ALL INDIA BANK EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION

Central Office: “PRABHAT NIVAS” Regn. No.2037

Singapore Plaza, 164, Linghi Chetty Street, Chennai-600001
Phone: 2535 1522 Fax: 2535 8853 Web: www.aibea.in
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e mail ~ chv.aibea@gmail.com & aibeahq@gmail.com
CIRCULAR NO. 28/194/2020/32 15-5-2020
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TO ALL OUR UNIONS & MEMBERS:

Dear Comrades,
AIBEA OFFICE BEARERS MEETING
AIBEA SETS APART RS. 1 CRORE TO FOOT TRAIN FARE OF MIGRANT WORKERS
A virtual meeting of Office Bearers of AIBEA was held yesterday (14-5-2020)
evening through video-conferencing. Com. Rajen Nagar, our President presided
over the meeting.
Homage: The meeting paid its sorrowful homage to the people who have lost
their precious lives the world over due to the corona pandemic. The meeting
shared the grief over the death of migrant workers who have lost their lives during
this pandemic. The meeting also conveyed its condolences to the family of the
bank employees/officers who have lost their lives due to corona virus.
General review: The meeting had a general review of the situation obtaining in
various States post corona lockdown since end of March 2020. It was reported that
the lockdown has uprooted the livelihood of the workers and wage earners in a
very big way. It was reported that despite Government’s guideline, appeal, etc.
most of the employers have not paid wages to the workers since the factories and
establishments are closed down. The meeting also took note of the multiple
sufferings being faced by the people at large on account of the lockdown. The
meeting hoped that things would improve in the days to come and some type of
normalcy would be restored, even though, the full-scale normalcy is little far away.
Banks under Corona lockdown: Right from the beginning of the lockdown,
Government has announced that banking services should be maintained and
continued and hence our Banks have been functioning throughout this period of
lockdown. While IBA clarified that only the minimum banking services would be
available, and banking services accordingly restricted, the announcement of the
schemes by the Government to pass on various benefits to the Jan Dhan Yoja
account holders and others, have been resulting in lot of people crowding Branches
and creating health risks for the employees.
It is unfortunate that in many places, instead of supporting the suffering bank staff
and helping the Branches to regulate the crowd, the local authorities have rather
chosen to harass the bank employees and officers for violation of social distancing
norms, etc. From AIBEA, we have taken up these matters with the DFS, Ministry of
Finance to issue proper guidelines to the State authorities. After this, there is
some little improvement in the situation.
Problems of employees under lockdown: Employees are facing innumerable
problems in attending Branches in the present lockdown situation where transport
services are withdrawn and managements have not made any other arrangements
for the employees to come to the Branches. Due to the efforts of the organisation,
certain guidelines on exemption, etc have been issued by the Government/Banks
but still there is neither uniformity nor justice in treatment of employees’ absence
due to the present extra-ordinary situation.
Meeting decided that all these issues need to be pursued with the managements,
IBA and Government.
Relief measures of the Govt. :The Government has been announcing various
schemes and measures to address the economic problems facing the country on
account of the lockdown. While announcements appear attractive, it is to be seen
whether and how these schemes will really benefit the affected people.
Pressure of Banks will be increased: The meeting observed that every
announcement made by the Finance Minister relates to various loans schemes by
the Banks. Obviously this will result in more and more pressure on the Banks and
Branches to process, sanction and disburse these loans. When Branches are
already facing problems of acute shortage of staff, these pressures will add to the
misery of the employees. It was decided to take up the matter with the IBA and
Government.
Post Merger Scenario: Despite the lockdown situation, Government went ahead
with the merger of Banks unmindlful of its negative implications and typical to their
authoritarian way of doing things. It was decided that once normalcy is restored,
joint meetings will be held to address the connected issues including integration of
our Unions.
Attacks on Labour Laws: Suddenly but not surprisingly, some of the State
Governments like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan and
few more States have resorted to Ordinance, Notification, etc. to suspend and
dilute the labour laws including increased working hours per day upto 12 hours.
These atrocious measures are being taken under the shelter of economic problems
due to Corona pandemic but they have also timed it to the present lockdown
restrictions and prohibitions where unions and workers would find it difficult to
come out massively against these steps. Central Trade Unions have discussed
these developments and have decided to express our opposition in the present
limited possible way but have decided to build up major programmes in due
course.
Office Bearers decided that all these programmes as decided by the Central Trade
Unions would be endorsed by AIBEA and implemented.
Relief Activities by our Unions – Great job being done by our units: Office
Bearers were extremely happy to observe that all over the country, our unions and
members are organising a lot of relief work to extend help to the affected sections
of the workers and people. The meeting noted that more than 400 such
programmes have been undertaken so far and conveys its appreciation to all the
units for this commendable activity.

AIBEA’s helping hand for the Migrant Workers :

AIBEA sets apart Rs. 1 Crore Fund:
Looking to the reports and the pathetic conditions of the migrant workers who
are undergoing great ordeal in the present scenario, it was decided that
AIBEA will offer to the Railway Ministry to foot the train fare of
the migrant workers to go back to their places by the special
trains and would bear such expenses upto Rs.1 crore.
Yours Comradely

C.H. VENKATACHALAM
GENERAL SECRETARY