Saturday, April 30, 2016

CBPRO DELEGATION MEETS HON’BLE FINANCE MINISTER - MEETING OF CONSTITUENTS OF CBPRO AT DELHI ON 27.04.2016


We are reproducing hereunder circular no. 005/2016 dated 27.04.2016 issued by Joint Conveners of CBPRO and  the copy of memorandum submitted by leaders to Union Finance Minister for his kind consideration.
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Circular 005/2016 Dated: 27.04.2016
To all the Constituents of CBPRO
Dear Comrades,

CBPRO DELEGATION MEETS HON’BLE FINANCE MINISTER - MEETING OF  CONSTITUENTS OF CBPRO AT DELHI ON 27.04.2016

Principal Office Bearers of Constituents of CBPRO along with their other important Office Bearers assembled at YMCA Tourist Hostel, New Delhi today for the CBPRO meeting. Leaders from SBI Pensioners’ Federation, AIBPARC, RBONC, AIRBEA and Leaders from the newly joined Forum of Retired Bank Employees participated in the meeting. Com R.N. Banerjee, President of SBI Pensioners’ Federation presided over the meeting. The Joint Conveners Com A. Ramesh Babu and Com. K.V. Acharya presented the Joint Conveners report detailing various developments that have taken place after the last meeting at Kolkata. All the Leaders of various Constituents warmly welcomed the entry of Forum of Retired Bank employees (FORBE) into CBPRO. The FORBE was represented by Com. M.D. Deshpande, President, Com. A.N. MadhuSudan, Vice President and Com. S.V. Chaudhari, Vice President. Com R.N.Banerjee congratulated the CBPRO Constituents for making the Jantar Mantar Dharna on 11.12.2015 a memorable success and particularly complimented the Joint Conveners for organizing such a wonderful Dharna programme. Com. Shantha Raju, Vice President of SBI Pensioners’ Federation gave lot of inputs in regard to bringing larger unity of all the Retiree Organisations and the issues on which we have to focus and carry on the struggles at State and District levels by coordinating various organizations at the grass root level. His rich experience in the field of Bank Officers’ Movement as well as Convener of UFBU during his tenure as General Secretary of AIBOC benefited the course of the meeting.

1 The hall mark of the meeting is the culmination of a purposeful meeting with Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Finance Minister, Government of India. Halfway the meeting CBPRO Delegation consisting of Com. R.N. Banerjee, Com. A.Ramesh Babu, Com. K.V. Acharya, Com. Shanta Raju and Com. M.D. Deshpande had to proceed to Parliament House to meet the Hon’ble Finance Minister. In spite of a very busy Parliament Session the Hon’ble Finance Minster gave the audience to the CBPRO Delegation who also submitted a representation detailing the Pensioners’ and Retirees long pending issues. The delegation had also the privilege of meeting and requesting Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon’ble Union Minister who happened to be present with the Hon’ble Finance Minister. Hon’ble Prakash Javadekar warmly recalled the requests made by us in our earlier meetings mainly regarding Pension Updation, Family Pension and Uniform 100% DA to all Retirees and endorsed ourrequest to Hon’ble Finance Minister. The Delegation also met Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, Hon’ble Union Minister, who also assured the Delegation to help us. CBPRO is extremely thankful to Hon’ble Ministers not only for giving an  opportunity to meet them but also showing their warm response to our issues. We hope and wish that this development will make a far reaching favourable effect in respect of our issues.



The CBPRO met again after lunch and discussed the details about our meeting with the Hon’ble Finance Minister. It was also unanimously decided to further strengthen The CBPRO by calling upon all Retirees’ Organisations to come together under the umbrella of CBPRO and facilitate proper and meaningful dialogue with the IBA. The following action programmes were suggested and unanimously accepted:

1. Set up coordination bodies under CBPRO at State and District levels.
2. Hold meetings across various centers to involve Bank Pensioners and Retirees fully with the struggle to end discriminations against Bank Pensioners and Retirees.
3. Delegation of CBPRO to meet CEO of IBA again within a month.
4. To meet Chairman of IBA by CBPRO delegation.
5. To collect details about the structured meetings with the Retirees’ Organisations by all the Banks as per directions of IBA.
6. To urge upon IBA to hold structured meetings at Industry level with CBPRO on the same line and sprit of the communication sent by IBA to various Member Banks.
7. To further seek support from UFBU and its constituents.
8. To hold meetings of CBPRO thrice in a year and on urgent basis as and when necessary.
9. To hold the next meeting of the constituents of CBPRO at Chennai tentatively in the month of August.
10. To further highlight the issues of Bank Pensioners and Retirees at every level of power centers.

