The 8th National Conference of our sister organisation All India Bank Officers Association is being held at Chandigarh from 25th to 27th November, 2022. From AIBEA, our representatives will be participating in the Conference. On behalf of AIBEA we convey our greetings for the success of the Conference.
All of us are aware that in order to build up an officers’ organization with the same ideological orientation and trade union perception, AIBEA decided and founded AIBOA in 1981 keeping in mind the expectations from the officers to provide such a platform as distinct from others.
AIBEA also believed and still believes that even though officers are a separate category of supervisory staff, the basic problems faced either by a workman or by an officer are no different and hence a composite trade union movement of employees and officers is imperative, rather a necessity.
The bitter experiences during the struggle for 3rd Bipartite Settlement and foisting of Pillai Committee’s recommendations in 1978-79-80 were an added reason to expedite the founding of AIBEA’s own Officers’ Wing. Thus was born our AIBOA in February, 1981 under the direct guidance and leadership of Com. Prabhat Kar.
Since then, there had been a long journey of four decades and AIBOA had made its strides, though not to our full satisfaction. Had enough steps been taken at all levels, AIBOA would have grown much larger.
Nonetheless, despite all these limitations and constraints, AIBOA had its own achievements and accomplishments in advancing and promoting the interests of bank officers alongside building a joint movement of employees and officers on multiple common issues and challenges under the banners of AIBEA and AIBOA.
Ever since the LPG policies have been initiated in our country since the 1990s, AIBEA has been in the forefront in all the resistance movements and strikes. In almost all these strikes, AIBOA was with us in these struggles. Because in AIBEA and AIBOA, we believe that the reforms agenda of the Government is anti-people and anti-worker.
Similarly, during the struggle for achieving Pension for bank employees, when AIBEA was sought to be isolated by all other Unions, AIBOA was steadfastly with AIBEA thick and thin against the tirade and ultimately AIBEA could achieve this social security scheme which is today benefiting lacs and lacs of bank retirees.
In the emerging scenario, all of us can perceive the increasing challenges before us and the attacks in store which can be effectively resisted only with an enlarged unity and enflamed struggles. In this context, a stronger AIBEA and AIBOA and our moving together are the need of the hour.
While wishing AIBOA all success, let us take the resolve that all of us have the role in it and shall play that role unwaveringly and unswervingly.
A stronger AIBOA implies a stronger AIBEA.
With greetings.
Yours Comradely,
C.H. VENKATACHALAM GENERAL SECRETARY