After 20 Months UFBU Still
Struggling To Come to Consensus Among Themselves
by
Rajesh Goyal
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UFBU and IBA had a meeting on 13th June, 2014, i.e. now over a
month back. Wherein IBA very generously agreed to offer 11% hike instead of
earlier offer of 10%. In the circular after the said meeting, UFBU has declared
as under :-
“With this, the talks ended inconclusively. Thereafter UFBU
decided that since IBA has not come up with any adequate increase in their
offer, further course of action would be taken shortly after mutual
consultations amongst the Constituent Unions and also after meeting the Finance
Minister in this regard. Further developments would be informed to units in
due course”.
While analyzing the above referred circular of 13th June, we at
AllBankingSolutions.com have predicated the following :-
It
again appears to be great tactics to buy maximum time as FM will be too busy in
next few weeks for preparation of budget and then meetings that follow the
budget. UFBU are unlikely to get time from FM (with burden of two portfolios -
defence and finance) to discuss this issue before budget. Thus, the next course
of action to be announced may take another SIX weeks. Another FOUR weeks may
be required for preparation of agitation / strike programme and its notice
period. Thus, Aam Banker should continue to lick his / her wounds for another
TEN weeks or so when they can expect any agitation programme to start.
Except
that UFBU was able to go for a photoshow session with FM in this period, there
is no progress and six weeks are going to be completed by next week. Thus, our
prediction has come true and UFBU has not been able to decide about the next
course of action. Interestingly, I have now come across a circular
dated 16th July, 2014, which I am reproducing below for the benefit of our
readers :-
What Does
Circular Reads
Summary / Remarks by AllBankingSolutions.com
The representatives of Constituent Unions of UFBU met on 15th July 2014
at Mumbai, subsequent to the submission of Memorandum to the Hon’ble
Minister of Finance on 27th June 2014, to discuss and decide on the
strategies to be adopted for early conclusion of wage settlement.
No comments as it is only giving background
The meeting observed a minute’s silence as a mark of tribute and paid
homage to Shri Ajay Sehgal, Chief Manager of Punjab National Bank, who
committed suicide by jumping in front of a train due to the humiliation
and constant harassment by his senior officials. The meeting also
passed a unanimous resolution condemning the humiliation and harassment
meted out to Shri Ajay Sehgal that resulted in his untimely death and
irreparable loss to his family members.
Does not relate to wage revision. It appears there was no other
resolution (except condemning the humiliation and loss to the family
members) passed or action taken to avoid such incidents in future. It
seems it was only one more episode of bank officer committing suicide
Thereafter, it deliberated at length on the future course of action and
strategies to be adopted for expeditious wage settlement. The meeting
expressed its unhappiness on the silence of IBA despite a lapse of more
than a month since last meeting on wage negotiations and noted with
concern the lackadaisical attitude of IBA in not conducting the meetings
on wage negotiations regularly.
UFBU expressed unhappiness on the silence of IBA
The representatives of constituent unions extensively discussed on all
the major issues concerning wage revision such as wage components,
method of arriving at the cost and other issues such as Five-day
banking, regulated working hours for officers, Health Insurance,
improvements in pension/family pension schemes, etc. and
unanimously decided to approach IBA with a consensus view on all the
issues.
UFBU discussed all the issues but no details are shared with members.
They say they will approach IBA with a consensus view on all the issues.
It is surprising that UFBU is now talking of arriving at
a consensus after delay of 20 months. What they have been doing for
over 1 ˝ years among themselves? They have yet to arrive at a consensus
as to what is to be demanded from IBA. Great Progress.
Subsequent to the meeting with Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Minister of
Finance, Government of India by the delegation of UFBU on 27th June
2014, keeping in view the pre-occupation of the Government on account of
parliament session, submission of budget and requirement of reasonable
and sufficient time to examine our issues, the representatives of
constituent unions felt that UFBU shall approach the Government once
again for its intervention in the matter for early wage settlement.
It appears UFBU team is now pretending that it was so novice that it was
not aware that new Government will be busy in budget, Parliament session
etc., and now it wants to give another opportunity to Government.
Great strategy to further delay the matters
The meeting also deliberated upon the reforms in the banking industry,
more particularly arising out of recommendations of P. J. Nayak
Committee, such as reduction in Government share holding, merger of
banks, etc. and decided to consolidate views and express concerns to the
Government and decide further course of action thereafter
A stereo type opposition to PJ Nayak Committee. Government has already
announced that at present government shareholding will not be diluted
beyond 51%, I am not sure what else they deliberated upon and why the
same is not shared with members (Is this too confidential??).
The meeting unanimously decided as under:
(i)
To send a communication to IBA for conduct of Meeting on wage
negotiations immediately without any further delay and also for conduct
of such meetings at frequent intervals;
(ii)
To approach Government once again seeking intervention of Hon’ble
Minister of Finance towards expeditious wage settlement;
Soft options of sending a letter to IBA and again beg to government for
another round of photo session with FM.
Comrades, the impediments in wage negotiations are known but nothing can
stop us from achieving a respectable wage revision. Let us march ahead
with full determination and commitment to reach our goal. Let us be in
readiness always for further agitation programmes, if need be, including
strike actions.
No comments, as I have been reading this type of slogans at the end of
each circular for last 30 years.
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Thus, in nut shell
we can say the
meeting expressed
unhappiness for the
delay, and decided
to request for
another meeting with
FM and shot a letter
to IBA wherein it
did not fit it even
necessary to mention
about meeting with
FM. They will
now try to come to a
consensus for
approaching IBA with
that view.
Now you read the three liner letter sent to IBA i.e. after 18 months of
delay:-
The Chief Executive,
Indian Banks' Association,
World Trade Centre Complex,
Centre 1, 6th
Floor, Cuffe Parade,
MUMBAI.
Dear Sir,
TENTH BIPARTITE WAGE
REVISION NEGOTIATIONS
The meeting between the
Negotiating Committee of IBA and the representatives of UFBU was last held on 13th
June 2014 and was inconclusive on account of contradictory views in the matter
of percentage increase in wages. Despite the assurances of IBA during the
conciliation meeting held on 13th
January 2014 that further meetings shall be held at regular intervals, say
fortnightly, to settle an early wage revision, the holding of wage negotiation
meeting with us is being unduly delayed.
2.The above issue was seriously considered in
the UFBU Meeting held yesterday, i.e., 15th July 2014, in Mumbai and the UFBU
expressed its unhappiness over the undue delay in the wage negotiations. We,
therefore, request for conduct of wage negotiation meeting at the earliest and
also to ensure conduct of such meetings at frequent and specified intervals for
early conclusion of wage revision settlement.
3.Please acknowledge receipt of this
communication and advise us the developments in this regard.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
(M.V. MURALI)
CONVENOR "
Inspite of our regular exposes and hue and cry at social media, it seems they
have not even budged an inch. Now I leave it to the wisdom of
readers to draw their own conclusions about the worthiness and capabilities of
leaders of UFBU for negotiation with IBA and GoI as a group of bankers feel that
we are too critical of union leaders. Good luck to the silent
spectators.
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