The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Bankmen threaten agitation over pension issue

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Monday, Jul 09, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Bankmen threaten agitation over pension issue

Special Correspondent

UFBU submits proposal to IBA

UFBU is preparing new wage revision charter of demands
AIBOA holds zonal conference in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has warned the Indian Banks Association (IBA) to provide one more option of pension in the place of provident fund (PF) to all employees of the banks or face action programme, including strike by the unions. The proposal on the pension scheme, submitted by UFBU to IBA about 20 days ago, should be considered and action taken on it within two months.

Second terminal benefit

Stating this to mediapersons here on Sunday, UFBU convenor for Andhra Pradesh and secretary of the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) K. Ramakoteswara Rao, said barring those in the State Bank of India (SBI) only 33 per cent of the employees and officers in the nationalised banks came under the pension scheme. “So we are demanding pension as a second terminal benefit to the two third of the total employees (six lakh),” he said. The UFBU is the common body of various banks unions representing employees and officers.

When full pension could be granted to the employees of the State and Central governments, Reserve Bank of India and SBI, why not the same be given to the bank staff too, he argued. They should have a choice between PF and pension, he stressed. He said SBI employees were enjoying three terminal benefits, pension, PF and gratuity. The UFBU was preparing new wage revision charter of demands which would be submitted to IBA soon. In this competitive environment UFBU wants to retain the talent in the public sector banks by providing the employees attractive financial package.

On issues relating to bank officers, Mr. Rao demanded regulated working hours for them, recruitment of more staff in view of expanded business and implementation of five days a week banking operation in view of availability of wide network of ATMs. He said AIBOC was for strengthening of the public sector concept in the banking industry and social banking.

He made it clear that the bank unions would not allow growth of private sector and multinational banks at the cost of public sector banks and merger of public sector banks among themselves. The Government should provide level playing field for the nationalised banks, he said.

AIBOC district president P. Krishnan and secretary S.N. Sahu participated.

Meanwhile, the All India Andhra Bank Officers Federation held its Visakhapatnam zonal conference here on Sunday. Federation president N. Raja Gopal Reddy, assistant general secretary S. Raju, Andhra Bank zonal DGM K. Sethu Prasad, AGM P. Sriram Raju and Andhra Bank Award Employees Union district secretary R.V. Ravi Kumar participated.

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