2 Comrades, it was a very purposeful meeting with active participation by leaders of various Constituents of CBPRO and we are confident that we are moving in the right direction and succeed in getting the Bank Pensioners issues resolved fully.

With warm regards,

Yours Comradely,

A.Ramesh Babu   K.V.Acharya

Joint Conveners

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dated: 27.04.2016

Shri Arun Jaitley,
Hon’ble Finance Minister,
Government of India,
Ministry of Finance,
North Block, New Delhi 110001

Respected Sir,

SUB: REQUEST FOR RESOLUTION OF LONG PENDING ISSUES OF BANK PENSIONERS AND RETIREES.

We request your good self to kindly refer to our various representations in regard to the Bank Pensioners’ and Retirees issues. We have also represented to Indian Banks’ Association and submitted a memorandum when we met IBA in a delegation at Mumbai on 10.02.2016. We represent the Bank Retirees’ Organisations representing all the Bank Pensioners and Retirees. We hope and wish that this coordinated body i.e. Coordination of Bank Pensioners’ and Retirees Organisatons will facilitate dialogues with Bank Pensioners and Retirees as a body and help in resolving the issues with the urgency that is required. It is again with lots of hopes we are approaching your good self so that you can give necessary directions to IBA to resolve the issues at the earliest. We briefly mention here under the most urgent issues causing anxiety to
1. Uniform 100% DA Relief to Bank Pensioners, who retired before November 2002.

2. Pension Updation: It is even held by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that Pay Revision and Pension Revision cannot be separated from one another. Moreover Pension Regulation 15 (1) also very clearly states that Bank Pension shall be updated but unfortunately no updation has been done since November 1989 and in the process those who retired earlier are drawing a very meager Pension as compared with a very junior subordinate who retired recently or retiring in future. A General Manager who retired in 1990 is drawing a Pension of about Rs. 24,000/-, which is much less than the Pension of a clerical staff, who retires now. This anomalous situation has arisen because of non updation of Basic Pension for nearly three decades though regularly wage revision is taking place with no benefit of salary revision being passed on to the Bank Retirees.

3. Improvement of Family Pension: Though the Government Employees and RBI Employees have received improved Family Pension to 30% of Pay to the spouse of the deceased retired Employees, in Banks for the retirees it is continuously 15% that too with ceiling.

4. Pension for Employees resigned after putting Pensionable Service: Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has already given the verdict in respect of writ petitions filed by Vijaya Bank Employees and upheld the judgment of Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka giving relief to all petitioners. But it is unfortunate that very unreasonably IBA directed the member Banks not to extend the relief of the Judgment to other similarly placed employees stating that whoever wants relief should again approach the courts. This is not only against the Seniors Citizen Litigation Policy as propounded by the Central Government but also against all legal ethics and also amounts to disregarding the highest body of the Judiciary. In fact this also tantamounts to going against the guidelines of Department of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India to all the Public Sector organizations that in case of Senior Citizens cases the Public Sector Organizations should not harass the Retirees by going on appeals against the favorable Judgments given by the Courts and also should not unnecessarily force the Senior Citizens to seek relief from the Courts. The number of such Resignees is very small and by extending Pension to them we will be only upholding the concept of Pension for all as a social security scheme.

The above are the major issues concerning the Bank Retirees for a very long time. The Bank Pension Scheme has been implemented in the Banks after the same was duly incorporated as Bank Employees Pension Regulations. Regulation 56 of Bank Employees Pension Regulations makes it clear that the Bank Pension Scheme is exactly in the lines of Central Government Employees Pension Scheme. It is also a fact that Bank Employees Pension Scheme is under DEFINED BENEIFT PENSION SCHEME for those who are recruited before 2010 which is also the case for Central Government Employees. Even the DA Relief is given to Bank Retirees once in six months as Central Government Employees whereas for serving Bank Employees it is in every three months. The punitive clauses of the Government Employees Pension Scheme are also automatically incorporated in the Bank Employees Pension scheme in regard to disciplinary actions after retirement and payment of pension subject to future good conduct. It is also a fact that the Consolidated Pension Fund of all the Public Sector Bank together with State Bank of India is about TWO LAC CRORES and hence the Pension Corpus is also sufficiently funded. Moreover the Pension Scheme being a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme it is obligatory on the part of Banks to pay the Pension as per the Pension regulations. Denying the payment of pension as per Regulations stating the cost as a factor is not legally tenable as the Pension scheme in Banks is under Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

