UFBU SIGNS MINUTES WITH IBA : Pension Option with 17.5% hike. SBI Leaders walk out.

UFBU SIGNS MINUTES WITH IBA : Pension Option with 17.5% hike. SBI Leaders walk out.
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As predicted in this blog earlier, the bankers are going to get 17.5% wage hike and one more option to join the pension scheme. The minutes of the meeting with these broad understanding has been signed today. The details will be chalked out within 90 days.AIBEA Version :"ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE OF RS. 4816 CRORES FROM
1-11-2007
ONE MORE OPTION FOR PENSION ACHIEVEDWE DEDICATE THIS ACHIEVEMENT TO THE MEMORY OFCOM. PRABHAT KAR ON HIS 25TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY DAYYes, today, 27-11-2009, is the 25th death anniversary of our great leader and doyen of bank employees trade union movement, Com. Prabhat Kar. On this solemn day and during the centenary year of this father of our movement, we deem it a befitting commemoration and tribute to his life-long pioneering role in shaping up the service conditions of bank employees that the Minutes have been signed with the IBA on our wage revision demand and more importantly, securing another option for more than 3 lacs of employees/officers/retirees to get the benefit of our unique pension scheme.Salient features:a) Annual wage increase of Rs. 4816 ( Rs. 2239 crores for officers and Rs. 2576 crores for workmen employees ) w.e.f. 1-11-2007.b) All the existing employees who are now in PF scheme will be given an option to join the existing pension scheme.c) All those who have retired after the date of Pension Regulations till date will also be given an option to join the pension scheme.d) Full settlement on the above to be finalized within 90 days.Wage revision – what we have achieved:
7th BPS
8th BPS
NOW
Additional annual wage load
12.25 %
13.30 %
17.50 %
Total quantum of annual wage increase (Officers & Workmen)
1497 crores
2200 crores
4816 crores
Annual Average Per Capita Increase
Ø For Workmen employees
Ø For Officers
12,550
24,025
23,300
43,600
56,200
91,800
ONE MORE OPTION TO JOIN PENSION SCHEME
– A UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT:In 1993, after bitter struggles and against all odds, AIBEA and AIBOA achieved pension scheme for bank employees. Today, once again, with the leading role of AIBEA and AIBOA, another milestone has been anchored. More than 3 lacs bank employees, officers and retirees will now get another option to join the pension scheme to insulate themselves with this unique social security benefit. It is a very commendable achievement indeed.Dear comrades, with the signing of this Minutes, the main understandings have been reached. Now the UFBU will be taking steps to expedite the final settlement with revised pay scales, allowances and other improvements and thereafter for implementation of the same and payment of arrears to the employees.Dear comrades, on this happy occasion, it is necessary to remind ourselves that these achievements were preceded by persistent efforts and protracted negotiations by the leadership of UFBU and backed up by the exemplary unity of the bank employees and officers and their successful participation in the strike actions. It is the result of our unity, militancy and perseverance."
Source : AIBEA (The text is as available with AIBEA website)
SBI Association walked out of the meeting, NPS for new entrants w.e.f 01.04.10.
Representatives of SBI employees unions walked out of the deal saying their interests were not protected. But with the United Federation of Banking Unions, the body that represented nine employees associations, signing the minutes of the meeting, the deal is said to have been clinched. Now SBI employees would have to negotiate with the management to ensure that their interests are protected.
Wage Increases and Pension Option
Wage increase
Banks (all public sector banks, some old generation private sector banks and a few foreign banks) have agreed to an aggregate annual wage increase of Rs 4,816 crore (or 17.5 per cent increase over the collective establishment cost of Rs 27,520 crore as on March-end 2007 on account of employees), said Mr K. Unnikrishnan, Deputy Chief Executive, IBA.
About seven lakh bank employees, including officers, clerical and award staff, will stand to gain due to the wage revision, said Mr Vishwas Utagi, General Secretary, All Bank of Maharashtra Employees Association.
Further, 2.72 lakh existing employees and 35,000 retired employees will benefit as another option for pension is being extended to non-pension optees.
The total liability on account of existing employees exercising the pension option is Rs 6,000 crore and that due to retired employees is Rs 3,116 crore. The gap in the pension liability will be shared between banks (70 per cent) and employees (30 per cent).
Retired employees
Retired employees (non-pension optees), who were in the service of the bank as on September 29, 1995 and March 26, 1996 and retired thereafter, choosing the pension option will be required to return the bank's contribution to the provident fund with interest thereof received by them at the time of retirement.
Further, they have to contribute to the pension fund their share of 30 per cent of the gap in pension fund.
Existing employees (non-pension optees) can exercise the pension option by contributing to the pension fund their share of 30 per cent of the gap in pension fund.
This contribution will be recovered from the arrears payable on wage revision.
According to the agreement, a defined contributory retirement benefit scheme will be introduced for workmen/ officers joining the services of banks on or after April 1, 2010.
Though SBI employee representatives too were part of the negotiations, they were unhappy with the pension agreement as the pension scheme of other public sector banks is better, said Mr Utagi.
The IBA and the unions will finalise the joint note within three months.
(With inputs from Business Standard and Hindu Business Line.)

