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 9th 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 7th 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 10th 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.
8/18/2013
8/11/2013
Xth BPS : An Eye Opener for UFBU Negotiators - Comparative Salaries of Bankers vs Central Government Employees
We are publishing below some comparative charts on the eve of forthcoming negotiations between UFBU and IBA which are reported to be held on 12th August, 2013. Union leaders are shy to discuss such charts as these tables expose the capabilities of such leaders to get an honourable settlement for the bankers. These charts have not been prepared by me but are sent to us by one of readers (V Subramanian) who has time and again taken keen interest in putting the truthful facts before the bankers. We give below two charts for perusal by bankers and for drawing their own conclusions :-
MONTHLY SALARY OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT STAFF AND BANK STAFF
(OTHER THAN OFFICERS) AS ON 01-08-2013 – A COMPARISON
Various Components
of Monthly Pay
|
Central Govt. Staff
(in Pay Band –1)
|
Sub-staff in Banks
|
Central Govt. Staff
(in Pay Band – 2)
|
Clerical staff
in Banks
|
Basic Pay
|
4,860
|
5,850
|
8,700
|
7,200
|
Grade Pay
|
1,800
|
N I L
|
4,200
|
N I L
|
Special Pay (at the minimum for bank staff)
|
N I L
|
340
|
N I L
|
500
|
Total
|
6,660
|
6,190
|
12,900
|
7,700
|
Dearness Allowance
|
5,994
(@90%)
|
5,506
(@88.95%)
|
11,610
|
6,849
|
H.R.A.
|
1,998
(@30%)
|
619
(@10%)
|
3,870
|
770
|
C.C.A.
|
N I L
|
N I L
|
N I L
|
N I L
|
Education Allowance
(maximum for 2 children)
|
2,500
|
500
|
2,500
|
500
|
Transport Allowance
|
1,140
(600+90% DA)
|
225
|
3,040
(1,600+90% DA)
|
225
|
Staff Welfare/Provisions
|
N I L
|
500
|
N I L
|
500
|
Newspaper
|
N I L
|
100
|
N I L
|
100
|
Gross Monthly salary
|
18,292
|
13,640
|
33,920
|
16,644
|
Note:
1. As regards Education Allowance, Staff Welfare/Maintenance Expenses and Newspaper subscription paid to bank staff, the average prevailing at the industry level has been taken into account, to have a fair and reasonable comparison.
2. In some banks, cost of 15 litres of petrol is reimbursed as ‘Conveyance Allowance’ to award staff, besides the above. At the present prices, this will be Rs.1,100 extra.
3. If we compare the limited working hours a day and 5 day week for the central government staff, bank staff need to be paid additional amount of compensation for the extra hours worked (15% more than the central government staff).
4. The volume and varieties of work handled by a bank staff are beyond comparison.
5. If someone moots the topic of concessional loans for bank staff, ask them to consider these points so far as the bank employees are concerned:
(a) There is no tax liability on the perquisites paid to the government staff.
(b) Number of transfers of a government staff is far less compared to his counterpart in a bank.
(c) If the amount of risks and responsibilities is any criterion, the bank employees (other than officers) must be paid not less than 150% of the salaries paid to the central government staff.
(d) Central government staff enjoy stagnation-free running scale, throughout their career.
(e) Whenever the pay scales of central government staff are revised, their pension also undergoes automatic revision, for all types of pensioners.
6. If we look at the statistics given above, clerical staff working in banks are the worst affected.
7. In fact, a clerk in Central Government service earns a monthly salary of Rs.33,920, whereas the monthly salary of JMGS I officers in a bank is Rs.32,471 (both at the beginning of the scale). This is the mother of all injustice.
MONTHLY SALARY OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICERS AND BANK OFFICERS AS ON 01-08-2013 –
A COMPARISON
Various Components
of Monthly Pay
|
Central Government Officers (in Pay Band – 3 –
Stage I)
|
Bank Officers
in JMGS I
|
Central Government Officers (in Pay Band – 3 –
Stage II)
|
Bank Officers
in MMGS II
|
Central Government Officers (in Pay Band – 3 –
Stage III)
|
Bank Officers
in MMGS III
|
Basic Pay
|
15,600
|
14,500
|
18,930
|
19,400
|
21,900
|
25,700
|
Grade Pay
|
5,400
|
N I L
|
6,600
|
N I L
|
7,600
|
N I L
|
Total of Basic + Grade Pay
|
21,000
|
14,500
|
25,530
|
19,400
|
29,500
|
25,700
|
Dearness Allowance
|
18,900
(@90%)
|
12,898
(@88.95%)
|
22,977
|
17,256
|
26,550
|
22,860
|
H.R.A.
|
6,300
(@30%)
|
1,233
(@8.5%)
|
7,659
|
1,649
|
8,850
|
2,185
|
C.C.A.
(Maximum@4% for bank officers)
|
N I L
|
540
|
N I L
|
540
|
N I L
|
540
|
Education Allowance (maximum for 2 children)
|
2,500
|
N I L
|
2,500
|
600
|
2,500
|
1,000
|
Transport Allowance / Monthly Conveyance
|
6,080
(3,200+90% DA)
|
2,200
(30 litres of petrol)
|
6,080
(3,200+90% DA)
|
3,000
(40 litres of petrol)
|
6,080
(3,200+90% DA)
|
3,750
(50 litres of petrol)
|
Staff Welfare
|
N I L
|
500
|
N I L
|
500
|
N I L
|
500
|
Staff Entertainment Expenses (pro rata)
|
N I L
|
300
|
N I L
|
400
|
N I L
|
500
|
Gross Monthly salary
|
54,780
|
32,171
|
64,746
|
43,345
|
73,480
|
57,035
|
Note:
1. As regards Education Allowance, Monthly Conveyance, Staff Welfare and Staff Entertainment Expenses, the average prevailing at the industry level has been taken into account, to have a fair and reasonable comparison.
2. If we compare the limited working hours a day and 5 day week for the central government officers, bank officers need to be paid additional amount of compensation for the extra hours worked (33% to 40% more than the central government officers).
3. The volume and varieties of work handled by a bank officer are just beyond comparison.
4. If someone moots the topic of concessional loans for bank staff, ask them to consider these points so far as the bank officers are concerned:
(a) There are no tax in the perquisites paid to the government staff.
(b) Number of transfers of a government officer is far less compared to his counterpart in a bank. Moreover, the geographical region for the purpose of bank officers’ transfer is very wide and far away from his linguistic region too.
(c) If the amount of risks and responsibilities is any criterion, the bank officers must be paid not less than 200% of the salaries paid to the central government officers.
(d) Last but not the least, the respect with which a bank officer is treated today is any yardstick, no amount of money can compensate this injustice.
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