IBA changes its stand late night(UFBU to go ahead with two days strike)

Through our press release issued and sent to all our unions, we had informed that in the bipartite meeting held between IBA and UFBU on 4-8-2009 the IBA had further gone back on all the issues discussed with them.

Wage Revision : IBA further reduced their offer to 13%

Pension option: IBA informed that they cannot offer the PF optees another option to get the same pension benefits but may be extended a different alternative pension scheme based on their PF amount. Pension costing has to be re-examined.

Compassionate Appointment scheme: The mutually worked out scheme cannot be agreed upon

In this highly provocative, insulting and humiliating situation, while protesting against the IBA’s going back on agreed decisions/offer, we informed them that we have no alternative than to go on action. The IBA appealed that since the matter needs guidance and clearance from the Government, the matter needs to be pursued at those levels also.

In the conciliation meeting held thereafter, nothing special emerged and hence UFBU decided to go ahead with the strike call.

However, late in the evening around 11-00 PM, IBA Chairman informed us they are ready to offer a revised package as under:

Wage revision may be offered at 17.5%;

New Pension scheme to be introduced for new employees;

PF optees may be given option to get the existing pension scheme provided Unions agree that the additional cost of pension should valued every year and the extra cost over and above 10% should be shared by the employees at 33% and management at 67%. Compassionate appointment scheme to be dealt with separately.

The IBA Chairman appealed to UFBU to accept this offer and withdraw the strike

During this late hour meeting with IBA Chairman, the UFBU while taking note that IBA is reversing the reduced offer, however felt that the changed offer on pension option is altogether a new proposal and in deviation of whatever we have discussed so far. It was also felt that the compassionate appointment scheme cannot be totally delinked from the issues.

Hence UFBU felt that the revised proposals cannot be accepted and our agitational programmes should be continued.

It was further decided that UFBU meeting be held in Chennai on 11th August, 2009 (instead of 9th ) to take stock of the situation and to decide further course of action.

Go ahead and make the strike action a total success.