On 3rd Feb, yesterday, we wrote a mail to the Chairman/ Chief Executive of IBA dealing with some abstract realities attributable to them. It was first time, when IBA in it's public notice alleged Unions as 'irresponsible', otherwise on all such events of strikes, simply they urged banking public to take care of their banking needs expressing regrets for inconveniences.
Two days strike, as usual, has undoubtedly aroused great resentment and brought in impressive turn around in demonstrations and rallies. One may easily strike a note of grand satisfaction, as far 'strike' is concerned, but as for the achievement is concerned, it's still a distance factor.
In our mail dated 26th Jan.2020 we wrote to Sri S. K. Bandish, Convenor, UFBU we opined as under:
"Victory with no causality is great victory. Sometimes, threat perceptions are more lethal than the use of real weaponry that make enemy surrender. We have looked into IBA letter dated 21.1.20 and your letter dated 24.1.20 in reply. Among two contrary stands, you are in advantageous position."
Our assessment was not wrong given a cursory look to unfolding events on 30th Jan.2020, parlays of UFBU in two tranches, one with Chairman Negotiating Committee and other with Chairman, IBA, in SBI Corporate Office. In first round 13% increase was offered with an appeal to withdraw ensuing strike. Unions refused. See quote from most reliable source:
" After mutual consultations with constituent Union representatives present in discussion, we conveyed to IBA that if offer is improved to 15%, we can consider deferment of the two days strike and sorting out remaining issues by further rounds of discussions."
Thus, they reached to consensus that if 15% offer is given, they may defer 2 days strike. And, it was conveyed to IBA.
In next round of talk in SBI Corporate Office with Sri Rajnish Kumar Chairman SBI/ IBA), Sri Rajkiran Rai Chairman of Negotiating Committee & Sri Alok Kumar Choudhary, DMD, SBI, IBA's 13% earlier offer was increased to 15% (as demanded by UFBU), pending rest discussions. See the quote from most authoritative source:
"● Payslip hike of 15% inclusive of the cost of outgo on account of PL encashment of 5 days/ 7 days as per offer made in earlier round of discussion.
"● Alternatively this 15% hike in cost (Rs.7900 crore) can be taken entirely in Payslip components, in which case PL encashment facility will not be available."
Now, with red balance sheets, if UFBU by consensus demanded 15% and that IBA agreed to, where was issue any more, since rest were to be sorted out in next round of talks in UFBU's own words? Though, we have never been in agreement of PLI linking to wage structure, but in view of advancement of offer from 2% to 6 to 9 to 12 to 13 & 15% PLI started climbing it's relevance graph. PLeave encashment was not UFBU demand, and it shouldn't have been. It was IBA proposal, because IBA wanted bank men to work more by selling their leave days in greed to avoid more recruitment.
Now, we would like to introspect 10th Settlement. Please look to Balance Sheets of PS Banks for FY ending 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. These Balance sheets had impressive operating/net profits and then Bankers were reluctant even to agree to 13% rise, but due to intervention of then FM 15% was reached. It was applauded as landmark achievement, but in shortest time it was tarpedoed by LIC's 17.5% rise, making all deaf and dumb!
Now, with RED balance sheets, if they insisted for 15% rise and that they were offered + PLI, initially it was affirmative, of course under threat perceptions of strike. Since they agreed to 15% rise, UFBU's formal 20% rise has now evaporated. For a while, we think, it was a victory point, winning the war without any causality and keeping ammunition safe for remaining issues. On 15% offer they were just going for deferment of 2 days strike, not other two other strike schedules.
Two days strike, otherwise, can be seen from political angle as well. In country there is a wave of protests on govt decisions irrespective right or wrongs. This strike has eminence to fuel anti-government wave. Bank men know well the political forces who are involved in this wave, their aims and objects to subvert peace and progress of nation and weaken it's sovereignty. Bank men have now seen, how their two days strike was lost in dins of said wave. Once they can forget loss of their 2 days wages, but how can they forget that they lost their goal, just to subserve political interest, under which strike was made must. Media deliberately undermined strike. Budget find dampened more. However, Bankers did their best, of course under emerging compulsions, we can say, to work till last breath and here again we can say that UFBU met with unfortunate and avoidable dent that proved their bankruptcy.
We shall examine/ introspect UFBU in context of 'irresponsibilities' of IBA and their attitude towards Bank Pensioners in our next article. Pensioners need not to bow down. They must keep their head high. We shall win and defeat anti pensioner forces.
(J. N. Shukla)
National Convenor,
Forum of Bank Pensioner Activists,
Prayagraj 211 004
4.2.2020
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