Massive rally organized by Punjab Bank Employees’ Federation (Ludhiana Unit)

Ludhiana, March 28, 2022: On the call given by 11 Central Trade Unions alongwith various independent Federations and Unions in different sectors. And in Banking sector, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), AIBOA and BEFI for 2 days strike on 28th March, and 29TH March, a massive rally was organized by Punjab Bank Employees’ Federation (Ludhiana Unit) in front of Canara Bank, Bharat Nagar Chowk Ludhiana. Com. Amarjit Kaur, General Secretary All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Com P.R. Mehta President Punjab Bank Employees’ Federation (PBEF) and Com. Naresh Gaur, Secretary PBEF Ludhiana addressed the rally along with various leaders of PBEF, Com. Pawan Thakur, President, Com. Harvinder Singh, Com. Rajesh Verma, Com. Jarnail Singh, Com. Narkesar Rai, Com. Parveen Aggarwal, Com. Rajwinder Singh, Com. Yuvraj Maria, Com. Gurmeet Singh and Com. Chiranjiv Joshi from AIBOA and other top leaders of Punjab Bank Employees Federation also addressed the rally. 

While addressing the rally Com. Amarjit Kaur said that, workers are the creators of the wealth. But workers are being attacked and deprived but those who exploit the workers are being given velvet treatment. Hence this massive protest action is to refund the rights of working class.

She said, this strike has been forced on the trade unions due to the anti labour policies and decisions of central government. The joint platform of central trade unions and various other trade unions have placed the 12 point charter of demands before the government.

Com. Mehta said, from AIBEA while supporting all these demands, we are also highlighting the important demands pertaining to the banking sector which are related to these common demands like; privatisation of public sector, withdrawal of new labour codes, equal pay for equal work for the contract employees, opposition to outsourcing of regular jobs etc.

He said in the Banking sector, opposition to privatisation of Banks is an important agenda before us. Similarly stringent measures to recover bad loans is another serious issue in the Banks because, in the name of resolution of bad loans, Banks are forced to gulp huge haircuts and sacrifices. On the other hand, the interest rate on Deposits has been declining and the service charges for the customers are also being increased. Equally important is the increasing outsourcing of our jobs and drastic reduction in recruitments.

Com. Gaur said, apart from these issues, we have the important issue of restoring old pension scheme for the post April 2010 recruits who are covered by the NPS. More than 50% of the present workforce in the Banks are under NPS. Hence restoring DA-linked pension scheme for these employees and officers is a paramount demand.

He said, today we find that the issue is getting political support from various quarters. Rajasthan Government and Chhattisgarh Government have recently announced to switch over to old pension scheme. In the recent U.P. Assembly elections, this was one of the election promises of Samajwadi Party. Few other State Governments are also talking of reverting old pension scheme. 

Hence this is a right time to highlight this issue, speakers said, adding that very rightly, the Central Trade Unions have made it an important national issue by including this in the common charter of demands.
They said AIBEA and AIBOA is also fully supporting this demand. “Our young employees and officers who have joined the Banks since April, 2010 equally deserve, if not more, post-retirement income which is linked to cost of living and compensation against price rise”, they added.

Adding, they said these young employees are more vulnerable to the emerging challenges and economic vagaries on account of the neo-liberal, new economic policies posed by the reform measures. Hence Index- linked Pension Scheme is very important for their future.

AT A GLANCE 
AIBEA, AIBOA and BEFI have given the joint call for Strike on the following demands and issues:

    Strengthen Public Sector Banks
    Stop Privatisation of Banks
    Stop haircuts – Start recovery of bad loans
    Increase rate of interest on Bank Deposits
    Do not burden customers with high service charges
    Scrap NPS - Restore DA linked Pension scheme
    Stop outsourcing – Start recruitments
    Regularise all contract employees & BCs