Circular issued by AIBOC on the above subject is reproduced below
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Circular No. 2019/31 Date: 21.05.2019
To All Affiliates (Please Circulate)
AIBOC
holds a meeting with major Pensioners’ and Retirees’ organisations of Banking
sector on 20th May, 2019 at New Delhi
We have the pleasure to inform you that as we
decided in the last GS Meet of all affiliates of AIBOC held in New Delhi on 12th
March, 2019 to hold a broad-based consultation with the major Pensioners’ and
Retirees’ organisations of the banking sector on different issues affecting the
interest of retirees, we had approached the leaders of such organisations and
invited them at a meeting in New Delhi organised by the Confederation for this
purpose. Although it was contemplated to be an unofficial one, the presence of
very senior leaders of the pensioners and retirees movement and the gravity of
deliberations made by them virtually made the meeting held in New Delhi on 20th
May, 2019 a very meaningful one. We are very happy to share that the leaders of
SBIPA, AIBPARC, all the affiliates of CBPRO and AIBRF remained present in the
meeting at the invitation of AIBOC.
2. The undersigned, in his initial address,
briefed the house about the present stalemate persisting in the industrial
relations scenario of the banking industry arising out of the issue of
fractured mandate. He expected that IBA would resume talks after formation of popular
government. This is high time, he felt, that the fight of retirees and the
serving people should be synchronised and the sentiment of retirees should be
addressed with all earnestness and sensitivity. It is matter of hope that each
and every constituent of UFBU has already started showing interest in resolving
the issues of retirees and pensioners but the degree of intensity is probably
not the same. He once again reiterated that AIBOC is committed to resolve the
issues of retirees before any agreement is formalised.
3. Very senior leaders viz. Com. S.C. Jain
(AIBRF), Com. Gandhi and Com. Ramesh Babu (SBIPA), Com. K.V. Acharya and Com.
S. Sarkar (AIBPARC), Com. Ahuja (RNBOC), Com. A.K. Goel (FORBE) of the
pensioners and retirees movement took part in deliberations. The following
points were discussed and stressed upon:
a) Although this has been
an informal meeting, the leadership of AIBOC should take initiative to carry
forward all the demands of retirees and pensioners to a logical conclusion.
b) The notification of
GOI in the matter of updation of RBI pension has created a new hope in the
minds of retirees and there is a need to study the financial and legal
implication of RBI updation; utmost importance should be given on improvement
of family pension; the hiking of medical insurance premium, which was virtually
unaffordable and IBA/GOI should be urged upon to issue necessary directions to
banks to bear the premium. IBA/GOI will have to think about the pathetic plight
of super senior citizens who have crossed 80 years of age and been drawing a
pittance in the name of pension / family pension.
c) In Pension Regulation
35(1), the modalities of updation of pension have already been spelt out and in
subsequent govt notification, this provision has been made all comprehensive.
It is unfortunate that Govt/IBA has denied to understand and implement this
provision in letter and spirit. Officials of Govt of India have already
executed an affidavit that they are not in a position to allow updation of
pension in RBI because it has a larger ramification. Now when pension in RBI
has been updated, it cannot be denied in banking industry. The unresolved
issues of special allowance and stagnation increment should also be looked
into.
d) The fight launched by
different sections of RBI employees and officers in favour of retirees is noted
with satisfaction and same kind of involvement of UFBU in regard to demands of
retirees / pensioners
is also hoped.
4. Com Sanjay Manjrekar, Senior Vice
President, AIBOC also addressed the house. He assured the leaders present that
Confederation has always been sympathetic and sensitive to the issues of
Retirees. He also expects that other constituents of UFBU will also be coming
forward with the same degree of intensity. Com Harvinder Singh, former General
Secretary of AIBOC also addressed the house. He mentioned that the promises
made by IBA in the Record Note should be carried forward to a logical
conclusion.
5. The undersigned in his concluding remark,
opined that this meeting was the beginning of a consolidated movement. In
future, when the negotiations will resume in full swing, the consultative
process will continue and he wanted that a small committee should be formed in
this regard. Booklets prepared by AIBPARC and AIBRF on legal and financial
implications of pension updation and
improvement of family pension were also handed
over to the undersigned for information. Com Dipak Basu (SBIPA) proposed the
vote of thanks on behalf of Pensioners’ and Retirees’ organisations and pledged
that all the organisations would extend all possible support to AIBOC in the
days to come.
6. We note with satisfaction that this meeting
has been an enlightening one for each one of us. The sharing of information and
thought was appreciated by all present in the meeting. The undersigned also
acknowledges the support received from SBI Officers’ Association (Delhi Circle)
for shouldering the responsibility of hosting the meeting at a very short
notice.
With greetings,
Comradely yours,
(Soumya Datta)
General Secretary
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