Govt asks public sector banks to finalise next wage revision before 1 November

In a communication to CEOs and MDs of the state-owned banks, the finance ministry advised them to initiate the steps for smooth conclusion of next wage revision

New Delhi, April 9 (PTI): The finance ministry has asked the heads of public sector banks (PSBs) to finalise the modalities for timely implementation of the next pay revision from November.

There are 21 public sector banks, post merger of six lenders with State Bank of India (SBI), in the country. They together employ about 8 lakh people.

In a communication to CEOs and MDs of the state-owned banks, the ministry advised them to initiate the steps for smooth conclusion of next wage revision of the employee within the time-frame. “However, it is seen that several banks are yet to proceed in the matter,” it said, requesting the PSBs to “look into the matter and conclude the next wage revision prior to the effective date of 1 November 2017”.

The wage revision of public sector bank employees takes place every five year. The last revision was effected in November 2012. In the last wage negotiation between PSU banks employee unions and bank management, Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had settled at 15% hike. Recently, Banks Board Bureau chief Vinod Rai had made a case that the compensation package across the board of public sector banks needs to be improved.

“Maybe, we are not able to do much with the fixed part of compensation package but (with) variable part we are hopeful that in the next financial year (2017-18), we will be able to introduce a far more attractive package which do have bonuses, ESOPs and other performance linked incentives as part of the package,” he had said. Rai has also suggested that managing directors of the public sector banks should be appointed for minimum 6 years.

Wage Revision- Broad Summery of the Charter of Demands by Officers' Unions

Wage Revision- Broad Summery of the Charter of Demands by Officers' Unions
details

11th bipartite settlement – Charter of Demand for wage revision 2017 : unofficial

Although there is no formal news about the initiation of negotiations for next wage revision, 

the following charter of demand for 11th bipartite settlement is being circulated on whatsapp 

and emails and has been shared some whatsapp groups of employee unions. 

Details 11tth bipartite settlement

Coming soon: Far more attractive compensation package for public sector bank employees

Attractive pay packages: PSU bank Employees to get

higher bonus, ESOPs, says Bank Board Bureau Chief

New Delhi, January 5 (IANS): Public sector banks (PSBs) will have far more attractive pay packages with increased bonus, Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) and other performances-linked variables in 2017-18, Bank Board Bureau Chairman Vinod Rai said on Thursday.

"By next fiscal we are looking at a far more attractive package for public sector banks with bonus, ESOPs, performance linked variables -- monetary or non-monetary benefits to make it more attractive for professionals to enter PSBs," Rai said here at the 97th Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) Foundation Day. "We may not be able to change the fixed income but we are looking at making the variable part of the package more attractive," he added.

The compenation package of the PSBs needs to be improved in some way, he added. Rai said that the government is also looking at appointing full-time director or executive director in the PSBs, apart from the post of chairman and managing director (CMD). The executive director or director post is being thought of so that he can be held accountable for the decisions taken at the bank, he said. "Those people will be appointed who have at least six or more years of service remaining," Rai said.

The Bank Board Bureau is also working upon the proposal of formation of the government stake in the PSBs into a holding company, which will be run by professionals and will make selections of directors and CMDs for the bank. "Over a period of time, the PSBs may go into mergers," he added. In order to manage the non-performing assets (NPAs) of the banks, Rai said that he was looking at a scenario wherein the banks are run by boards, who take the risk of decision-making.

"We are trying to collate people who will be willing to join the boards of PSBs. Effort is to ensure that the banks are indeed run by boards comprising of professionals," he said. He also spoke of formation of an oversight committee for both private and public sector banks which will help the banks resolve their bad loan cases. "The attempt is to provide an oversight committee of two people to whom cases will be sent to resolve the processes. The case then has to come back to the board because ultimately the bank has to take the decision," he said.

"This is to provide comfort to the banks," he added. Calling for certain degree of transparency in decision making, he said that every organisation should be able to withstand the test of scrutiny. "We are going to be in an audit from all strata of society. All governments and corporates should be able to withstand that audit," he added.

At Last 10th Bipartite Settlement Meeting Ended by increase at 15% on Payslip Components

The Final settlement of 10th BPS wage negotiations ended at 15%.

Today UFBU & IBA finalise on that matter.

Also, every 2nd & 4th Saturday of every Months will be Holidays while the other Saturday will be Full Working Days.

The Complete Circular will be coming soon.

At Last 10th Bipartite Settlement Meeting Ended by increase at 15% on Payslip Components

The Final settlement of 10th BPS wage negotiations ended at 15%.
Today UFBU & IBA finalise on that matter.
Also, every 2nd & 4th Saturday of every Months will be Holidays while the other Saturday will be Full Working Days.
The Complete Circular will be coming soon.

Bank unions call for strike on January 7

Coimbatore, December 21:  The United Forum of Bank Unions (UBFU) has called for an all-India strike on January 7. Expressing its resentment over IBA’s casual attitude and the Government’s lack of response to the union’s demand for an immediate and reasonable wage settlement, the All India Bank Employees’ Association General Secretary CH Venkatachalam said that the Forum has decided to protest including holding mass demonstration at all centres on December 30.

Black badge protest

This will befollowed by black badge protest on January 5, 2015,mass demonstrations/procession and rallies the following day and culminating in all-India strike on January 7. The forum has decided to further intensify its protest by calling for a four days continuous strike between January 21 and 24 and indefinite strike from March 16.

Hits out at IBA

Condemning the action of the IBA in directing the banks to revisit the mandate given to it (IBA) earlier as ‘nothing but a ploy to delay the wage revision negotiation process’, Venkatachalam said, “IBA is sticking to its offer of 11 per cent increase in pay slip component.”

‘IBA is ready to sit and resolve’

But, the IBA chief Mohan V Tanksale, who was in the city to moderate a panel discussion on the implication of Performance Management System in traditional private banks in the context of Gopalakrishna Committee Report on “Capacity and Competence Building in Traditional Private Banks” said that a settlement has to happen and the IBA is ready to sit and resolve the issue.

“We are willing to negotiate. But 23 per cent increase seems quite unreasonable,” he said.

Wage pact: bank unions for long-haul agitation

Thiruvananthapuram, December 18: The United Forum of Bank Unions, which has been negotiating with the Indian Banks’ Association for wage revision in the banking sector for the past two years, has decided to go on an indefinite nationwide strike from March 16.

The decision was taken by the top decision-making body of the UFBU following breakdown of yet another round of conciliation in the presence of the Central Government’s Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner in Mumbai on Wednesday. “We have decided to go on all-India indefinite strike from March 16,” MV Murali, convenor of the nine-union UFBU, told BusinessLine. “Before that, the unions will go on a four-day national strike from January 21; and on January 7, there will be a one-day strike.”

The UFBU’s tough stand follows the logjam in the talks for a five-year wage agreement after a dozen rounds of negotiations between UFBU and the negotiating team of the IBA, which represents the managements of the public- and private-sector banks in the country. Murali said that on Wednesday, the conciliation talks between the team led by IBA’s Deputy CEO K Unnikrishan and UFBU leaders ended in an impasse as the IBA stuck to its guns and there was no forward movement on the demands made by the unions. The IBA was willing to raise wages in the banking industry by only 11 per cent.

‘Delaying tactics’

AK Ramesh Babu, President of the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), a member of the UFBU, told BusinessLine that the January 7 strike was an ‘immediate response’ to the highly objectionable ‘delaying tactics’ of the IBA. The IBA had now come up with a new condition that it needed the mandate of the board of directors of all individual banks in the IBA for making any further concessions on wage revision. It had sent circulars to individual bank boards asking them to ‘review the mandate.’

According to Vishwas Utagi, General Secretary, Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation, bank managements are stonewalling employee demands for a wage hike citing profitability constraints, the need to shore up capital to meet new Basel III norms, and provisioning burden due to stressed loans. “Bank employees are not responsible for the bad loans that have accumulated in the banking system. In fact, they have helped banks grow their business and profitability. So, there is no reason why bank managements should deny our demands.”