The Bank Employees and Officers have tirelessly contributed to the Massive growth of Banking to the nooks and corners of the country after nationalization from mere 8000 branches in 1969 to more than 2,20,000 branches presently. The imprints of Banking Service is very deeply rooted in Rural, Semi-urban, Urban or Metropolitan centers serving the poorest of the poor and also giant industries. It is our earnest request to your good selves to help the Bank Retirees, who are responsible for the phenomenal transformation in the development of the Nation. We sincerely hope the Bank Retirees will get a life of dignity and pride in the evening of their life as is given to Retired Central Government Employees in the matter of Pension and other welfare measures.

A.Ramesh Babu    K.V.Acharya

Joint Conveners 
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Source: AIBPARC Website

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Meeting of resignees at Chennai and Bangalore

A communique received from Shri R. K. Pathak, founder member RBEWA is reproduced below:
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Dear Resignees,
The meeting of the resignees at Chennai is scheduled as under:-
Date :- 30 April 2016 SATURDAY
Indian Bank Employees' Association(TN) Trust Building
(IBEA(TN) Guest House)
Ameerjan Street, (Off. Choolaimedu High Road),
Choolaimedu, Chennai 600094
Time : 4.30 pm.

Interested Resignees can attend the meeting and confirm their participation by sending mail to me (vinayak53.t@gmail.com) for necessary arrangements.

Another meeting is scheduled at Bangalore on 1st May 2016 at the following venue and time.
DATE: 1-5-2016. (Sunday)
TIME: 10.30 AM
Venue: Hotel FOOD CAMP (A unit of Asha Sweets).
Address: # 87, 10th cross, 1st Temple Street, Malleswaram, Bangalore 560003.
Hotel No: 080 23562357, 23562233.

All are welcome. We request a line of SMS from participants as we have to make arrangements for lunch followed by Meeting. PL SMS to Mr. N P Ramesh at his mobile number 94483 68145 or of Sri. Subodh, Mobile No, 98802 75533 Resignee of Vijaya Bank.

Regards
Pathak R K

Unquote


Saturday, April 16, 2016

UFBU meet with IBA on 13th April 2016 - Retirees' and other issues


The text of UFBU Circular No. 55 dt. 15-4-2016 on the details of discussions held with IBA on 13-4-2016 is furnished here under for information
It is very clear that IBA has moved not an inch forward from the Record Note and same arguments are repeated once again in this meet also.
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1. DISCUSSIONS WITH IBA:
In response to our letter to the IBA seeking discussions on follow-up actions on some of the issues raised by us, IBA had fixed up a meeting with UFBU on 13th April, 2016 and accordingly the meeting was held in IBA’s Office as scheduled. IBA was represented by Mr. M V Tanksale, Chief Executive, Mr. K. Unnikrishnan, Dy. Chief Executive, Mr. Visweshwar, Senior Advisor, Mr. K S Chauhan, Senior Vice-President – HR & IR and other officials of the HR-IR Department. UFBU was represented by representatives of all the 9 constituents.
a) Difficulties faced by employees/officers in implementation of Medical Insurance Scheme:
We pointed out the following:
While the Scheme covers reimbursement of Rs. 3 lacs and Rs. 4 Lacs for clerks/substaff and officers respectively plus additional coverage from Corporate Buffer, some of the managements are maintaining that the coverage is only restricted upto Rs. 3 lacs and R. 4 lacs. The correct position should be suitably clarified to all the Banks and in turn by all Banks to the employees at large.
An important advantage of the Scheme is the Cashless facility available for treatment in hospitals. But instances are coming to our attention that in many centres, many hospitals are not covered by tie-up and hence employees are asked to pay for the treatment and then seek reimbursement. IBA and Banks should take up with the TPAs to ensure that maximum hospitals are covered by tie-up so that employees are not put to difficulties to avail cashless treatment facility.
The Settlement and the Scheme clearly provide that employees would submit the Bills to the Banks as in the past and the Bank should submit the Bills to the TPA to get the reimbursement. But some of the managements are asking the employees to submit the Bills directly to the TPA. This should be stopped and suitable instructions should be given.
There are instances of death occurring during treatment in hospital and if it happens to be Sunday or holiday, the hospital/TPA do not come to the rescue and the family is facing problems in getting the body of the patient in time. Such things should not be allowed to happen.
Instances have also come to our attention where certain treatments like Dialysis, etc. are disallowed by the TPA though covered by the Scheme and the employees are forced to pay the cost to the hospital. Hence our scheme should be properly implemented by the TPAs and employees should not be put into such hardship.
In the case of Bills submitted to the Banks for domiciliary treatment, there are many complaints of undue delay by the TPAs and managements are not taking steps to liaise with them to expedite the claims. Special attention is required in this regard and necessary steps are to be taken.
Though Corporate Buffer facility is available for claims over Rs. 3 lacs/Rs. 4 lacs, many Banks are yet to issue guidelines for utilisation/claims under the buffer limit. This defeats the very purpose of the facility. IBA should advice all the Banks to issue proper instructions on utilisation of the corporate buffer amount.
SCHEME FOR RETIREES TO COVER DOMICILIARY TREATMENT :
Though the Settlement and the Scheme provides for reimbursement of domiciliary treatment for the retirees, this has been denied by UIIC in violation of the scheme and IBA should ensure its implementation. Otherwise UFBU will be constrained to agitate on this issue.
In response, IBA informed us as under:
By and large, the Scheme is working well.
37 Banks are covered by the Scheme relating to serving employees
6,50,000 employees/officers are covered by the Scheme.
Total premium of Rs. 379 crores has been paid for this year.
During the current policy year i.e. from October, 2015, upto March, 2016, total of 1,02,603 claims for Rs. 168 crores have been settled and paid.
So far 35 Banks have joined the scheme under retirees’ policy
2.05 retirees are covered by the scheme now
Total premium of Rs. 123 crores has been paid
Upto March, 2016, 7,069 claims for Rs. 45.50 crores have been paid.
On the problems brought to their attention as mentioned above, IBA informed that they will take up all these issues with the UIIC/TPAs and also with all the Banks to ensure smooth implementation of the Scheme.
Regarding coverage of domiciliary treatment under the scheme for the retirees, IBA informed us that they are fully seized of the issue and have taken up the matter with the top officials of UIIC and are awaiting a positive outcome and resolution of the issue.
b) Next Wage Revision for employees/officers:
IBA informed that in view of the Government guidelines, they would take up this issue, after the Balance Sheets of the Banks for the year ended 31-3-2016 are finalised.
c) Follow up of pension related issues as covered by Record Note dated 25-5-2015:
Revision in rate and quantum of Family Pension: IBA reiterated their standpoint that they are positively inclined to consider this demand by revising the rates and quantum of Family Pension.
IBA, however, pointed out that unless the exact additional outgo is worked out and additional corpus required for the same is ascertained based on actuarial calculations, it would not be possible for them to commit anything at this stage. It was further informed by them that the details have been called for from the Banks for this purpose.
We asked IBA to expedite the collection of the details so that the actuarial calculation exercise can be undertaken and expedited to take this issue forward.

Periodical updation of Pension :
We took up the demand of periodical updation/revision of pension along with every wage revision settlement. IBA informed that this was a major issue and huge additional corpus fund has to be provided for meeting this demand which is not feasible in the present circumstances when the financial condition of the Banks are not good. We insisted that this issue cannot be left like this and a way has to be found out to resolve the matter amicably.
We suggested that pending the exercise of ascertaining the cost, some adhoc increase in existing pension of the retirees can be considered and requested IBA to examine the same. IBA replied that any revision in pension amount would have cost implications and hence cannot react on our suggestion without proper working out.
Uniform DA formula for Pre-Nov. 2002 Retirees: To this demand, IBA informed us that firstly, the issue is subjudice to be discussed as court cases are involved in the mater and secondly, the cost impact is to be worked out and if at all any consideration can be given, it can only be on a prospective basis.

