I submit below copy of a draft letter to be sent to Prime Minister of India for resolution of issues related to retirees. I received the same on Whatsapp as a forwarded message. Please read and if right in your view, you may send a letter to PM giving details pertaining to you.
To,
narendramodi1234@gmail.com
Respected Sir,
Sadar Namaskar,
Para1:
I am .....(name)........, aged ...... years . I have served ............ (bank name) ...... from .....(year).... till my retirement on superannuation in .....(year)..... .I am pension optee and my Employee No. is ......... with .......(bank name)...... . I request you to give few minutes to my submission on the above subject out of your extremely busy schedule.
Para 2:
In Nov' 1969, majority of Indian Banks operating in the country were nationalised to enable them to contribute in building up economy and for ensuring rural development in the country to progress. Since then banking sector is serving the nation in implementing Government Policies announced from time to time. As the nature of work performed by each bank was more or less of the same nature with uniform prime core objective, but pay scales were different in different banks, so to bring unanimity / uniformity amongst these banks, Pillai Committee Report was implemented in 1979. As banking employees were handling lending under government schemes, were dealing in financing for speedy development, were directly dealing with public for this purpose, so Public Sector Banks employees were given the pay scales at par with CPC and the starting pay scale of officers was kept matching at par with administrative service's Cadre, which was 700-1600. This was done to ensure enough remuneration for maintaining honesty and sincereity in the working while discharging duties. This accelerated the moral of banks employees and the result witnessed a vast rural network for banking and lending in bulk mass for meeting urgent needs of development.
Para 3 :
Subsequently the wage revisions were thrown in the hands of PSU banks managements resulting in wage negotiations at every 5 years intervals between Indian Bank Association (IBA) and United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). With this system the wage revisions in banking sector witnessed gradual reduction in wages as compared to market and CPC Pay Scales. The result is banking employees are getting minimum wages as compared to market and corresponding CPC pay scales, which were offered to bank employees in 1979. You can compare the existing pay scales of Banks with that of CPC Pay scales to witness our statement.
Para 4 :
Also in 1993 pension scheme was approved by Govt. for bank employees on the lines of Central Govt Civil Pension Scheme, which contained inbuilt clause of pension updation with subsequent wage revisions. This system continued for some time and thereafter pension updation clause was suddenly and silently withdrawn. As in those days the superannuation retirements used to be very few, the impact was neither visible nor it could come to surface for mass protest.
However, in the past 10-15 years, banking sector witnessed mass retirements due to superannuation. So the affected retirees grivances regarding the pension updation and family pension increase (10'/, to 30'/,) issues have surfaced on mass scale. The retirees have no recognised unions as working employees have. So the matter of pension updation is being handled by UFBU duly recognised by IBA. Unfortunately in 9th bipartite settlement (for wage revision due since 1.11.2007), IBA and UFBU, to favour working employees, surrendered the negotiating powers for discussing pensioners issues and signed the bipartite agreement. This fact was not brought to the notice of either retirees or working employees. The retirees were crying for pension updation since then (2007). In 10 th bipartite settlement (for wage revision due from 1.11.2012) again this issue was not touched by UFBU / IBA on the grounds of non availability of funds and retirees were helpless because of cunning attitude of IBA and UFBU. When this cheating attitude was noticed by bank retirees, a strong voice from bank retirees from all corners of the country has stepped up during current 11th bipartite settlement in progress (due effective from 1.11.2017). Several PILs pending in Supreme Court on date are witness to these facts.
Para 5 :
Now IBA is replying to Chief Labour Commissioner that pension is paid to retirees by banks from profits and profit funds are not adequate to meet updation liability. Whereas the fact remains that pension is payable by banks not from profits , but from pension fund, in which respective banks are supposed to credit every year employers contribution towards PF prior to arriving their profits. This is a must requirement as it is a statutory liability of the banks as employers. So this is a clear indication of misleading to CLC and GOI by IBA.
We seek your immediate intervention in the matter and request you to direct IBA to approve Pension updation demand of retirees , which was present in the pension scheme adopted by banks in 1993 with due approval of GOI.
Para 6 :
We also request to improve our family pension from existing meagre level of 10 '/, to 50 '/, at par with Central Govt employees. This is a must as in case of many deceased pensioners, existing 10 '/, family pension is not enough to even feed them and they are not able to afford proper medical treatment due to inadequate financial resources.
Para 7:
I would further like to highlight the irresponsible behaviour of IBA in directly dealing with the retirees issues as under :-
(A) On 25.5.2015, IBA signed a Joint Note with Banks Unions, terming 'pensioners have no contractual relationships with their respective Banks.' Was it a 'responsible' behavior on IBA part? Really, no. Such relation do exists & pensions are paid without any contractual obligations?
(B) In the above Joint Notes IBA agreed to examine cost implications of Pension Revision, which they haven't done till this date. Is it a 'responsible' behavior on IBA part?
(C) Respected Modi Sir, further to this I would like to inform that DFS, MOF, Govt of India advised IBA vide their letter dated 24.2.2012 to spend Welfare Funds to provide health cover to working & retired employees both. IBA has preferred to sit over it for over 3 and a half year and in last it covered working staff only, but not retirees, with a result that 75% retirees are left in death trail. Was it a 'responsible' behavior on IBA part?
Sir, I request you to get fresh instructions issued to IBA in this regard to provide health cover to bank retirees also, who all are Senior Citizens of the nation too.
Para 8 :
Respected PM Sir, I would also like to place here some suggestions for future improvement in the banking industry:
(a) Wage Revision System :-
Instead of existing 5 yearly bipartite settlement system of wage revision, CPC pay scales should be made applicable to banking sector employees as was done earlier in 1979 thereby re-adopting earlier Pillai Committee Recommendations. This is essential to achieve following objectives:
(i) This will eliminate the monopoly of bank managements in reduction of pay scales in connivance with IBA as has been done gradually from 1979 till date.
(ii) This will eliminate the interference of Unions in fixation and revisions of pay scales at 5 yearly intervals.
(iii) This will help in timely revision of pay scales at 5 yearly intervals.
(iv) This will maintain the confidence of bank employees as they will be assured that their interest will be taken care of by the Government through an impartial body and that they will not be at the mercy of Unions in the matter of wage revisions during negotiations.
(v) This is essential as the objective of banking sector has not changed from 1969 onwards after nationalisation and banking sector continues to be contributing in the development of the nation as per Government directives from time to time. In future also banking sector's contribution will continue to be of same nature.
(b) If deemed fit, matter of meeting statutory liability by each bank by way of providing employers contribution towards PF each year in past following existing laid down norms may be got investigated by CAG through special audit and appropiate directives may be issued in this regard (if warranted) to concerneds.
🙏🏻 Prayer :
I am confident that my this prayer will certainly attract your kind attention and you will find time to personally monitor the progress in redressal of banks employees grievances in general and banks retirees grievances in particular.
Anticipating your prompt action to solve the problems being faced by bank retirees in particular and bank employees in general.
Your's Sincerely,
Full name
Full address with pincode
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