Settlement Through Bipartite Talk Or Legal Action

Friends,

One of my colleague has posted following  message  which I post here for creating  awareness  among bank staff and retirees.

Again government  has given same stereotype answer in Parliament that

1..."Pension of Nationalised Banks is paid on consensus arrived as a result of Bipartite negotiations in between Bank employee union ,associations and management.

2...Pension is currently payable as per agreement arrived at between Bank unions/associations and Banks.

3..Public sector Banks had been requested by Government to expedite steps for wage revision.

4...The IBA which negotiates wage revision on behalf of Management's on the basis of MANDATE from Banks,had informed that negotiations on revision are under process.".

It is INFORMATION FOR RETIREES THAT
PENSION UPDATION IS NO WHERE IN NEGOTIATION.

2...IBA NEGOTIATES ON THE BASIS OF MANDATE GIVEN BY MANAGEMENTS OF BANKS.

3...BANK MANAGEMENTS HAVE NOT GIVEN MANDATE TO IBA TO NEGOTIATE ON PENSION UPDATION FOR RETIREES.

4...As PER IBA WAGE REVISION NEGOTIATIIN IS UNDER PROCESS.
WHERE IS NEGOTIATION ON "PENSION UPDATION".

WE HAVE NOT TO BECOME COMPLACENT AND CONTINUE AND ACCELERATE OUR STRUGGLE FOR PENSION UPDATION BY SUPREME COURT/HC INTERVENTION AND APPROACH TO PM/FM.

O.P.PARASHAR,UNION BANK RETIREE.

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Further to above important  information  and commendable  comments  of my colleagues I submit  my views  as under. 

People  who believe  that United Forum of Bank Unions called as UFBU or any union leader of working staff will think for betterment  of retirees,  they are simply  wondering in dreamland. 

Government  is perfectly  right in saying that it cannot play any direct role in wage revision  because Bank staff have chosen  system of Bipartite  settlement where IBA represent bank management  and UFBU represent bank staff. It is as simple as no other country can interfere  in internal affairs of other countries. And whatsoever  we retirees  are getting as Pension after retirement  is also consequences of whatever  have been agreed upon by various  union bodies during  last few decades. 

Bank staff or retirees whoever put blame on government  for their misery have to realise that this system  of Bipartite  talk has been in place for last five decades.  

As long as bank staff were high wage islanders they enjoyed their wages and when due to corruption in mind, union leaders started playing foul  game with bank staff and when pay became lowest in the country they are shedding  crocodile  tears  and instead of putting  direct blame on negotiator  they are blaming  GOI or crying on social sites. 

Bank staff who are still working never question or discuss or influence or pressurise  their leaders what they want,  how to achieve  desired pay structure like their brothers in other organizations  which have also adopted Bipartite  system of wage revision.

So far as retirees are concerned, they are now demanding  what retirees  in other government  staff are getting after retirement  without realising  that those government  staff are governed  by  Central Pay Commission  CPC. Pensioners  from  none of government  sector can put any demand directly to GOI. 

It is however  true that bank retirees  have been discriminated  in payment  of pension, in updating  pension  , in payment of gratuity,  in medical  insurance etc.  But in such case retirees  have one and only one option which legal action. There is no doubt  that if honest and devoted group of bank retirees  and that of advocates fight their case unitedly  or individually, they will win and get justice  though after some or inordinate  delay. 

It is also a fact that many individuals  and some groups are fighting court case sincerely. If pensioners unite and form one national body ignoring  bank and cadre of retirees  ,we may force  GOI to accept our demand in direct negotiation or by fast legal action. For this,  pensioners  have first to stop criticising  various groups  of retirees and make sincere  efforts to bring all small groups of retirees on one platform,  which is Himalayan  task indeed. 

It is need of the hour that we all,  working   as well as  retired employees forget mistakes committed in the past by our leaders or by various bank officers  representing  IBA or by various governments  of the past and try to chalk out best possible  strategy  taking  cooperation  of everyone UFBU,  IBA and GOI and last but not the least Judiciary.  

We must stop blame game and stop  mutual mud slinging and try to take active support of a individuals who are ready to contribute  their all possible energy. 

Last but not the least,  all working  staff in bank have to retire some day or the other and hence interest of working and retirees  are interlinked.  If  Working  staff union ignore interest  of retirees  , they are digging  their  grave too, it means they are making  their destiny  themselves . 

Wish all the best. God bless you all.