ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION

Central Office: “PRABHAT NIVAS” Regn. No.2037

Singapore Plaza, 164, Linghi Chetty Street, Chennai-600001
Phone: 2535 1522 Fax: 2535 8853 M- 984 00 899 20 Web: www.aibea.in
e mail ~ chv.aibea@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE 28-5-2018

By C.H. VENKATACHALAM, GEN SECRETARY,
ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

Conciliation meeting in Delhi today – no breakthrough - strike on

30th and 31st May will take place.

Wage revision in the Banks is due from 1st November, 2017. Government has
been advising the Indian Banks’ Association to conclude the Settlement before
November, 2017. Unions have submitted the Charted of Demands in May, 2017
and discussions commenced with the Unions in May, 2017. But even though
several rounds of discussions have taken place in the last one year, IBA did not
come forward to make any offer. On 5th May, 2018, in the negotiations IBA
made an offer to hike the wages by 2% quoting poor financial condition of the
Banks as a reason. They also refused to negotiate wage revision for all officers
and to restrict the wage revision for Scale I, II and III officers and not including
Scale IV to VII under the wage revision process though from 1979 wage revision
for officers was covering all officers from scale I to scale VII.

Unions did not agree to these proposals and gave a call for 2 days strike on 30th
and 31st May. In response to the strike notice, Chief Labour Commissioner
(Central), Government of India (Mr. Sagar) held a conciliation meeting today in
his office in Delhi. Representatives of IBA, Ministry of Finance and Unions were
present.

From Unions we made it clear that IBA’s offer of 2% is not acceptable since it
does not make any basis for meaningful negotiations since last settlement, the
hike was 15%. Secondly, all the Banks are making operating profits (Rs.
159,000 crores for 2016-17) but because of provisions for bad loans, bank’s
profits are adjusted and shown less profit. This cannot be a reason to deny due
wage revision to bank employees. Further we stated that as in the past, wage
revision for officers should cover all officers from Scale I to VII. Chief Labour
Commissioner appreciated our viewpoints and asked IBA to reconsider their
stand so that the strike can be averted. From Unions we urged upon IBA to
make revised offer and clarify on officers wage revision so that we can consider
CLC’s appeal. But IBA did not come forward to commit anything.

Since there was no positive development in the conciliation meeting, it

has been decided to go ahead with the strike on 30th and 31st May, 2018
as announced.

C.H. VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY