Banks confirm participation in September 2 general strike nationwide

Banks confirm participation in September 2 general strike nationwide

Bank employees and officers associations have confirmed their participation in the nationwide general strike to be held on September 2.

In a press release, CH Venkatachalam, the General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association, said,

“The Centre is following anti-worker and anti-welfare policies. Serious damage is being particularly caused to workers’ rights. The Centre is trying to appease the capitalists and industrialists at the cost of the workers and the rest of the society.

“Reforms are being brought to the labour laws in favour of the management. The rights of the workers and labour unions are being taken away. Excessive overseas investments are being allowed into the railways, defence, and finance sectors. New jobs are not being created as much as they should be. The Centre is also not taking any steps to regulate the prices of essential commodities.

“The central workers union has called for a nationwide strike on September 2 to condemn this attitude of the Centre. Bank officers and employees’ unions will participate in this strike.”

Bank Employees Announce Strike on 24.6.2015

Bank Employees Announce Strike on 24.6.2015

The Public Sector Bank Employees Union has proposed a one-day strike on the 24th of this month, demanding the fulfillment of their various demands. The All India Bank Employees Union has expressed its support for the strike.

Since State Bank of India and all its other associate banks, including the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, the State Bank of Travancore, and the State Bank of Hyderabad, come under the Public Sector Bank Employees Union, the one-day strike is very likely to cripple money transactions on the day of the protests.

Demands:

• De-link Associate Banks from SBI
• Do not curb trade union right of representation
• Vacate attacks on trade union in SBBJ
• Extend compassionate appointment scheme as per Government guidelines.
• Increase quantum of staff housing loan.
• Recruitment of sub staff and part time employees
• Resolve pending demands
• Do not impose SBI service condition and career progression in Associate Banks

Source: cgemployeesnews.in

UFBU decides to revive the strike programmes – 4 days strike from 25th to 28th Feb 2015

UFBU decides to revive the strike programmes – 4 days strike from 25th to 28th Feb 2015

IBA backtracks from its assurance
Offers a paltry 0.5% increase
UFBU decides to revive the strike programmes
Calls for four days Strike from 25th to 28th February, 2015
Indefinite Strike from 16th March, 2015

In our earlier Circular No.UFBU/2015/44 dated 19-1-2015, we had informed that in the background of the assurance given by IBA towards expeditious wage settlement and considering the positive developments since last conciliation meeting held on 5th January 2015, UFBU had put on hold its call for 4 days’ strike from 21st January 2015.

In this background another round of negotiations between IBA and UFBU was held in Mumbai yesterday (i.e., 3rd February 2015). Subsequent to a general reporting of the discussions held in the meetings of the three Sub-Committees on (i) Employees’ service conditions, (ii) Officers’ service conditions and (iii) revised medical reimbursement scheme, the important issue of further improvement in the wage increase offer came up for discussion. IBA sought the view of UFBU about revising its demand from 19.5% in order to arrive at a final deal. UFBU informed IBA that the wage increase offer needs to be substantially improved by IBA as assured and accordingly UFBU would negotiate further to reach a final accord. Quoting, once again, the strenuous financial performance of various Banks, IBA informed that the banks are not in a position to accept the demand of the UFBU. After prolonged discussions, IBA finally proposed to improve their offer from 12.5% to 13% and expected UFBU to scale down its demand.

Since the increase in offer of 0.5% by IBA was paltry, inadequate and not satisfactory, UFBU met thereafter and decided to revive the strike programmes as under:

9th February 2015 Centralised Demonstrations at all centres
13th February 2015 Centralised Demonstrations at all centres
20th February 2015 Badge Wearing & Demonstrations
23rd February 2015 Press Meet in all State capitals
24th February 2015 Centralised Demonstrations at all centres
25th to 28th February 2015 FOUR DAYS’ ALL INDIA BANK STRIKE
2nd to 14th March 2015 Further preparatory programmes
16th March onwards INDEFINITE STRIKE

Comrades, the sincere and persuasive efforts of UFBU to negotiate a reasonable and mutually acceptable wage increase are being misunderstood by the IBA and the Government as its weakness. With utmost patience, for the past two years, UFBU has been making its best efforts to settle the demands amicably. At every point of time, we have shown our flexibility. But unfortunately, it is not being reciprocated by the IBA.
When the entire workforce in the banking industry is making every effort to implement the various programmes of the Government including the recent Jan Dhan Yojana, when employees and officers are working under lot of stress and maximum difficulty due to manpower shortage and increased volume of work, it is regrettable that the Government is remaining a passive spectator without initiating any steps to find an amicable solution to the genuine expectations of bank employees for a better and reasonable wage revision.

UFBU has been once again pushed to the path of struggle. We call upon all our units and the entire membership to rise as one and plunge into action to implement the programmes successfully.

State-level UFBU meetings should be held immediately to plan out the steps to be initiated for making all the programmes a total success.

Comrades – March ahead with solidarity and unity – Let us exhibit clearly that our united movement brings Success and success alone…..

“WE SHALL FIGHT – WE SHALL FIGHT – TILL WE SUCCEED – WE SHALL FIGHT”

Source: AIBEA