The Central Committee Meeting of AIBEA was held at Com. Parvana Bhavan at Nagpur on the 12th and 13th April, 2023. The meeting was presided over by Com. Rajen Nagar, President, alongwith Vice-Presidents, Com. J. P. Sharma, Com. Nandu Chavan and Com. M. M. Rai.
The meeting observed a minute’s silence to pay homage to Com. S. D. Dhopeshwarkar, former President, AIBEA, Com. Manoranjan Bose, former Treasurer, AIBEA, and various leaders and personalities, who had passed away during the period.
Com. B. S. Rambabu, Secretary, AIBEA, read out the minutes of the previous CC meetings held on 28th and 29th September, 2022, and 22nd February, 2023, and the same were approved by the meeting.
The General Secretary reported about the various developments that have taken place in the banking sector and informed that the Budget Session of the Parliament has concluded few days ago and the Government has not attempted to introduce the Bank Privatisation Bill. He, however, cautioned that this should not make us complacent and we should remain alert since the agenda of the government is well known to all of us.
He also reported on the developments in the discussions with the IBA on our various pending residual issues. He reported on the details of the discussions held with the IBA on 31st January, 2023, and 28th February, 2023, in the aftermath of the strike call given by UFBU. The meeting noted that tentative understandings have been reached with the IBA on the extra timings in working hours in lieu of introduction of 5-day banking. The meeting also noted that discussions have started on the demand for updation and improvement in pension. The meeting also took note that IBA has agreed to take up our demand of switchover from NPS to OPS during the ensuing wage revision negotiations. He said that IBA has informed that some of the banks have submitted their mandate to them and others are in the process of submitting the mandate but the UFBU has, however, demanded that the negotiations on our charter of demands should be commenced without further delay.
The General Secretary congratulated all our unions and members for their preparedness to implement the call for strike on 19th November, 2022, against the attacks in various banks. He reported on the developments in ethe various banks in this regard. He also informed that as agreed before the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), DFS, Ministry of Finance, has advised all the banks not to violate the provisions of Trade Unions Act and the Industrial Disputes Act. The meeting noted that there have been some developments to restore normalcy in most of the banks but we need to be on guard against such violations and unilateral actions of bank managements.
The meeting noted that Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), Kochi, has clarified that Com. Sumith Nambiar, Vice-President of Federal Bank Employees’ Union, is a protected workman and the management should not have served the termination order without the specific permission of the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), thus vindicating the stand of AIBEA. The meeting noted with regret that despite this clear communication from the RLC, the management has not revoked the illegal termination order served on Com. Sumith Nambiar.
The meeting adopted the draft report of the General Secretary to be presented at the 29th Conference of AIBEA being held at Mumbai from 13th to 15th May, 2023. The meeting also approved the Statement of Accounts for the years from 2016 to 2022.
The meeting further approved the resolutions to be presented before the ensuing AIBEA Conference. The meeting also decided on the amendments to the rules and bylaws of AIBEA for being submitted to the Conference for its approval.
Discussing the arrangements being made by Maharashtra State Bank Employees’ Federation for our conference, the meeting was happy to observe that there is enthusiastic response from our units and members to participate in the ensuing AIBEA Conference. MSBEF reported on the details of the arrangements being made by them and requested for the cooperation of all the State Federations to make the conference a success.
In conclusion, the CC adopted the following resolutions arising out of the discussions in the meeting.
- Demanding the management of Federal Bank to revoke the termination of Com. Sumith Nambiar immediately.
- Demanding the reinstatement of Com. Mohammed Shahabuddin, General Secretary of Sonali Bank Employees’ Union.
- To challenge the recent judgement of the Supreme Court regarding outsourcing of armed guards.
- Demanding adequate recruitment to fill up all the vacancies in the banks.
- Early commencement of 12th Bipartite wage negotiations.
- Resolving the demand of updation and improvement in pension scheme.
- Switchover from new pension scheme to DA-linked old pension scheme.
- Early introduction of 5-day banking.
- Demanding a thorough Parliamentary probe on the allegations raised by Hindenburg report on Adani group companies.
The meeting concluded with the profuse vote of thanks to Eastern Maharashtra Bank Employees’ Association for the nice arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the Central Committee meeting.
Yours Comradely,
C.H. VENKATACHALAM GENERAL SECRETARY
