A total strike was observed on 21/12/2018 by more than 3.20 lacs officers affiliated with All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC). A massive rally was organized which started from LHO of State Bank of India culminated at Punjab National Bank. A massive demonstration was held in front of Punjab National Bank at Bank Square Sector-17 , Chandigarh. More than 1500 officers from various Banks affiliated with AIBOC participated in the rally and demonstration. Slogans were raised against the Government and IBA against the fractured mandate and early and respectful wage revision for the banking fraternity including updation /revision of pension and family pension, introduction of five day week with immediate effect , stop mis- selling of third party products, work life balance of bankers, shift focus on core business and NPA recovery instead of third party products and stop merger of Public Sector Banks .
Speaking on the occasion Com Deepak Sharma (Joint General Secretary of AIBOC) strongly criticized the government and IBA for delay in their wage revision due since November 2017 and demanded immediate full mandate for officers upto scale VII. 15 out of 20 Banks have already given the unconditional mandate and have authorized the IBA to negotiate upto scale VII. However 5 banks SBI, PNB, BOB, Union Bank of India and the Indian Bank have given the fractured mandate. Despite majority of the Banks giving unrestricted mandate, the IBA has taken a rigid stand that they will negotitate only upto Scale III, which we are opposing and are being forced to adopt the path of agitation and go on strike. The IBA is linking the wage revision to the Performance Linked pay based on gross operating profits and return on assets. The proposal of Performance linked pay given by the IBA has already been outrightly rejected by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) in the meeting already held with IBA.
Com. Sanjay Sharma , EC member of AIBOC all India and also Convener of UFBU Chandigarh strongly criticized the central government and IBA for not seriously taking up the issues of the Bankers and demanded to settle all these outstanding issuing including mandate, wage revision, five day week, updation/revision of Pension and family pension immediately. He further stated that we are opposing amalgamation of Banks including RRBs, mis selling of third party products and reduction in existing medical facility for officers and steep increase in Medical Insurance Premium for retirees. The IBA is dilly delaying the wage revision on the pretext of paying capacity of all the Banks. It is a truth that the gross profits of all the Banks is increasing however due to higher provision for the NPAs the banks are earning losses. He also highlighted that only a handful of big corporate are defaulters who are having almost 84% of the total NPAs of all the Banks.
Speaking on the occasion Com T S Saggu , State Secretary, AIBOC strongly criticized the governments move of merger /amalgamation of Public Sector Banks and said that on the one side government is issuing licenses to the new small banks and on the other side they are merging the PSBs in the name of weak banks. He further said that we are not accepting any performance linked pay either be it for specific grades or for everyone.
Sh. Ashok Goyal President AIBOC, Chandigarh also addressed the gathering and reiterated that we will oppose the policy of IBA to divide the officers fraternity tooth and nail.
Com Vipin Beri , Com. Harvinder Singh , Com. Pankaj Sharma, Com. Sachin Kumar, Com. Trighatia, Com Arun Sikka, Com D N Sharma, Com. H S Loona, Com. Balwinder Singh, Com. Nisha and Com. Shivani were also present.
