़ पर ज्यादा कुछ कहना असामयिक होगा. बैंकिंग फ्रैटर्निटी क्षतविक्षत स्थिति में है, उसे राहत की जरूरत है. हमारे फोरम ने 25% वेतन वृद्धि की मांग यूयफबीयू के समक्ष 10.1.2020 को रखा था, लेकिन पहली बार 13.1.2020 की वेतन वार्ता के असफल होने पर 20% वृद्धि 

की मांग का खुलासा यूयफबीयू ने किया.20% वृद्धि की मांग पर फोरम ने यूयफबीयू से आपत्ति दर्ज करातेहुए लिखा कि पिछली बार बैंककर्मियों को 15% और यल.आई.सी. को 17.5% की वृद्धि दी गई थी. यदि LIC  की वृद्धि इस बार पूर्ववत 17.5% रखी जाये और बैंक कर्मियों को पिछले समझौते की क्षतिपूर्ति में 2.5% और दिया जाये तो इस बार 17.5+2.5%= 20% वेतन वृद्धि का सीधा सीधा हक बनता है और यहां तो मांग ही 20% की है, जिस पर सौदेबाजी भी होगी. 9% पर संतुष्टि के फतवे का जिक्र हम पहले ही कर चुके हैं.

पिछले 20 सालों से आधे-अधूरे, गैरतार्किक,  त्रुटिपूर्ण समझौते होते रहे हैंं. पेंंशन पुनरीक्षण को गधे की सींग की तरह से द्विपक्षीय समझौते से गायब कर दिया गया है, जबकि 4  लाख पेंशन  आप्टीज आज  भी बैंकों में कार्यरत हैं. पेंशनर्स तो  भिखारियों की तरह नजरंदाज किये जा रहे हैं. आज भी धूर्ततापूर्ण  आचरण हाबी है.

हम जीते हैं संघर्षों में, हम मिटते हैं संघर्षों में!

मुठ्ठी में साहस की पूंजी भर, डरो नहीं बस खड़े रहो,

है ऐसा कोई  तूफां क्या, जो चलता हो बर्षों तक?

फिर, हताश मन क्यों होता है, साहस धर बस बढ़ता रह,

कोई ऐसी रात नहीं, जिसकी कोई सुबह न हो!!

कोई ऐसी रात नहीं,  जिसकी कोई सुबह न हो.

सफलता की शुभकामनाओं के साथ

-------------------------

It’s always darkest before the dawn

1. The Department of Financial Services advised Banks/IBA vide it's letter dated 16.1.2016 to start next wage revision talks so as to conclude new settlement before 1.11.2017. Four reminders were issues. IBA in its strategy was right not to act upon the said directive, as it was aware of precarious financial difficulties in store & coming out in succeeding quarters that would help them make that a pad to plead of financial difficulties and no paying capacity or affordability. Unions were in loop. They had an 'hawk eye' only on their 'levy'. In case settlement is reached timely, there won't be any arrear and so no levy. Just look, if wage talks had started by June, 2016, Bankers had the Balance Sheets for FY 2015/2016, which were substantially good enough to debase their plea of financial difficulties or affordabilities, which they have been holding on their chest from 2018/ 2019. If IBA was silent on Govt directive, they have genuine purpose to do so, but what made Unions to follow suit is a stark question to their prudence? Take it as first blunder of Bank Unions, strategic failure and defeat of prospects.

2. On 2% wage hike offer of IBA, Unions made second blunder to listen and continue with parleys. It was a golden opportunity, that they missed, to strike back IBA by boycott & no return to IBA office. They should have gone on protest actions to bring IBA on knee. Just, Unions should have stressed to know whether 2% increase had any concurrence of Govt or just it was made as teaser. Unions should have made a condition not to sit any more with IBA in their office. But it needed guts & spine as well, which was found  missing.

3. One of biggest Union slipped out a circular on 9% increase offer, terming it money wise greater than the last settlement. It was a spike in wheel. Was it deliberate or by ignorance or in good faith, we can't say, but it signaled IBA, offer was taken by Unions as better than last settlement. Other hand, it doled out a note of satisfactory offer to bank men. Purpose of this act is shrouded by mystery. Was there any need to give affirmative note, we say not at all.

4. UFBU underwent a hegemony war and to establish supremacy two wings quashed &  purged apart. One side of 2 went on 2 days strike. Other side of remaining 7 joined by IBA polarised themselves into one to teach a lesson to warring 2 Unions. IBA played a card that if workmen Unions were ready, IBA would like to settle with them the issues and whatever parameters were applied in workmen matter, on same basis officers issues would be settled. On this 5 workmen Unions agreed, leaving no option before officers Unions to succumb to tactics and surrender. Our AIBOC friends were very angry on our forecast that they would flee like sparrow and have a knee climb to IBA stairs. Happened so happened, let us forget. Even today there is no compact.

5. Most ugly scenario, UFBU spread across banking fraternity about the poor financial health of Banks, which  strengthened IBA plank of no money for wage revisions, banks being in red. Govt or the management was never seen so worried of difficult financial health of Banks, as were seen Union leaders. Quite strange & sinical as well, they started behaving as owner of the Banks.

Financial difficulties were/are ownership issues, well, we see govt pumping lakhs of crores as capital to PSBs to manage capital exigencies. Unions represent workers. Workers have gone in Bank for livelihood. Poor financial health doesn't mean, workers shouldn't be given legitimate wages or denied periodical incremental growth. Poor financial health doesn't mean that workers should be asked to bring money from their homes to set off banks liabilities. 

Could anybody answer,  for poor financial reasons whether banks can curtail rent or do not renew rent lease of premises or increased electricity bills, taxes etc can't be paid? Unions erred to become owner, disappointing their prime constituency.

6. Unions vociferously ruled out Pension Revision issue. With much more vigor and force, than IBA it has been Union leaders who blown up this issue beyond proportions. They themselves first hand  ruled out any scope of Pension revision, since it would need huge funding. Had they made any study of cost implications? Even IBA has imaginary & unexamined cost implications hypothesis. If examined, Unions should bring the same on record. Further, how Pensioners/ Pension optees are responsible to Fund problems. Pension Scheme was a quid pro quo deal. Pension optees fulfilled their obligations. How Banks can now shirk from their obligations?. 

Policy makers were quite clear that simply employers' PF share won't be enough to meet pension obligations, that's why onus of funding was put on employers shoulders. Pension Funds are assessed by Actuaries on 31st of March every year and reported inadequacies are replenished by respective Banks. 

Policy makers had in mind that Bank Pension Scheme would undergo changes as and when Central government/ RBI Pension revisions were done. It was not exgratia, fixed in nature, but pension based on Central govt/ RBI pension rules. Pension Agreement had itself the terms of revision linked to RBI. Not only this, in Regulations, 1995 one time revision was made from 1.1.1986 to 31.10.1987. 

Therefore, one need not to be confused in this regard as very spirit of revision did exist from day one, but now the same is denied. Why?

It's all above is void and fake, if people at the helm of affairs do rise to reality and do what's expected of them. They shouldn't repeat the past mistakes and read the issues as they are: wages & pension is one, inseparable, one for working life while other for post working time. They shouldn't treat themselves as masters of PSBs, act faithfully for fraternity to which they belong. They shouldn't betray any more. If they can't address the well-being of banking fraternity, better they withdraw from the front and let time take it's own decision.

( J. N. Shukla)

National Convenor

Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists,