Bank News- Letter to IBA - on various issues of retired Bank employees

FORUM OF RETIRED BANK EMPLOYEES

C/O National Institute for Banking Education and Research

K – 5, Induprabha Society, 490, Narayan PethPune 411 030

E mail: niberpune@yahoo.com, Phone: 020 24458228

(Registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 under No. 6911/91 on 21-1-93 and under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 under No. F8005/1993 on 25-2-93)

 

Ref No. FORUM/Retirees Issues/2015​19.05.2015

 

To,

The Chief Executive Officer,

Indian Banks' Association,

6th Floor, Centre 1,

World Trade Centre,

Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005

 

Dear Sir,

 

Reg: Various Issues of Retired Bank Employees.

 

The 10th Bi-Partite settlement is in sight now and hopefully will be signed within a week as per the reports received from the negotiating unions under UFBU. We wish to recall certain events of over last 30 months in this regard.

 

At the expiry of the period of 9th Bi-Partite settlement on 31.10.2012 the workmen unions and officers organisations under the umbrella of United Forum of Bank Unions had submitted separate Charter of Demands for the workmen and officers cadre. While submitting these charters the issues pertaining to the retired staff were included and these are as under:

 

1)

Neutralization of Dearness Relief to all those who retired before 01.11.2002 at par with those who retired thereafter.

2)

Improvement in Family Pension from the present 30% (enhanced) and 15% (normal) to at par with the Government Pensioners.

3)

Updation of Pension of those who retired after 01.01.1986.

4)

One more option of pension to all other left-overs.

 

From the circulars issued by the unions who are negotiating it was communicated to all the retired employees that the issues relating to retired employees listed above have been discussed with IBA and IBA is sympathetic for considering these issues. It was further informed through the circulars of 14.03.2014 and 27.09.2014 that IBA is inclined to favourably consider the demand of 100% DA to pre 2002 retirees and improvement in family pension. The other issues pertaining to retired employees were also reportedly discussed and to study the cost implications of the same.

 

We were hopeful that IBA would consider these issues and a separate note / agreement would be signed along-with the wage agreement. However surprisingly it is now revealed that none of the four issues listed above are finalised to settle and IBA and unions under the umbrella of UFBU will be signing the agreement / joint note for serving employees only.

 

The reason, reportedly cited by IBA, for this sudden drop of issues of retired employees is pending cases in various courts which is really shocking. You will please appreciate that retired employees have been dragged in to litigations because of the wrong interpretations of certain terms and conditions of agreements, lack of positive attitude and deaf ear towards the decisions of courts including Supreme Court of India in some individual cases which could be applied to industry as a whole. The past history shows that despite pending cases in various high courts, apex court agreement on pension issues have been signed by IBA and negotiating unions in 2005 and 2010. The pendency of litigations did not come in the way.

 

We therefore strongly protest your action of denying settlement on the retired employees' issues and demand immediate settlement of all the issues of retired bank employees.

 

Thanking you,

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

 

President.