Workmen unions in banks to decide on wage talks with IBA

Five bank unions representing clerical staff or workmen would decide whether to continue with wage negotiations with Indian Banks' Association (IBA) without the associations representing the officers, said a top official of All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA).

Two associations representing the officers in banks - All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO) - did not participate in the wage talks held in Mumbai on February 21 on the issue of IBA's mandate.

The IBA's mandate was to restrict the composite wage settlement for clerks and officers in the grade scale 1-3 and have separate negotiations for officers in the scale 4-7.

Though IBA had informed that it will hold wage talks for officers up to scale 5, the two officers' associations decided to stay away from the talks as they wanted the talks to cover all officers.

According to AIBEA's General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam, the IBA's stand is that if the officers associations do not participate in the talks, then the negotiations will be held only with the workmen unions.

Based on the agreement with the workmen unions, the wage negotiations will be concluded with the officers' associations.

Venkatachalam said as there is a stalemate now, the five workmen unions - AIBEA, NCBE, BEFI, IBEF and NOBW - will discuss on March 1 and inform IBA about their decision on the wage talks.

Earlier, Venkatachalam told IANS that from 1979 onwards, the IBA has been negotiating with the unions for pay revision on a composite basis.

--IANS

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