Updation As on 08/11/2009

Still there is no news about the next date of talks with IBA as it appears IBA wants to wear out these retired union leaders who are not in touch with the mood of the general employees and officers. IBA is trying that by delaying the next around of talks to the maximum extent possible they will frustrate these leaders who will be forced to sign on dotted lines. Union leaders are not at a bargaining advantage at this stage, as they have failed to get an honourable settlement at appropriate time due to their own politics.
The best time to get a reasonable settlement was around November 2007, when the new settlement had become due. At that time communists shared power with the government (most of bank unions are affiliated with communist parties) and elections were around the corner. Central Government employees were able to extract the maximum by hitting at the right time.
It is surprising that Bankers are frequently asked by Communists to go on strike on issues which are their personal agendas and not wage settlement or improvement in working conditions of the employees. They ask Bank union leaders to go on strike on petty issues which are related purely to their politics. However, we have never heard any communist leader either on TV or newspaper, wherein they come openly to support an honourable settlement for bank employees or ask for All India strike in favour of bank employees.
Do you remember when did the last time any communist leader (like Somnath Chatterjee, Karat Parkash , SitaRam Yechury) has given any statement in favour of bank employees or taken up this cause with Finance Minister or Prime Minister or spoken about the same in Parliament? Do you remember any contribution of communist leaders for better pay for bank employees when they shared power for over four years with Congress Government? Did they ever made any strong (we are not even aware of weak) speech in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha in favour of pay parity of bank employees with Central Government employees? Answer to all these are in negative. However, all these MPs ensued that their salaries and perks are increased manifold.
However, sensing the mood of the bankers, unions are now desperately trying to face save themselves and issue statements as if negotiations are going on with IBA. Therefore, they meet among themselves issue statements giving impressions to gullible bankers as if matters are under strong discussions with IBA. It is heard that a meeting of the UFBU was held on 4/11/2009, at Chennai. Com P S Pillai (President, BEFI) presided over the meeting. The following decisions were taken by UFBU:The meeting took note of the negative approach of the Government in relation to the revised scheme of compassionate ground appointment / financial compensation to the family of the employees dying in harness and felt that the scheme as discussed and finalized between UFBU and IBA should be got expedited.In respect of condition of the IBA that the entire cost of pension arising out of the wage revision to be adjusted from the proposed wage revision and that in the next settlement again another actuarial valuation should be carried out and the gap should be funded by employees sharing the same, after detailed discussions, the UFBU while rejecting the above conditions, expressed its view that the additional pension cost can be adjusted by sharing a portion of the same as was done in the 7th and 8th bipartite wage revision.In respect of IBA’s condition that a new contributory pension scheme should be accepted by the unions from 1-4-2010 as a pre-condition for extending one more option for pension scheme, the UFBU felt that a mutually acceptable solution should be worked out to resolve the same as unilateral imposition of such conditions are not acceptable.In respect of IBA’s suggestion for introduction of the concept of fixed pay and variable pay for bank employees / officers, UFBU decided not to accept the proposal.Based on the above, the meeting decided to pursue the issues with the IBA during the next round of talks to be held shortly and to expedite the conclusions as early as possible.
No union leader has the courage to respond to the numerous queries of the bankers who are anxiously waiting for honourable settlement.

