Bank staff firm on strike; Govt calls IBA to talk with unions
4 Jan 2015 10:43 PM GMT
As another bank strike looms large, the Central Chief Labour Commissioner has called a conciliation meeting on Monday between employee unions and the apex body of management, (Indian Banks Association) IBA, to resolve the wage hike issue. All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam confirmed that the Commissioner, whose office functions under the Labour Ministry, has called a conciliation meeting on January 5 in Delhi.
AIBEA is part of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella organisation of employee and officer unions of nine banks, which has given the call for one-day strike on January 7 and four days from January 21 in support of their wage hike demand pending since November 2012. UFBU is demanding a 23 per cent wage hike, but the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the apex body of management, is willing to give about 11 per cent raise in salaries.
“If IBA comes forward with any positive proposal (at the meeting), we will reciprocate and try to find a solution to the problem. Otherwise, as announced, there would be an all-India bank strike on 7th January followed by four days strike from 21st January,” warned Venkatachalam.
“A wage increase has become necessary due to high inflation and price rise as well as heavy increase in the workload of employees,” he said. The unions are also planning an indefinite strike from March 16.
AIBEA is part of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella organisation of employee and officer unions of nine banks, which has given the call for one-day strike on January 7 and four days from January 21 in support of their wage hike demand pending since November 2012. UFBU is demanding a 23 per cent wage hike, but the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the apex body of management, is willing to give about 11 per cent raise in salaries.
“If IBA comes forward with any positive proposal (at the meeting), we will reciprocate and try to find a solution to the problem. Otherwise, as announced, there would be an all-India bank strike on 7th January followed by four days strike from 21st January,” warned Venkatachalam.
“A wage increase has become necessary due to high inflation and price rise as well as heavy increase in the workload of employees,” he said. The unions are also planning an indefinite strike from March 16.
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