Bipartite talks with IBA
Another round of bipartite talks took place
today in Mumbai between IBA and UFBU on our demands for wage revision. IBA was represented by their Negotiating
Committee led by its Chairman Shri T M Bhasin. UFBU was represented by all our
nine constituent unions. The meeting
condoled the death of Com. R J Sridharan, Chairman, AIBOA, who was in the
negotiating committee till 9th Bipartite Wage Revision.
The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere
and discussions were fruitful. In the day-long discussions held, satisfactory
decisions on some of the important issues could be arrived at. Continuing the discussions of the last round
of talks held on 7th June, 2013, we emphasised the need for IBA to
expedite and conclude the settlement in a time bound manner. We also asked them to react and respond to the
issues like date of effect for commencement of the revised wages, consumer
price index point upto which Dearness Allowance is to be merged with basic pay
for construction of revised pay scales, quantum of wage revision, etc.
Date
of effect: In response, the IBA agreed that the new wage
settlement would be effective from 1st November, 2012, i.e. the date from which
the 10th Bipartite Settlement is due.
Merger
of DA for constructing revised Pay Scales:
IBA explained their constraints to consider merger of Dearness Allowance
at higher index points. After prolonged discussions and on the insistence of
the UFBU for merger of D.A at a higher level to enable construction of Pay Scales
in a reasonable manner looking to the Pay Scales of employees and officers in
comparable sectors, IBA agreed and conceded to merge Dearness Allowance upto 4440
Consumer Price Index i.e. 401 slabs and construct new pay scales accordingly.
Increase in wage load: On the offer of the
wage load increase, IBA wanted to study the cost impact of the merger before
responding. However, the UFBU reiterated its demand that the offer should
be exclusive of superannuation cost and improvements in other welfare measures. IBA indicated that the same would be kept in
mind by them.
REIUBURSEMENT
OF HOSPITALISATION EXPENSES: To our demand
for 100% reimbursement of hospitalisation expenses incurred by the employees/officers
for self and eligible family members, IBA offered introduction of mediclaim
policy facility under which hospitalisation expenses would be reimbursed by the
insurance company upto Rs. 2 lacs for substaff, Rs. 3 lacs for clerical staff
and Rs. 4 lacs for officers per year. Looking to the various implications of
switching over to the new scheme and the need to examine the pros and cons of
the scheme, we said that a detailed study is required on the contents of the
scheme offered before responding.
Management’s
issues: The management’s issues
like introduction of cost to company method, Fixed Pay and Variable Pay concept
were discussed and UFBU has given its strong views against the same. However, the matter remained inconclusive.
Compassionate
ground appointment Scheme: Another vital
issue, much dearer to all the bank employees, which is relentlessly being
pursued by the UFBU is restoration of compassionate appointments in the Banking
Industry. IBA informed us in today's meeting that its recommendations for introduction
of compassionate appointment scheme on similar lines prevailing in Central
Government for its employees has been sent to Ministry of Finance, Govt. of
India for its approval. No doubt, it is an important step in the direction of
restoring compassionate appointments in the Banking Industry which is a long pending
demand. While thanking the IBA for the positive step taken in this direction,
we earnestly hope that the Government would accord its approval at the
earliest.
Comrades, in today’s discussions, we could
arrive at conclusion on two vital issues i.e. date of effect and merger of
dearness allowance. We thank the team of the Negotiating Committee of IBA
for this forward movement in the discussions.
The date for the next round of discussions
will be decided in due course.