IBA expects wage revision to be amicably concluded by mid-February

Sub-groups of bank management, workers unions to meet on Monday to discuss matters related to service conditions

The Indian Banks' Association is expecting the wage revision, for which it is in discussion with various unions including the United Forum of Bank Unions and National Confederation of Bank Employees, could be concluded amicably by February 15, 2015.

The IBA has set up three sub-groups consisting of representatives from the unions and officers' associations and IBA to discuss some of the topics related to the service conditions, other than wage increase, it said in a letter to the United Forum of Bank Unions and National Confederation of Bank Employees.

The three sub-groups formed were to discuss about the health insurance scheme proposed by IBA in lieu of the existing hospitalisation reimbursement scheme, matters related to workmen unions and matters related to officers' associations, excluding related to wage increase, which is being discussed seperately.

As per the letter, the sub-group to discuss Charter of Demands of Officers' Associations was scheduled on January 14, while the sub-groups on proposed health insurance scheme and the one to discuss Charter of Demands of workmen unions is to be held on January 19, 2015.

"Further, as the meeting of the Managing Committee of IBA is scheduled on January 31, 2015 in which the development of the Negotiating Committee meetings held on January 6 and 7 as well as the discussions being held in abovementioned sub-groups will be discussed, we intend to hold the next Negotiating Committee meeting in first week of February, 2015, to discuss further with the Unions/Associations and try to conclude the exercise of wage revision amicably by February 15, 2015 as expressed by the Chairman, Negotiating Committee in the last meeting," says the letter.

"We expect that Unions/Associations will also come forward and settle the issue amicably with the spirit of bipartism," added the letter.

C H Venkatachalm, general secretary, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) said that these sub-group meetings would be discussing other service conditions including the health insurance scheme, which the workers seeking an improvement and the IBA in principle agreed to, and not the basic wage settlement.

Further discussions on the service conditions and insurance scheme would be discussed on Monday, he said. The date for discussions on wage settlement has not been finalised, he added.

It may be noted that the Bank unions under UFBU is expected to go on strike from January 21 to 24, seeking an early and reasonable wage settlement. Earlier, the union has deferred the strike scheduled on January 7, on being satisfied with improvement in offer in wage hike by IBA, from 11% to 12.5% hike, during the talks held on January 6.

The unions expressed hope that the talks scheduled on January 7 would see more improvement. It was in this meeting, the decision to set up sub-groups were taken, according to the IBA's letter.