There is a Need For Creation of Self Help Groups Within the Banking Community To Help Aam Banker by Rajesh Goyal
We have already written three articles exposing how IBA and UFBU have signed an agreement which is like a SELLOUT and will impact not only immediately retiring bankers but also they have pledged the future of the bankers as far as wage revision is concerned. We have noticed that unions are quite upset as number of FaceBook forums who are administered by Union leaders have not approved the display of our above articles. However, they need to know that in this free internet world, it is impossible to gag the freedom of expression.
The feedback on the above articles has made me conclude :-
(a) What we have written in the form of calculations etc is TRUE as no union leader, who has signed the agreement has dared to challenge our analysis – Basic Pay will increase only by 2%
(b) Bankers are frustrated, fuming with anger as they are slowly realizing how they have been cheated;
(c) Bankers are too timid to take any concrete decision like resigning from the unions / not paying levy and stopping of subscription. They look towards others for action;
(d) Some of union sympathizers are dead against AllBankingSolutions.com for exposing their gameplan and are questioning our motives to keep on writing such articles;
(e) Majority of Banker wants others to initiate action – as some of them want that AllBankingSolutions.com should go to High Court / Supreme Court, file PILs etc. They even blame us for not doing so.
(f) Some of readers blame us as to why we do not suggest what bankers should do now.
In view of the above I would like to reiterate the purpose of this website. The purpose of this website is merely to create awareness among bankers on various issues which they confront on regular basis. We try to analyse the facts as received by us through circulars, newspaper reports and give our views.
Remember, we give our views NOT ONLY on wage revision, but also on various policy decisions of GoI which impact bankers. This forum allows you too to put your views before others and create consensus what is good for overall banking industry. Thus, solutions for problems are self generated and are not imposed by anybody. If you do not like the views expressed here, you are free to hold your own views and continue to move with your own ideas. Some of our readers complain that we do not tell what they should do. I am of the firm view that all our readers are well educated and are capable of taking their own decisions based on the analysis we give and feedback they get from other quarters. In case of coal scam, CAG after analysis has sent a report that there is a loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crores (they also wrote that the loss may be even to the tune of more than Rs 10 lakh crores) to the public. People, including myself, could not believe at that time that there can be so much loss / scam. Congress Ministers dismissed the same as zero loss and were not ready to take any action. Did CAG wrote in the report that voters should not vote Congress? Based on such analysis and other factors, even Aam Adami decided not to vote for Congress and they threw the corrupt government out. Now auction of merely 19 blocks (out of 240 blocks) has generated revenue of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. Thus, our readers should not expect me to hand hold them for the action that is required to be taken. On similar lines, our analysis are initially criticized by union leaders and their sympathizers but they keep dead silence when confronted with the real facts.
Therefore, you need to remember that one person (specially like me – a normal retired banker) alone can not file cases in various Courts and fight the might of GoI / IBA / RBI on different subjects / policy matters. It is only different affected groups from within the banking community which can fight diverse issues. One Group may fight only one or two issues only. They have to raise their resources for such a fight. We can provide the platform, infrastructure and possible some monetary help too if absolutely necessary.
Thus, banking community now needs to have SELF HELP GROUPS, consisting of 5 to 10 members in each Group - preferably from different banks. They should be working on voluntary basis They should not be affiliated to any union or political party. They should have experience in the field for which that Self Help Group is being created. They should preferably be resident of one city / State, so that they can meet as per needs, but can advise bankers across India. They should be working independently but may consult other SHGs for the issues which are common or learn from the experiences of other groups. There should not be any subscription or fee to be charged by the Group.
I know this too can raise number of eye-brows and each group can face many hurdles, but once this concept takes roots, it may help lot of bankers. Some of such Groups can be on the following lines :-
(a) Wage Revision at par with CPC;
(b) Pension Anomalies and Updation;
(c) Denial of compassionate appointments
(d) Fixation of Salary Anomalies ;
(e) Disciplinary Cases
(f) Vigilance Cases
etc etc.
The success of such groups will depend on the interest taken by the volunteers who will be members of such Groups.
AllBankingSolutions.com can play a positive role by providing a forum for each group which can be accessed by any banker for suggestions and help. Based on the feedback of such groups , a common strategy may be outlined to fight out the issue on social media and legally. Common banker will be able to seek advise on particular cases as the group will be in a far better position to give advise on complex issues rather than one person only.
The above are my broad ideas which will need lot of feedback and improvements in devising rules and procedures for creating and implementing such group. Before, we can firm up any progress in this regard, our readers can give their views as to whether such a idea will be practical and what steps and procedures needs to be taken so that these have wider acceptability (universally acceptability is out of question).
I throw my idea of Self Help Groups for larger discussion and initiative by some volunteers.