Bank Wage Hike : Details of UFBU meeting in Chennai on 04.11.2009.

A meeting of the UFBU was held today (04-11-09) in Chennai. Com P S Pillai (President, BEFI) presided over the meeting.1. The meeting took note of the negative approach of the Government in relation to the revised scheme of compassionate ground appointment/financial compensation to the family of the employees dying in harness and felt that the scheme as discussed and finalized between UFBU and IBA should be got expedited.2. As regards the condition of the IBA that the entire cost of pension arising out of the wage revision to be adjusted from the proposed wage revision and that in the next settlement again another actuarial valuation should be carried out and the gap should be funded by employees sharing the same, after detailed discussions, the UFBU while rejecting the above conditions, expressed its view that the additional pension cost can be adjusted by sharing a portion of the same as was done in the 7th and 8th bipartite wage revision.3. Regarding IBA’s condition that a new contributory pension scheme should be accepted by the unions from 1-4-2010 as a pre-condition for extending one more option for pension scheme, the UFBU felt that a mutually acceptable solution should be worked out to resolve the same as unilateral imposition of such conditions are not acceptable.4. Regarding IBA’s suggestion for introduction of the concept of fixed pay and variable pay for bank employees/officers, UFBU decided not to accept the proposal.Based on the above, the meeting decided to pursue the issues with the IBA during the next round of talks to be held shortly and to expedite the conclusions as early as possible.Comrades, we are aware that speculations and rumours are being circulated here and there which are only adding to the anxieties of the membership. Hence UFBU appeals to all units and members not to fall a prey for such propaganda and close up the ranks at this crucial juncture when all attempts are being made by the UFBU to expedite the settlement.

Bank Wage Hike : Details of UFBU meeting in Chennai on 04.11.2009.

A meeting of the UFBU was held today (04-11-09) in Chennai. Com P S Pillai (President, BEFI) presided over the meeting.1. The meeting took note of the negative approach of the Government in relation to the revised scheme of compassionate ground appointment/financial compensation to the family of the employees dying in harness and felt that the scheme as discussed and finalized between UFBU and IBA should be got expedited.2. As regards the condition of the IBA that the entire cost of pension arising out of the wage revision to be adjusted from the proposed wage revision and that in the next settlement again another actuarial valuation should be carried out and the gap should be funded by employees sharing the same, after detailed discussions, the UFBU while rejecting the above conditions, expressed its view that the additional pension cost can be adjusted by sharing a portion of the same as was done in the 7th and 8th bipartite wage revision.3. Regarding IBA’s condition that a new contributory pension scheme should be accepted by the unions from 1-4-2010 as a pre-condition for extending one more option for pension scheme, the UFBU felt that a mutually acceptable solution should be worked out to resolve the same as unilateral imposition of such conditions are not acceptable.4. Regarding IBA’s suggestion for introduction of the concept of fixed pay and variable pay for bank employees/officers, UFBU decided not to accept the proposal.Based on the above, the meeting decided to pursue the issues with the IBA during the next round of talks to be held shortly and to expedite the conclusions as early as possible.Comrades, we are aware that speculations and rumours are being circulated here and there which are only adding to the anxieties of the membership. Hence UFBU appeals to all units and members not to fall a prey for such propaganda and close up the ranks at this crucial juncture when all attempts are being made by the UFBU to expedite the settlement.

