Circular  No. 27/2011                                                                                            November   23, 2011

FOR  MEMBERS ONLY

Dear Comrades,

-    UFBU meeting held on 16.11.2011

-    Call for continued agitation

-    Rise in one voice to oppose Khandelwal Committee Recommendations

We reproduce hereunder the contents of Circular No. 22 dated 18/11/2011 issued by Com. C .H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary,AIBEA and Convener UFBU, on the above subject for information of our Members

“A meeting of the UFBU was held in AIBEA office in Mumbai on 16.11.2011. Com. P.K. Sarkar (AIBOC) presided over the meeting.

The meeting had a detailed discussion on the developments since our strike action on 5.8.2011.  The meeting observed that the Banking Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011 could not be taken up during the monsoon session of the Parliament as wanted by the Government and congratulated our units and members as our 5^th August, 2011 strike created the focus on this issue and our strong protest about the same.

The meeting however took note of the continued apathy of the Indian Banks Association to resolve our demands and the continued attempts on the part of the Government to push through their agenda on banking reforms.  The meeting took a very serious view of the Government’s accepting many retrograde recommendations of the Khandelwal Committee Report and advising the Banks to get them implemented.

After discussing these developments, the meeting decided that in terms of the decisions of our Bangalore meeting, we have to continue and intensify our agitational programmes having regard to the increasing attacks.

The following decisions were taken :

1.      To meet the IBA Chairman in a delegation and impress upon him to expedite the resolution of the issues.

2.      To meet the Government (Ministry of Finance) to make similar representations to draw their attention to our issues and demands and to find amicable solutions.

3.      UFBU to write a letter to RBI Governor against their proposal to give licence to the industrial house / corporate houses to start their own Banks.  - All unions of the constituent units of UFBU to write similar letters.

4.      UFBU to address a letter to the Standing Committee of the Parliament on the various amendments that are proposed in the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011 - All Unions of the constituent units of UFBU to address similar letters to the Standing Committee

5.      UFBU to write a letter to the IBA against the proposal to implement the recommendations of Khandelwal Committee Report - All UFBU constituent units and their affiliated unions to write similar letter to the IBA.

·         All the Employee / Officer Directors to express their strong protest if any proposal is brought to the Board meeting for approval.  They would also submit a Dissent Note.

·         On the day of the Board meeting, protest demonstrations should be held by the UFBU constituents before the Head Office of the Bank or in the centre where the Board Meeting is held.

·         Similarly, whenever the Khandelwal Committee would visit any Bank for discussing with the managements on implementing their recommendations, demonstrations should be held by the UFBU constituents.

6.      State-level morchas – Already these programmes have taken place in places like Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamilnadu, Assam, Delhi, etc.  This should be got completed in all other states.

7.      National Seminar at Delhi on 13.12.2011

A national Seminar would be organized in Delhi on 13.12.2011 on our issues and demands.  Prominent political and trade union leaders would be invited to this seminar.

8.      Massive Dharna before Parliament on 14.12.2011

A massive Dharna would be held before Parliament on 14.12.2011. All constituents of UFBU should mobilise their members for this important programme.

9.      UFBU meeting on 13.12.2011

UFBU meeting will be held on 13.12.2011 to take stock of the developments and fix up and decide further course of agitational programmes and strike actions.

Comrades, when the Government is intensifying their attacks on the banking industry and bank employees, when the IBA is not coming forward to resolve our issues, we need to go ahead with our struggles.

Khandelwal Committee recommendations are anti-employee, anti-officer and anti-trade Unions.  It is an attempt to scuttle collective bargaining.  It is an effort to sabotage our trade union rights.  With one voice, we have to reject it and fight back.”

Get ready for further programmes.

With Greetings,

Yours comradely,

(Inder Paul)

President.