UFBU meeting & Bipartite Discussions with IBA on 21st Feb 2019

UFBU meeting & Bipartite Discussions with IBA on 21st Feb 2019

CIRCULAR No. UFBU/2019/03

Date : 21.02.2019

TO ALL CONSTITUENT UNIONS/MEMBERS

Dear Comrades,

UFBU MEETING ON 20-2-2019

Meeting of the UFBU was held yesterday in AIBEA office in Mumbai. Com. K K Nair, Chairman presided over the meeting.

The meeting observed a minute’s silence to pay homage to the Pulwama martyrs.

The Convener referred to the various letters received from different constituent unions and their wide circulation in the social media and pointed out that while there is every scope to discuss all our common concerns inside the forum of UFBU, we should be careful to maintain our unity so assiduously built up over the last two decades. The need for prescribing some general code of conduct to be observed by the constituent unions was also discussed. It was emphasised that once an issue is discussed in UFBU, and communication is issued by UFBU, the same should be percolated down to the rank and file members and issuing of different circular would with different versions could work at cross-purposes and hence avoidable.

Issues like letter addressed by AIBOC/NOBO directly to IBA not to hold talks, allegation on language used by AIBOA/INBOC in their circular on talks with IBA, alleged statement by General Secretary, AIBEA as appeared in some newspapers were discussed and after necessary clarifications by the concerned organisations, the same were dealt accordingly.

As regards the discussions with IBA fixed to be held on 21-2-2019, after detailed discussions and taking into account the views expressed by the constituent unions, it was decided to attend the discussions with IBA, except that AIBOC and
NOBO reiterated their stand not to participate in the talks unless the mandate issue is resolved.

BIPARTITE DISCISSIONS WITH IBA ON 21-2-2019

Another round of discussion between IBA and UFBU was held today. IBA team was led by Shri Rajkiran Rai G (MD-CEO, Union Bank of India), Chairman of the Negotiating Committee. From UFBU, representatives of AIBEA, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF, INBOC and NOBW participated in the discussions and AIBOC and NOBO did not attend.

Opening up the discussions, IBA stated that in the absence of two officers associations who have taken the stand not to participate in the discussions, IBA would not be able to discuss officers’ demands and would restrict the discussions only to the demands of the workman unions.

From our side we informed IBA that AIBOC and NOBO are not taking part in the discussions in view of the stand of IBA on the mandate issue, i.e. to restrict the discussions upto Scale III. We requested IBA to resolve the issue amicably so that all will participate in the discussions.

IBA informed us that further to the discussion on this issue during the last round of discussions held on 2-2-2019, IBA has decided that they have revised their stand and would hold discussions on officers’ issues upto Scale V. They further stated that this has been conveyed to the representatives of AIBOC also with the hope that they would join the discussions. Since the two officers associations continue not to attend the discussions, IBA has to restrict the discussions to workmen’s demands only.

To our query about the fate of officers’ wage revision, if talks would be held only with workmen unions, IBA stated that in that event, whatever is finalised with the workmen unions, on the same basis, it would be extended and implemented for the officers also.

IBA stated that they consider the industry-level bipartite talks as a sacred forum and hence would like to resolve the issues through bilateral talks at this level but if two officers organisations are not participating in the discussions, they are constrained to restrict the discussions to workmen unions only.

We informed that there are important issues like 5 Day Banking, improvement in Family Pension, periodical updation of pension, reconsideration of NPS for the post 2010 employees/officers, and other common issues to be taken up for discussion but IBA maintained that unless the representation issue is clarified and resolved, that is, whether all the 9 unions would participate in the talks or whether the discussions should be confined only to workmen unions, they would not be able to proceed further.

IBA, however, clarified that once the workman unions agree to discuss their Charter of Demands, all the common issues including the above would be discussed and finalised with Workman Unions and would also be extended to the officers.

In view of this impasse, IBA was informed that the matter would be discussed by the Workmen Unions viz. AIBEA, NCBE, BEFI, INBEF and NOBW shortly and their decision would be informed to IBA. The Workmen Unions are meeting on 1-3-2019 for this purpose.

Further developments in this regard would be informed to our unions and members in due course. Comrades, we are passing through a critical phase and hence we solicit the co-operation of all concerned to maintain unity and resolve
the issues amicably so that we achieve our charter of demands.

With greetings,

Yours comradely,

(SANJEEV K. BANDLISH)
CONVENOR

Source : http://www.befi.in
Signed copy