2. UFBU MEEETING:
Thereafter, UFBU meeting was held under the Presidentship of Com K K Nair, Chairman of UFBU.
INCREASING ATTACKS ON PUBLIC SECTOR BANKING:
The meeting took a review of the developments taking place in the banking sector on account of the various policy decisions of the Government like appointment of Banks Board Bureau, appointment of private sector Executives to head PSBs, proposals of consolidation and mergers, reduction in Government’s capital in PSBs, selective capitalisation of Banks, encouragement to private sector banking, allowing Small Banks and Payments to private corporates, privatisatioin of IDBI Bank, increasing bad loans in the Banks and concessions being given to defaulters, huge provisions towards NPAs and showing PSBs in poor light, privatisation of RRBs, etc.
The meeting unanimously felt that these are anti-public sector banking measures to suit their agenda of privatisation of Banks and hence will have to be resisted and fought back. It was decided that agitational programmes are to be undertaken to campaign amongst the people and to convey our opposition to these moves.
ANTI-BANK PRIVATISATION DAY on 1st MAY, 2016:
To begin with, it has been decided that the ensuing May Day on 1st May, 2016 should be observed as Anti-Bank Privatisation Day through posters, meetings, rallies, processions, etc. under the common banner of UFBU at all centres.
It was also decided to address a letter to the Finance Minister drawing his attention to our viewpoints on these measures and urging upon him not to proceed with the same.
Further programmes including strike actions will be decided in due course.
CALL FOR NATIONAL GENERAL STRIKE ON 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2016 BY CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS:
In the recent Trade Union Convention held on 30th March, 2016 by the Central Trade Unions, the call has been given to observe National General Strike on 2nd September, 2016 against the continued anti-labour policies of the Central Government and their proposals of anti-worker labour reforms. The meeting took note of this strike call. It was decided to discuss the matter further in the next meeting of the UFBU.
NEXT MEETING OF UFBU ON 11th May, 2016:
It has been decided to hold the next meeting of the UFBU at Hyderabad on 11th May, 2016 to chalk out further agitational programmes
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 Click on the following link to view news item in Hindu Business line
IBA agrees to look into pension revision for retirees



Monday, April 11, 2016

Appeal to Resignees / Resignee / Retiree Groups

An appeal made by Shri R.K.Pathak, Hon. Secretary RBEWA is reproduced below.
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Dear Friends,
There have been different groups of resigned and retired bank and insurance employees spearheading the fight of pension to resigned employees in the banking and insurance sector.

Resigned Bank Employees Welfare Association (RBEWA) has been the biggest such groups with about 650 resignee members fighting for pension. About 450 employees have filed a writ petition before the Delhi High Court in representative capacity which is admitted but pending for adjudication and about 150 individual WPs are filed in the High Court of Karnataka which too are admitted which are sponsored, supervised and guided by RBEWA.

Today, there is a special and urgent occasion for all the resignee groups and the associations sponsoring the legal fights of the resignees to come together and concentrate their strength, energy / resources and fight at this moment. The reason being, the matter of right of resigned employees to pension has now been referred by a bench of the Honourble Supreme Court to a larger Bench, vide an order dated 26/11/2015 while deciding the matter of Sr. Divisional Manager LIC Vs. Meena.
We have pursued to attach an SLP of a resigned bank employee of Andhra Bank to the said reference to the larger Bench. Many other such SLPs will be attached to this reference to larger bench by managements as well as the employees fighting for pension. The managements such as IBA are keen to unsettle the law and obtain decision of the larger bench in their favour and deprive person to resignees.

In view of the said reference, the Supreme Court is expected to decide the matter of right of resigned employees to pension in entirety – Insurance as well as Banking Sector and we hope and expect that the Apex Court will go in to the real issues of eligibility having regard to the equal or rather more services being rendered by us, the resignees, in comparison with the VRS and the Special VRS employees and render justice to us. Thus, the fate of all resignees, be it of insurance employees or of the bank employees, the matter will be once for all decided by the larger bench of the Supreme Court and all subsequent cases that is the cases of all of us will be decided in line with the principles laid down by the said bench.
In the light of the above reference before the larger Bench, we have been suggested by the legal experts that we should spend more energy and resources in pleading issues of resignees before the Larger Bench since the decision of the larger Bench will prevail upon all future decisions; be they before the Supreme Court or the High Courts. While we the resignees will not get the opportunity to plead before the larger bench always/again and again, the LIC, the IBA and the banks are going to spend huge money in terms drafting powerful and costly lawyers to present their cases (any way their lawyer’s fees will be borne by the government owned institutions, not from their pockets). At the same time it is not expected and possible that Meena the resigned employee of LIC in the above referred case being an individual employee, would reciprocate with equally strong lawyers. The legal view therefore is that we should present the bank and insurance resignee cases before the larger bench with equal force, if not more.
Hiring a senior and powerful lawyer would obviously require more resources. Given this circumstances, it would be desirable that all resignee groups and other retirerees association sponsoring resignees cases come together and sponsor a very senior and highly effective lawyer to fight our cases before the larger bench.
With the above one time/life time opportunity in mind, we appeal all the groups to come together or to contribute financially so as to generate funds with a view to appoint a better or may be an additional but a very senior lawyers to present our cases.
It is therefore appealed to all members to have a meeting of all groups of resignees and the retired (who have sponsored resignees cases in different courts) to decide and take a call as to how we all come together and fight back with the bank and insurance managements. It is practically impossible and of no use to fight our individual and groups cases separately either in the High Courts or in the Supreme Court since all such cases will now be decided in line with the principles to be laid down by the larger bench of the Supreme Court. Therefore there is no point in concentrating our individual or the group’s cases outside and paralally to the cases referred to the larger bench.
I am located in Pune. However, we can meet at a common place like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai or Bangalore and decide our strategy to fight for and take this one time opportunity to our benefits as this opportunity will never come again at least during our life time.
Awaiting your ideas and responses positively for pursuing our cause.
Our mission is pension to all employees who have served the qualifying service in banks and insurance companies.

