Demands:
- Introduction of 5 banking days a week.
- Updation of Pension for past retirees.
- Resolution of residual issues.
- Adequate recruitment in all cadres to ensure better customer service.
- Scrap New Pension Scheme and restore Old Pension Scheme.
- Immediate commencement of negotiations on Charter of Demands for wage
revision.
UFBU Circular : All our unions and members are aware that while signing our wage revision settlement in November, 2020, it was agreed by the IBA that the remaining residual issues will be discussed and resolved at the earliest. Minutes were also signed by our unions listing out the various residual issues. Unfortunately, even though one or two round of discussions took place between the IBA and the unions, none of the issues has been resolved despite a lapse of more than two years. In this background, after exhausting our efforts, UFBU gave a call for strike on 27th June, 2022, demanding resolution of the issues.
In the conciliation meeting held by the Chief Labour Commissioner, IBA came forward and agreed to hold discussions with the unions with a view to workout amicable solution to our demands. Hence, we agreed to defer the strike. After this, only two rounds of discussions have taken place in July and September, 2022. But regretfully, our issues and demands remain unresolved.
In the meantime, since our last wage settlement was coming to an end in October, 2022, fresh Charter of Demands has been submitted to the IBA. On this also, IBA is maintaining total silence.
Hence, in the UFBU meeting held in Chennai on 15th December, 2022, it was decided to submit a letter to the IBA urging upon them to hold immediate discussions to resolve the demands, failing which, our agitational programmes would have to be revived. But, IBA chose to ignore our communication and there has been no response from the IBA for the past one month.
In view of this, a meeting of UFBU was held today at Mumbai to review and take necessary decisions. After deliberations and discussions, the meeting came to the inescapable conclusion that even though all our demands are genuine and reasonable, the same are being ignored by the IBA and hence, unanimously decided to revive and relaunch our agitational programmes.
We are also experiencing that in all the banks, there is acute shortage of staff in most of the branches in all the cadres and the bank managements are not recruiting adequate number of staff to fill up these vacancies. With the result, the existing employees and officers are forced with heavy workload leading to frustration and demotivation of the workforce.
Keeping the above in mind, the meeting decided to revive our agitational programmes and resort to All India Strike in all the banks on 30th and 31st January, 2023, on the following demands.
- Introduction of 5 banking days a week.
- Updation of Pension for past retirees.
- Resolution of residual issues.
- Adequate recruitment in all cadres to ensure better customer service.
- Scrap New Pension Scheme and restore Old Pension Scheme.
- Immediate commencement of negotiations on Charter of Demands for wage revision.
The following preparatory programmes were also decided upon to be observed.
14.01.2023 16.01.2023 20.01.2023 24.01.2023 25.01.2023 27.01.2023
30 & 31.01.2023
Serving Strike Notice on IBA
Display of posters
Demonstrations at all Centres
Badge Wearing
Demonstrations at all Centres
Press Statements/ Demonstrations at all Centres All India Strike
onwards
Comrades, our endeavour has been to resolve our demands amicably through negotiations but in view of the indifferent approach and delaying tactics of the IBA, we have been compelled to revive and resort to agitational programmes.
We call upon all our unions and members to respond enthusiastically and implement the programmes successfully.
With Greetings
Yours Comradely,
C.H. VENKATACHALAM GENERAL SECRETARY