by
General Secretary, AIBOC,to Chairman, IBA vide his letter dated
13.11.2015 on the above subject and the same is reproduced hereunder for
information:
ISSUES OF PENSIONERS & RETIRED OFFICERS INCLUDING
UPDATION OF PENSION
UPDATION OF PENSION
"Re: Record Note dated 25-05-2015 on the issues of Bank Retirees
: Request for a meeting to discuss the issues.
We
invite your pointed attention to our letter no.IBA/2015/68-A dated
12-06-2015 addressed to you on the captioned subject followed by
reminder letters dated 05-08-2015 and 18-08-2015 copies of which are
enclosed herewith for your ready reference.
It
is a matter of deep anguish and dismay that you have not even
acknowledged any of our above communications, leave alone responding to
them. Your stoic silence over last five months has been causing deep
sense of anger and frustration among Bank retirees. We reiterate that a
comprehensive dialogue on all the issues of Bank Retirees brooks no
delay and hence it is high time IBA convenes an urgent meeting to
deliberate meaningfully on all these issues with sincere desire to reach
amicable solutions. We would also like to bring to your notice the
following:
i)
Hon. Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No. 1123 of 2017 arising
out of SLP (c) No. 321 of 2015 has in no uncertain words held that
revision in Pension and revision of pay scales are inseparable. When
Pension is upheld to be a right and not a bounty, upgradation/revision
of pension is equally a right and not a bounty. The Hon. Supreme Court
has gone further so as to aver that a plea of financial burden to deny
legitimate demand cannot be taken as justification and that unwarranted
litigation should not be encouraged to deny legitimate rights of the
pensioners.
ii)
Bank Employees Pension Regulations, 1995 provide for upgradation /
revision in basic pension. In terms of provisions contained in
Regulation 35 (1) thereof, the employees retired between 01-01-1986 and
31-10-87 have already been given benefit and their Basic Pension with
Additional Pension was updated on the basis of formula prescribed in
annexure - 1 under Regulation 35 of Bank Employees Pension Regulations.
iii)
In case of revision in Family Pension, as also in 100% D.A.
neutralisation, Government of India has already granted its approval for
retirees of Reserve Bank of India and the said benefits are already
extended to them. As you are aware Bank Employees Regulations have been
drawn on the basis of those prevailing in Reserve Bank of India.
iv)
In case of pension to left over categories of employees whose number is
also not large, it is unfortunate that in spite of clear cut Judgment
of Hon. Supreme Court of India and several similar Judgments of various
High Courts consistently, IBA has chosen not to extend pension benefits
to all those similarly placed employees. On the contrary, it appears
that IBA is bent upon driving them to forced litigations to hoodwink the
issue.
v)
IBA has been dodging the issues of pensioners on the pretext of huge
cost and unaffordability. However factual position of Pension Funds,
returns from investments of the Fund and outgo from the Fund reveals
quite a different picture. IBA’s repeated assertions on unaffordability
without either disclosing their cost details or discussing them with
Unions do not lend credence to them.
We,
therefore, once again call upon you to convene a meeting without
further delay and hold meaningful discussions with us on all the issues
of Bank retirees with a view to arrive at lasting solutions on them. We hope and trust, you will bestow your urgent and personal attention and respond positively in the larger interest.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
GENERAL SECRETARY
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
GENERAL SECRETARY
Regards,
E.R.Iyer
