CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 26/148/2011/42 17th October, 2011
C H VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY
TO ALL OFFICE BEARERS, STATE FEDERATIONS & ALL INDIA BANKWISE ORGANISATIONS
Dear Comrades,
AIBEA Office Bearers Meeting at Kolkata calls for
extensive campaign and all-out preparations for ensuing struggles
A meeting of the Office Bearers of AIBEA was held in Kolkata on 14-10-2011 in the light of the decisions taken in our recent Central Committee meeting held at Hyderabad and in the background of the emerging struggles against the increasing attacks.
The meeting was presided over by our President Com. Rajen Nagar along with all our Vice Presidents.
Condolence:
The meeting paid its respectful homage to the memory of Dr. Raj Bahadur Gaur, veteran freedom fighter and communist, leader of AITUC and former Member of Parliament and former President of APBEF and AIBDCF who passed away recently.
Special Address: The meeting had the benefit of a special address by Com. Gurudas Dasgupta, General Secretary, AITUC. In his address, he spoke of the present economic and political scenario and the increasing attacks on the common masses and working class, the anti-labour and pro-capital policies of the Government, the unabated inflation and price rise, etc. and how the entire burden of the economic problems are being passed on to the shoulders of the workers. He appreciated UFBU and AIBEA for our consistent struggles and the recent successful strike on 5th August, 2011. He explained the decisions of he National Trade union Convention and the call for nationwide Satyagraha/Jail Bharo programme on 8-11-2011. He appealed for the support of the bank employees for these programmes and for the participation of the bank employees in the same. He also assured that AITUC will continue to extend all its help and assistance in all our demands and struggles both inside and outside the Parliament.
We informed him that our Hyderabad CC meeting has already decided and given the call to all our members to support the 8th November programme and that AIBEA will be organising exclusive solidarity programmes.
8th NOVEMBER, 2011 – PROTEST DAY – Call by National Trade Union Convention: As decided in the Hyderabad CC meeting, we have to extend all our support to the demands of the National Trade union Convention and their programmes. In order to ensure wider participation of our members in expressing our support, it was decided as under:
8th NOVEMBER, 2011 – AIBEA to observe the day as “ ALL INDIA DAY FOR SOLIDARITY AND ACTION PREPARATION ” with the following programmes:
a) Badge Wearing
b) Postering campaign
c) Issuing leaflets and handbills
d) Mass Rallies / Processions / Dharnas / Demonstrations by our members in all State Capitals, District HQ and in all town centres.
e) Mobilisation of a total of 50,000 bank employees in these demonstrations/rallies
Issues to be focused:
Ø Support to the 10 Point Charter of Demands of the National Trade union Convention
Ø Say “NO” to Banking sector reforms
Ø Oppose Khandelwal Committee recommendations
Ø Stop outsourcing permanent bank jobs
Banking Sector – Increasing attacks : The attacks on the banking sector are on the increase. While we could push back the Banking Bill during the monsoon session, the Government will try to pass it in the winter session of the Parliament. The RBI is likely to announce the New Bank Licensing Policy to allow Industrial Houses and corporates to start their Banks. In the name of capitalization of Banks, the attempt is to increase the private capital in the Banks. Planning Commission has recently suggested merger and privatisation of Public Sector Banks. Recently the Government has announced their decision to amend SARFAESI Act. The idea is to convert the bad loans as investments in the equity capital of the NPA borrowers ! In short the idea is to seriously implement their reforms agenda.
Attempts to foist Khandelwal Committee recommendations: Serious attempts are afoot to get the retrograde recommendations of the Khandelwal Committee Report implemented in the Banks. We are aware that the recommendations include dismantling industry-level Bipartite Settlement, scuttling collective bargaining, introduction of differential and incentive-based wages, freedom to outsource all bank jobs, reducing promotions of clerks as officers, restrictions on recruitment, etc. In short, it is an attempt to neutralise all that we have achieved in the last six decades.
Build up resistance against outsourcing: As pointed by the Central Committee meeting, outsourcing is the challenge of this decade. The managements want to contract out all types of regular jobs of bank employees. This is serious danger to our jobs, job security besides being a tool to exploit the unemployed youth. Outsourcing and contracting out of our jobs has to be fought back consistently and the Office Bearers decided to unleash various measures in this regard based on the decisions of our Hyderabad CC meeting.
Prepare for Struggles: Already UFBU has decided to continue our struggles and agitational programmes will be announced by UFBU. Our units at all levels must get ready to implement these programmes and strike actions and a play a leading role.
State-level Morchas by UFBU: UFBU has given the call for organising State-level Morchas in every State and submit memorandum to the Chief Minister and Governor to seek their support to our demands. Already the dates for these Morchas have been decided in some of the States. ( Kerala : 28-10-2011, Gujarat : 5-11-2011, Uttar Pradesh : 5-11-2011 , Tamilnadu : 12-11-2011). In all other States, we should move immediately.
Undertake Mass Campaign Meetings: Units will realize that the attacks are increasing day by day – attacks on our jobs and job security – attacks on our achievements – attacks on our service conditions – attacks on collective bargaining – attacks on our banking industry. It is a wholesale attacks. It warrants wholesome struggles.
To prepare the rank and file members for the ensuing struggles, it has been decided that mass campaign meetings should be undertaken in all the States. Meetings should be organised by our State Federations in as many centres as possible to reach out the maximum number of members.
Dear Comrades,
Plunge into campaigns ;
Ensure full-scale preparations ;
Get ready for struggles ahead .
With greetings,
Yours Comradely,
C H VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY