Wage Revision Is Not Now A Top Priority Issue for AIBOA and AIBEA

AllBankingSolutions.com ......our answer to all your banking needs

Follow AllBankingSolutions

Wage Revision Is Not Now A Top Priority Issue for AIBOA and AIBEA

Rajesh Goyal

Ads by Google

I have uploaded yesterday (i.e. 25th September, 2014), late night the circular of AIBOA and have promised to give my views / interpretation soon [ You can click on the link here, if you have not read the said circular AIBOA Circular - Is Ground Being Prepared to Surrender The Bankers Fight for Honourable Wage Revision? ]

I have read this long circular twice to understand what the author of the letter really wants to tell the comrades. However, I have failed to understand as to why the circular is so guarded and does not clearly tell their cadre as to what these Unions plan to do? Are they now afraid of their own cadre. Anyway, let me give the readers some background and the first impressions of Aam Banker about the above circular, so that you can really understand what is happening behind the scene :-

· The Central Committee (CC) meeting of AIBOA was held on 16th and 17th September, 2014, and this circular is meant to give the details of the proceedings of the said meeting;

· Although, meeting ended on 17th, yet the circular seems to have been finalized on 23rd September (i.e. after 6 days of conclusion of the meeting), but was finally uploaded to website on 25th September 2014 (i.e. after 8 day of the conclusion of the meeting);

· Although CC meeting took place when the UFBU and IBA’s meeting of 17th September was underway, yet the circular has been uploaded just few hours before the next meeting of IBA and UFBU to be held today (i.e. 26th Sept., 2014) for negotiation of wage revision;

· After uploading the circular, when I asked an Aam Banker, what he has understood from the circular, he was frank to admit that he could mainly understand about silence observed for departed souls, exchange of floral bouquets, fragrance of flowers, breaks for lunch, breaks for tea and long hours of discussions. On wage revision front, he was confused about the decisions taken by Com C H Venkatachalam and his team. He was least interested in other issues of of national importance, how articles will be published in Two Roses etc.

Ads by Google

Without going into each part of the circular, let me share my impressions on the major points only :-

(a) The circular is admission of the fact that Central Committees of such organization are more interested in discussing their internal affairs rather than matters relating to Aam Banker.

(b) Most important part of the circular for which link is given above are :

· “ On the prioritised issue of Wage revision, the CC had the benefit of power point presentation of the complete details so as to enable the members to debate and decide the future course of action in the matter % of the quantum jump and also the our organisational priority of Non Financial demands over the Financial Demands, as Industry is in the process of facing new type of development due to huge retirement during the settlement period as well as the expectations of the youngsters joining the Industry.

· Nearly thirty comrades presented their firm opinion that the present demand placed for negotiation has to be appropriately modulated as our organisation has the prioritised Non Financial issues over financial issues as the Industry in future has to be handled by new generation of employees

The above paras clearly indicate that in the CC it was decided by AIBOA and AIBEA that both these organizations give priority to Non Financial Demands over the Financial Demands of the bankers.

Now questions arises,

· What are the Non Financial Demands of AIBEA and AIBOA?

· Why these have not been listed in the said circular?

· Has the consent of the Aam Banker been taken to give priority to Non Financial Demands at a time when IBA and GoI are using all their might to give only a small increase in wage revision?

· Does it not give a clear indication to IBA that these Unions are least interested in higher wage revision when compared to their demand for honourable salary increase?

Based on the above circular, I am of the view

(a) AIBEA and AIBOA have already decided that wage revision is only a secondary issue on prioritized basis and they want to confront Modi Government for non financial issue relating to banking industry. These issues can include banking reforms like merger of banks, re-structuring of Boards etc. This means they are interested in more in fighting on political issues rather than financial issues of the bankers ;

(b) Aam Banker should be ready f0r accepting lower wage increase (forget 25% or so) and be ready for strikes on issues other than wage revision.

(c) A part of the increase in your wages can be eaten by the strikes that will be declared to stop the government from implementing reforms (i.e. non financial issues). [Which ultimately government will implement if they so desire]

(d) It will mean delays in conclusion of BPS as AIBEA and AIBOA may not like an early BPS as in such an eventuality they will find it extremely difficult to push their cadre for repeated strikes on merely non financial issues.

I am concluding this article just before the start of the wage revision talks scheduled for 26th September 2014 (It is 9.30 AM and talks will start at 10.00 AM). Therefore, the line of action taken by these Unions may be more clear by this evening / tomorrow, when they may issue some clarification. Let us wait and see whether we are presuming comes to true or they have some other tricks under their sleeves.

You can give your feedback / comments about this Article. Please give only relevant comments as irrelevant comments are waste of time for yourself and our other readers.