UNION BANK RETIRED EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION
Date: 31st October,'15
Letter by AIBEA to IBA re. Retirees' Issues
We forward herewith a soft copy of the Letter dated 30th September,'15 written by the General Secretary of All India Bank Employees' Association to the Chairman, Indian Banks' Association requesting to commence negotiations on Bank Retirees' core issues.
A similar letter was written to IBA by AIBOC also immediately after signing the 10th BP Settlement / Joint Note in May, 2015.
We are thankful to AIBOC and AIBEA for approaching IBA in these matters. However there is a general feeling of the bank retirees is that it would have been better if UFBU would have discussed and settled our issues along with the 10th BP Settlement / Joint Note for serving employees.
Yours sincerely,
B.G.Raithatha,
General Secretary
TO READ THE LETTER, CLICK HERE.
The Chairman,
Indian Banks’ Association,
MUMBAI
Dear Sir,
Reg: Record Note signed on issues pertaining to
retired employees.
1. We draw your kind attention to the discussions
held on various issues pertaining to retired employees during the recent
negotiations for wage revision.
2. We are happy that for the first time in the
history of Bipartite Negotiations and Wage Revision Settlement in the banking industry
spanning over 50 years, a scheme has been agreed upon at the Industry-level for
reimbursement of Hospitalisation/Medical expenses incurred by the retired
employees. There have been some schemes
at bank level under Staff Welfare Measure but this is the first time that
health cover scheme has been uniformly worked out for retirees as part of wage
settlement. This is a significant measure in the interest of the welfare of the
expanding fraternity of retired/retiring employees and officers of the banks.
We thank the IBA for the positive approach in this regard.
3. We also refer to the Record Note signed
between IBA and the Unions on other important issues.
4. We recapitulate the important issues raised and
the response of IBA :
Issues raised by the United
Forum of Bank Unions
|
Response of the Indian Banks’ Association
|
Revision in the rates
of Family Pension on the same lines of the Central Government scheme and RBI
scheme
|
While the IBA is
sympathetic to the issue, the cost involved is significant and unaffordable
at the present juncture. IBA is willing to carry out a detailed costing
exercise and examine the issue at a future date.
|
Extending Dearness Relief at 100%
compensation to all pre-November, 2002 pensioners as in the case of post
November, 2002 retirees.
|
Firstly, the matter
is sub-judice as certain cases on this issue are pending for a decision with
Supreme Court. As such, IBA cannot
take a decision on this issue at this stage. From a humanitarian point of
view, IBA may examine feasibility of providing 100% DR neutralization to
pre-November retirees based on a detailed costing exercise.
|
Upgrading the Basic
pension of all the pensioners at the common and uniform index of 4440 points.
|
IBA would be open to consider
this issue if there is no additional cost involved.
|
Updation of pension
for all existing pensioners and family pensioners
|
In view of the huge
additional cost involved in funding the Pension Fund as per the requirements
of AS-15-R, it would be difficult to consider this demand.
Unions suggested for
collecting the details of the pensioners and ascertaining the actual cost, so
that a solution may be worked out.
|
Periodical updation/
improvement in pension along with occasions of wage revision of in-service
employees on the lines of the Central Government.
|
This being a funded scheme in lieu of
contributory PF. As it is, banks are contributing several times the statutory
PF contribution towards funding pension scheme every year. Hence providing
for periodic updation is not possible as this will have serious impact on the
working of banks
|
5. You will appreciate that in these hard
days of unabated price and inflation, a normal, peaceful post-retirement life
is becoming increasingly difficult, especially in the context of fast changing
family composition where senior citizens are becoming socially and economically
vulnerable.
6. In this background, the genuine
grievances and expectations of the community of bank retirees are needed to be
considered with maximum sympathy. Since Bank Pension Scheme is akin to the
Central Government/RBI Scheme, there are natural expectations when some
improvements are made available in their case.
7. Especially in the matter of Family
Pension, the ceiling and rate of pension fixed in 1993/1995 renders very
inadequate quantum of Family Pension and the family of the deceased retired
employees find it extremely difficult to make both ends meet. There is an urgent need to examine, consider
and revise the rate of Family Pension.
8. We are conscious of the fact that any
improvement in the Pension Scheme in the Banks involves some consequential
additional outgo and funding but our endeavor should be to sort out these
issues so that we can find amicable solutions.
9. In order to follow up the discussions
contained in the Record Note and pursue these issues further for proper
resolution, we suggest that a meeting between IBA and UFBU be held at the
earliest.
Thanking you,
Yours
faithfully,
C.H.
VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY