AIBEA & AIBOA: Tomorrow All India Bank Strike

Joint Circular on Strike

CIRCULAR TO ALL UNITS & MEMBERS

February 26, 2017

Dear Comrades,

MAKE 28TH FEBRUARY ALL INDIA STRIKE A TOTAL SUCCESS

We are sure that all efforts are being taken by all our units in all the States and in every Bank to make the UFBU’s call for All India Strike on 28th February, 2017 a total success. In the light of the increasing attacks on account of the Government’s anti-public sector policies, defending public sector banking is very important. Fighting back all attempts to privatise the PSBs is a paramount duty.

When Banks are facing challenges, Government has announced recapitalization of just Rs. 10,000 crores in this year’s Budget. This means that either the business of the banks will get choked or Banks will be compelled to tap private capital from the market thus diluting public sector character.

We have seen how the Government is bulldozing all protests and opposition by issuing Gazette notification on merger of 5 Associate Banks with SBI unmindful of its adverse implications.

Similarly, while bad loans are bulging every quarter without any let up, no stringent measures are being taken to recover the NPAs but efforts are afoot to float a Bad Bank to whitewash the books of the Banks and to conceal and camouflage bad loans from public attention.

Instead of filling up the vacancies of employees and officers with permanent staff, every effort is being made to outsource regular jobs aimed at crude exploitation of the unemployed youth. There are intensified proposals to amend all labour laws to suit the employers and private corporate’s.

Even on the issues and demands pertaining to employees and officers, the Government’s attitude is negative and managements’ approach is also casual.

When the whole country had witnessed the outstanding work done by the employees and officers during the post-demonetization rush period in the branches by working day and night, even the compensation to be paid to the staff is not paid in full. There are many other important issues which are being ignored by the management and the Government.

Hence, UFBU has given the call for this All India Strike.

Conciliation meeting on 21st February by CLC: Based on the strike notice served by UFBU on IBA, the Chief Labour Commissioner of the Central Government had called for a conciliation meeting at Delhi on 21st instant. In this meeting the Finance Ministry and IBA did not take any initiative to resolve the demands and hence it was decided to go ahead with the strike. The CLC advised the Finance Ministry and IBA to initiate the dialogue with the UFBU for amicable settlement of issues, so that proposed strike is averted.

IBA’s negative stand: In view of this advice of the CLC, the IBA reluctantly wrote to UFBU offering to hold a discussion but on the condition that the strike should be withdrawn first. UFBU replied that meeting can be held before the strike and if solutions are worked out, strike can be avoided. But IBA deliberately insisted on their stand and thus thwarted any discussions with UFBU.

Make the strike a total success: The only way we can respond to this negative attitude of IBA-Government combine is to make the strike a massive success with all our unity and strength.