Editorial
AIBEA has called for a day’s Strike on 19th November 2022 against victimization, threat to job security, denial of 11th Bipartite Wage revision, outsourcing of permanent jobs etc. They have served a notice of Strike on 26th October 2022 detailing the reasons for the strike action. It is natural for the trade unions to organise its members against the anti-employees’ policies pursued by the bank managements. They have chartered 11 issues and have named 11 banks whose attitude has not been helpful in resolving these issues. The issues are centering around attack on employees’ rights, trade union rights, victimization, maintaining sanctity of bipartite settlements, misuse of transfer policy to harass employees, unfair labour practices, outsourcing of bank jobs and threat to job security.
Welcome move
The Strike call on these issues is a welcome move. Strike is the tool in the hands of the workers to express their anger and anguish over the attitude of the managements on their just demands. Strike is the highest form of agitation. It is also understandable that the Strike call is the outcome of the negative attitude of the bank managements to the legitimate demands of the employees.
It is heartening that in some of the banks where these issues cropped up, all the unions could forge a base level united forum of workmen unions. Indeed it is a much needed unity to fight against the anti-employees’ attitude of the management effectively. Of course, wherever the majority unions took the initiative in Banks like Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Catholic Syrian Bank, the unity could be forged. In many other banks such a united front is missing.
Managements want trade union free industry
Major changes in the attitude of the bank managements are seen nowadays. Their lackadaisical attitude is well known. Despite 44 rounds of negotiations spread over three years at the industry level, some of the issues dear to employees were not settled in the 11th bipartite settlement. Nowadays the behaviour of the Bank Managements gives an impression that they try to establish a trade union free banking industry. Moreover the Union Government is hell bent to privatize Public Sector Banks which move is both anti-people and anti-employee.
In these circumstances, it is imperative on the part of the bank unions at bank level to form united fronts of all the unions and associations to combat the offensive move of the bank managements.
Even though one round of bilateral talks with IBA on 4th November 2022 and one round of conciliation meeting held before Chief Labour Commissioner, Delhi on 10th November 2022, the issues could not be resolved. One more round of bilateral discussion is slated on 16th November 2022. If there is no positive outcome, the strike is imminent. UFBU has extended its support to the strike and called upon all units to hold solidarity demonstrations on the evening of 18th November 2022. Greetings to the fighting comrades.