10TH BIPARTITE CIRCULAR ISSUED BY UFBU

UFBU CIRCULAR No. UFBU/2013/4  dt. 12.8.2013

Bipartite talks with IBA

Another round of bipartite talks took place today in Mumbai between IBA and UFBU on our demands for wage revision.  IBA was represented by their Negotiating Committee led by its Chairman Shri T M Bhasin. UFBU was represented by all our nine constituent unions.  The meeting condoled the death of Com. R J Sridharan, Chairman, AIBOA, who was in the negotiating committee till 9^th Bipartite Wage Revision. 

The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and discussions were fruitful.  In the day-long discussions held, satisfactory decisions on some of the important issues could be arrived at.  Continuing the discussions of the last round of talks held on 7^th June, 2013, we emphasised the need for IBA to expedite and conclude the settlement in a time bound manner.  We also asked them to react and respond to the issues like date of effect for commencement of the revised wages, consumer price index point upto which Dearness Allowance is to be merged with basic pay for construction of revised pay scales, quantum of wage revision, etc. 

Date of effect:  In response, the IBA agreed that the new wage settlement would be effective from 1st November, 2012, i.e. the date from which the 10^th Bipartite Settlement is due. 

Merger of DA for constructing revised Pay Scales:  IBA explained their constraints to consider merger of Dearness Allowance at higher index points. After prolonged discussions and on the insistence of the UFBU for merger of D.A at a higher level to enable construction of Pay Scales in a reasonable manner looking to the Pay Scales of employees and officers in comparable sectors, IBA agreed and conceded to merge Dearness Allowance upto 4440 Consumer Price Index i.e. 401 slabs and construct new pay scales accordingly.

Increase in wage load:  On the offer of the wage load increase, IBA wanted to study the cost impact of the merger before responding.  However, the UFBU reiterated its demand that the offer should be exclusive of superannuation cost and improvements in other welfare measures.  IBA indicated that the same would be kept in mind by them.

REIUBURSEMENT OF HOSPITALISATION EXPENSES:  To our demand for 100% reimbursement of hospitalisation expenses incurred by the employees/officers for self and eligible family members, IBA offered introduction of mediclaim policy facility under which hospitalisation expenses would be reimbursed by the insurance company upto Rs. 2 lacs for substaff, Rs. 3 lacs for clerical staff and Rs. 4 lacs for officers per year. Looking to the various implications of switching over to the new scheme and the need to examine the pros and cons of the scheme, we said that a detailed study is required on the contents of the scheme offered before responding.

Management’s issues:  The management’s issues like introduction of cost to company method, Fixed Pay and Variable Pay concept were discussed and UFBU has given its strong views against the same.  However, the matter remained inconclusive.

Compassionate ground appointment Scheme:  Another vital issue, much dearer to all the bank employees, which is relentlessly being pursued by the UFBU is restoration of compassionate appointments in the Banking Industry. IBA informed us in today's meeting that its recommendations for introduction of compassionate appointment scheme on similar lines prevailing in Central Government for its employees has been sent to Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India for its approval. No doubt, it is an important step in the direction of restoring compassionate appointments in the Banking Industry which is a long pending demand. While thanking the IBA for the positive step taken in this direction, we earnestly hope that the Government would accord its approval at the earliest.

Comrades, in today’s discussions, we could arrive at conclusion on two vital issues i.e. date of effect and merger of dearness allowance.  We thank the team of the Negotiating Committee of IBA for this forward movement in the discussions.

The date for the next round of discussions will be decided in due course.

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                           Sd..

M.V. MURALI

CONVENER

RTI

In a landmark ruling, the Central Information Commissioner has passed an order which says information on refunds is covered under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. L Lakshmi Narayanan, an assessee, had filed an RTI petition with the (I-T ) department in Chennai, asking for information as to why was there a delay in the payment of his IT refunds for 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2008-09, amounting to Rs 3,32,457.

The department, however, refused to provide Narayanan the information contending that such information did not involve any larger public interest.

“The information sought is covered under Section 8(1)( e) of the RTI, wherein the information sought is not in larger public interest and is purely personal in nature,’’ the department told the petitioner.

However, the appellant received refunds for 2005-06 and 2006-07 while he was seeking information. Following this, Narayanan filed another appeal to which the income tax department replied: “Information regarding issue of one’s own refund is necessarily a personal information, the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest.’’

M L Sharma, the Central Information Commissioner, while passing the order, said: “To deny the appellant information sought by him under clause (e) or clause (j) of section 8(1) is nothing but misappreciation of law.”

The information sought by the appellant is covered under section 2(f) of the RTI Act and he has a right of seek information under section 2(j) thereof. It is clarified that the appellant has not sought any information which the public authority is holding in fiduciary capacity.’’

While directing the income tax department to disclose information for the inordinate delay, he also ordered the issue of refunds within three months. The CIC also rapped the department for failing to appear in a hearing arranged by the commission where the appellant was present.

BANK EMPLOYEE WAGE REVISION

Hi,

Bankers are eagerly waited for their wage revision meeting held between IBA and Unions on 15.03.2010.
Meeting was fruitful and Union people say most probably it will be finalized in a couple of week and bankers will get arrears in April 2010.