UFBU MEETING ON 4 JULY 2013
UFBU Meeting was
held on 4th July 2013 in Chennai under the chairmanship of Com. Vinil Saxena,
President, National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE). The meeting deliberated at length, apart from
the issues being confronted by the bank employees and officers, the
developments at national level and its likely impact on Banking Industry.
It
was noted with serious concern the delay
in wage revision negotiations and the lack of seriousness on the part of
Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in taking up the issues raised by the Unions in
the Common Charter of Demands. Despite
three rounds of discussions held between IBA and the representatives of UFBU on
different dates, the progress is sluggish.
The meeting decided to impress upon IBA to have serious and meaningful
negotiations on the issues with an intention to have an early conclusion to the
wage settlement.
The
UFBU has expressed its equal concern at alarmingly
growing NPAs affecting the Bank’s profitability. It is also felt that the lackadaisical
attitude and ill-conceived policies apart from the economic recession, are the
main contributors for the growing NPAs for which the Bank employees cannot be
held responsible. The meeting also
expressed its concern over the manner in which various concessions are being
extended to willful defaulters despite their having capacity to repay the
loans.
The
meeting deliberated at length about the New
Banks Licensing Policy aimed to favour the corporate and business
houses. The meeting also noted with
concern that many of these applicants do not have any background of Banking and
Finance. It was decided to take up the issue once again
with the authorities concerned and demanding review and reconsideration of
their decision in encouraging Private Sector Banks by the corporate houses. It was also decided to reach the masses and campaign to bring awareness about the dangers
lurked in the form of Private Banks.
The
meeting deplored the moves of the Government for merger of Banks more
particularly the merger of Associate
Banks with SBI which is widely in circulation and decided to oppose any such move.
The meeting also highly deplored the manner in which the outsourcings of regular and perennial
banking jobs are being resorted to unabatedly ignoring the subsisting
Settlements / Understandings.
After
elaborate deliberations the UFBU has drawn the following action programme:
§ Delegation of UFBU
representatives to the President of India, Finance Minister and Governor of
Reserve Bank of India.
§ Meeting the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and to present our views.
§ To Co-ordinate with
Central Trade Unions and elicit their support.
§ To pass a resolution
opposing New Banks Licensing Policy and submit the same to Finance Minister,
Government of India and Governor of RBI.
§ To observe “ALL
INDIA DAY” on 19th July 2013 by conducting rallies, seminars,
processions and campaign meetings in all State Capitals / Other Centres.
Further, expressing
its concern, the UFBU adopted a resolution extending fraternal support to the workers of Neyveli Lignite
Corporation, who have launched agitation and strike action opposing
disinvestment.
The
UFBU also noted with concern the mushrooming
growth of ponzy Chit Fund Companies which are cheating the Public,
particularly middle class and lower middle class resulting in suicides and
passed resolution condemning the failure of the Government in arresting the
growth of such unscrupulous Chit Fund Companies.
MEETING
WITH RETIREES / PENSIONERS ORGANISATIONS:
An
informal meeting with the representatives of the various Retirees / Pensioners
Organisations was held in order to understand their viewpoints on the various
issues and demands concerning the
retired employees. After hearing
their views, the UFBU assured them that all their concerns will be duly
addressed by the UFBU during the wage revision exercise.
ELECTION
OF NEW CONVENOR AND CHAIRMAN OF UFBU:
To
have a better cohesiveness and co-ordination, it was decided in the meeting to
introduce a position of Chairman of UFBU apart from Convenor and Com. K K Nair, General Secretary of
Indian National Bank Officers’ Confederation (INBOC) was unanimously elected as
Chairman of UFBU.
Consequent
to retirement on superannuation of Com. P K Sarkar, Convenor, the
representatives of UFBU unanimously elected Com. M V Murali, General Secretary, NCBE as the new Convenor of UFBU.
The
meeting ended with passing of resolution appreciating the excellent services
rendered by Com. P K Sarkar as Convenor of UFBU.
Sd.. M V Murali
Convener