Dear Comrades,

1. UFBU Meeting :

UFBU meeting was held at Cuttack on 30.9.2007 and was further continued in Mumbai on 3.10.2007. The meeting held at Cuttack was presided over by Com. Amar Pal, General Secretary, AIBOC while the meeting held on 3.10.2007 was presided over by Com. Eswaran, President, AIBOC.

a) Consequent to his retirement from the Bank’s service and relinquishing his position as General Secretary of NCBE, Com. P.K. Patnaik informed his decision to step down as Convenor of UFBU. The meeting placed on record its appreciation for the valuable services rendered by him under the banner of UFBU.
b) The meeting, thereafter, unanimously elected Com. C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary of AIBEA as Convenor of UFBU.
c) The meeting decided to hold the next meeting of UFBU at Mumbai on 18.10.2007 to discuss the following issues :

i) Preparation of Common Charter of Demands for next Wage Revision Settlement.
ii) Steps for expeditious resolution of the pending demands viz. pension option, compassionate appointment and stopping outsourcing in Banks.
iii) Recent attempts of merger of Associate Banks with SBI thus starting the process of cons0olidation of Public Sector Banks.

2. Discussions with IBA :

Further to conciliation proceedings held by Chief Labour Commissioner at Delhi on 10.9.2007and our deferring the call for strike on 12.9.2007, a bipartite meeting was held between IBA and UFBU at Mumbai on 3.10.2007. In this meeting, discussions centered mainly on our demand for pension option. From our side we have explained the details of the Actuarial Report submitted by us and our willingness to share the additional cost by mutual discussions. IBA wanted some clarifications on the report submitted by us. We also wanted the details of the basis of the calculations prepared by IBA. Hence, it was decided to continue the discussions further in the next round of talks.

We took up the issue of covering under Pension Scheme of the employees who joined the Banks between 1.11.1993 till date of Pension Regulations in 1995 and has asked IBA to again pursue the matter with the Government to expedite their clearance.

Other issues like compassionate appointment and outsourcing will be taken up by us in the next meeting.

With greetings,

Yours Comradely,

Sd/-

C.H. VENKATACHALAM
CONVENOR