Bank employees keen on early start to wage talks, says BEFI leader


Bank employees numbering several lakh, across public, regional rural and old generation private banks in the country, are keen on an early start to the next round of wage negotiations between the unions that represent the workforce and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).

“Wage revision is due since November 2022. Since the last, 11th bipartite settlement effective November 2017 (reached in November 2020), we observe banks are not smoothly authorising IBA to start negotiations,” General Secretary of the Bank Employees’ Federation of India (BEFI) Debasish Basu Chaudhury said in an interaction.


While some banks delay their mandate to IBA, a few authorise the association to negotiate only up to a particular payscale as beyond that, they desire to have their own arrangements with the officers, he said, adding this time too when the unions insisted on launch of discussions, IBA said most banks were yet to give their mandate. “A few days ago, the United Forum of Bank Unions had urged IBA to start negotiations pending whatever mandate. This is where we are standing,” he said. In the last settlement, a 15% pay increase formed the core of the agreement.


Five-day week

Mr. Chaudhury, who was in Hyderabad for BEFI Telangana unit’s second conference recently, said the delay in wage talks is not the only concern as the bank workforce is also awaiting implementation of a five-day week in banks agreed at the last bipartite settlement.

The five-day week — with all Saturdays being holidays as against the second and fourth now — was a long-standing demand of unions and came in the backdrop of the employees and officers hard-pressed amid changes in government policies. Their numbers have reduced drastically and non-banking business such as mutual funds, insurance have increased and targets for the same set for employees. A reduction in number of banks has also meant closure of thousands of branches 2019 onwards. With the workforce logging more hours daily, work-life balance has become more important than before, he said, pointing out to how Central, many State governments as well as stock exchanges follow a five-day week.


The bank unions have already authorised IBA to increase work hours by 40 minutes a day to compensate for the time reduced on account of all Saturday holidays. The proposal is before the Centre with an understanding that the Finance Ministry will discuss it with other stakeholders. He expressed confidence that all concerned will consent, especially alternative banking delivery channels becoming popular.


Besides better wages and other demands of employees, BEFI is fighting for strengthening of banks, including RRBs and those private, measures to safeguard public money and opposed to privatisation of banks, he said.

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Charter of Demands for 11th Bipartite Settlement by BEFI

01. BASIC PAY

Revision of Basic Pay w.e.f. 1-11-2017 by merger of Special Allowance (7.75%of B.Pay) alongwith D.A. payable on Basic Pay and Special Allowance  at the average index for the quarter July-September 2017.Construction of revised pay scales by loading thereafter at 20% to clerical staff and 25% to subordinate staff.Fitment on stage to stage basis

Stagnation Increments:
Stagnation increments once in 2 years without any ceiling for both clerical and subordinate staff. Stagnation increment/s to be given in all cases of reversion   from officer to clerical cadre and clerical to substaff cadre
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Bank workers to go on strike on February 28

Around 10 lakh bankers will now go on strike on February 28 to demand recovery of bank loans that have since turned bad and action against willful loan defaulters as well as solution to cash crunch post-demonetization, a top union leader said on Tuesday.

"Earlier, three unions had given the strike call. But now all the nine bank unions have agreed to go on strike and hence the February 7 strike has been withdrawn," C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary, All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), told IANS.

He said around 10 lakh bankers -- ranging from officers to clerks -- belonging to nine unions will resort to strike on February 28.

The three unions that gave the February 7 strike call were AIBEA, All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) and the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI).
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Bank employees to hold all India strike on February 7

Three bank employees' organisations are planning to conduct all India strike on February 7, 2017, seeking the banks and the government to address issues concerning demonetisation and bad loans.

The All India Bank Employees'Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) have issued a joint circular to its members announcing various protest including joint mass demonstrations, dharana and one-day strike starting from January 30, 2017.

The organisations alleged that the cash crunch is continuing and most of the ATMs are still non-functional, which lead to tension in banks. They alleged that while everyone appreciated the hard work of the bank employees, officers and managers in managing the situation in the banks, there is reluctance and hesitation in extending proper compensation for the extra hours of additional work.

"When the ordinary and common people are made to face such problems in the name of curbing black money, the big defaulters of bank loans are getting scot-free. No action is being taken against the increasing menace of huge bad loans in the banks except provisions from profits, write-offs and desperate sale of NPAs," says the circular.

The demands they put forward include the demonetisation issues such as ensuring supply of adequate cash to all banks including regional rural banks and co-operative banks; restore all ATMs immediately and ensure availability of cash in ATMs; announce CBI enquiry on instances of huge new currency notes with some big persons when branches are starving on cash and stop diluting autonomy of RBI in currency management.
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Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI)

Bank Employees of our country need not be told who comrade Naresh Paul was, for, they irrespective of their organizational allegiance looked upon him as their friend, philosopher and guide - the pioneer who was the inspiration behind the bank employees' movement.
Born on 1st March 1918

and a graduate in academic qualification, Naresh Paul joined the services of Central Bank of India in 1941 but lost his job in 1949 for leading a strike struggle by the nascent trade union there. From then onward, instead of trying to get back his job or to be employed elsewhere, he spent his entire life as a bachelor devoted to the task of building up a militant all India union of the bank employees. It was through his efforts that the first national level organization of the bank employees, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), came into being.

Always unmindful of what position he held in the organnization, Com. Naresh Paul's only thought was how best he could serve the interest of employees and how bank employees movement could be developed into a part and parcel of the working class movement.
The very simply clad Comrade Naresh Paul passed away on 30th October 2000, but his name still draws the same regard and respect from one and all. We are particularly proud of the fact that he was the founder President of Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI).
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