Updation As on 01/11/2009 :

There has been no good news on wage revision front. Only some statements of union leaders have appears in some newspapers like Economic Times and Organisers. "The bank employees and officers' salary revision are due from November 1, 2007 ...the present offer of IBA for 17.5 per cent increase in salary is far below the expectations. We want at least 25 per cent," AIBOC General Secretary G D Nadaf told at a press meet on the sidelines of the tenth National Council Conference of United Bank Officers' Association. However, we have yet to hear any concrete proposal from IBA or some union leaders. It appears that Bank employees can only wait and pray for an early and some respectable settlement. Lets hope new month (NOVEMBER) brings some good news.

LATEST ON WAGE REVISION

Updation As on 23/10/2009 :
Bank staff and officers are keenly awaiting for progress on wage revision front. All bankers are anxious and restive. However, there is no progress and it appears that deadlock is continuing.
It has been learnt that UFBU has talked to the IBA Chairman and asked for fixing up the date for the next round of talks as no discussions since 24-9-2009. However, IBA seems to have informed that there is no change in the stand of the IBA/Government on various issues viz new pension scheme, costing of pension cost, sharing of deficit in Pension Fund during the next wage revision, etc.
UFBU has been requesting IBA and Government to sort out these various expedite the settlement. UFBU has been requesting IBA Chairman for fixing a date for next round of talks. However, IBA feels that unless some issues are sorted out, there will be no purpose except repeating the respective standpoint.
However, it has come to our knowledge that next round of talks may be held in the first week of November, 2009, as all union representatives have been advised not to have any other engagements or meetings during that period. In case any date is proposed by IBA, then UFBU may be meeting to draw its strategies, before the Talks with IBA. In the meantime, BEFI has also advised its members are not to be swayed by any rumor.
Thus, we can say that as on date, the matter stands as it was on 24th September, ’09

Bank 9th Bipartite : Bank employees may have to wait little more for pay hike.

There is always a slip between the cup and lip, as they say. And for nearly 8 lakh officers and employees waiting for their wage hike , the gap may not be bridged in a hurry. This is even as the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) have agreed upon a 17.5% wage hike. But, there seems a devil hiding in the details of the proposed option to join the pension scheme for those who are out of the pension net currently. Issues like accounting for the cost of pension and its cost-sharing arrangement between bank management and employees have cropped up which is delaying the entire negotiation process. The wage revision is due from November 2007. For starters, IBA and UFBU have now agreed upon a 17.5% wage hike over the establishment expenses of banks as on March 31, 2007. IBA, the body for the bank management, has also in principle agreed to offer the pension option to those who did not opt for it in 1993. Around 2.66 lakh public sector bank employees do not get monthly pension. Even after agreeing on the second pension, IBA has put fresh conditions. It now wants employees to share a burden for building up the pension corpus. Then, the proposed introduction of New Pension Scheme (NPS) and variable pay are still need to be resolved, said All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) president Rajen Nagar. AIBEA is the largest bank union. Top bankers who are part of the wage negotiation did not want to officially comment at this juncture. Yet, they have confirmed that IBA has agreed in principle to offer the second option for pension. For the second pension option, banks (barring SBI) will have to shell out an additional Rs 6,000 crore collectively. IBA is also likely to consider pension option for bankers who retired before March 31, 2008 and are out of the purview of pension scheme. Although, both the parties have in principle agreed to the core issues, some details are yet to be worked out, said State Bank of India’s employee’s association s general secretary for Bengal circle, Shyamal Karmakar. However, this pension issue does not really bother SBI employees who are always entitled to pensions. However, UFBU -- the umbrella organisation for nine leading bank unions -- is not also comfortable with the IBA s proposal to introduce NPS for bankers joining after April 2010. We want the old pension scheme to continue till October 31, 2012. We have committed that unions will discuss the issue of NPS after this. Mr Nagar said. Incidentally, the ninth bipartite settlement will be valid till October 31, 2012. We are also against the concept of variable pay. It deteriorates performance rather than improving it, Mr Nagar opined.Source : Economic Times