With Fighting Greetings

For Resigned Bank Employee’ Welfare Association,

Ratnakar Pathak
Honourary Secretary
Cell No 9373053695
Email id rbewa2010@gmail.com
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Saturday, April 9, 2016

Letter from IBA to AIBRF regarding retirees' issues


Text of IBA letter dated 7th April '16 in response to AIBRF letter dt 6th April.16 ,to GS,AIBRF is reproduced below

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Indian Banks Association 
HR & Industrial Relations

No.HR&IR/KU/G5/37
April 7, 2016

Shri S C Jain
General Secretary
All India Bank Retirees` Federation
D-1/1, Sector-C, Scheme-71
Near Kasara Bazar School, Indore - 452009

Dear Sir,

Re : Retiree Issues

We acknowledge receipt of your Ref: 2016/383 dated the 6th April, 2016

2. In this connection, as you are well aware that IBA is an independent and voluntary organization which provides advisory services to its member banks as and when asked for by these banks. It holds discussions/negotiations with apex level Workmen Unions/Officers` Associations of Banks on behalf of member banks on the basis of specific mandate given by these banks in this regard.

3. As regards main issues raised by various retirees federations including your Federation viz. 100% Dearness relief to pre-2002 retirees w.e.f 1-5-2005,improvement in family pension, updation of basic pension, pension option to all left over retirees including compulsorily retired employees and resignees etc., we are in process of collecting the latest data/information from all Public Sector Banks as suggested by the actuary to assess the cost factor and affordability of the Banks and also provision requirement as per AS-15(R) in this regard. On compilation of data/information received from the banks and after assessing the cost factor as well as provisioning requirement as per actuarial calculation, the same will be put up to the Managing Committee of IBA for deliberation and further course of action.

4. As requested by you, please find enclosed a copy of our Circular CIR/HR&IR/GS/2015-16/2263 dated 09-03-2016 for your ready reference.

Yours faithfully,


K Unnikrishnan
Deputy Chief Executive
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Saturday, April 2, 2016

AIBOC take up with IBA on unilateral withdrawal of domiciliary cover to retirees by Insurance Co


Along with employees issues, the indifferent attitude of insurance company in not sanctioning domiciliary treatment expenses of retired officers/employees and also the unilateral letters to the banks to advise retired officers/ employees was also brought to the notice of IBA by serving employees unions in banks.

The following is the relevant excerpt from Text of AIBOC's latest letter No.2016/27 dated 18.03.2016 addressed to IBA on taking immediate steps to implement the terms as per Jt Note dt 25.5.15 in connection with Medi Claim Policy to Employees /retirees. :


The Chairman,
Indian Banks’ Association,
Mumbai.


Respected Sir,
Hospitalisation Scheme as envisaged under Joint Note dated 25.05.2015

*** *** **
"It is also pertinent to remind you once again, the issue of unilateral withdrawal of benefit of domiciliary treatment agreed for Retired Employees, raised by us during the conciliation meetings before Dy. C.L.C. (C) Mumbai, held on 8th December, 2015. We were assured by you in the proceedings that the issue is seized with you and you have very strongly taken up with the Insurance Company. We have not been advised any development so far in this regard. On the other hand Insurance Company exceeding its jurisdiction, has sent a communication to the Banks that they will not reimburse expenses on domiciliary treatment to retirees and those who are not willing to accept the unilateral changes made by Insurance company can take back their premium. It is really sorry to note that there has been no reaction from IBA to this highly provocative act of the Insurance Company. We seek your immediate attention to the very important and emotional issue and request you to seek performance of the contractual obligations from the Insurance Brokers, Insurance Company and respective TPAs. Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/- (HARVINDER SINGH)
GENERAL SECRETARY"