All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA) and All India Reserve Bank Workers Federation (AIRBWF) To Join Nationwide Bank Strike On November 26

The All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA) and All India Reserve Bank Workers Federation (AIRBWF), in solidarity with the call of central Trade Unions and others, have decided to join the nation-wide strike on November 26. The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) is also striking work on this day but the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) is yet to decide whether it will participate in the one day strike or not.

The demands put forth by the AIRBEA and AIRBWF are :

a) Withdraw anti-labour labour codes

b) We oppose: Sale of public sector, Railways, Ordinance factories

c) We oppose privatization of public sector banks

d) We deplore VRS, forced early retirement

e) Withdraw NPS. Restore old pension scheme.

I) We oppose RBI shrinkage, outsourcing of jobs

g) We demand recruitment in RBI base level cadres.

Below is joint statement from the All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA) and All India Reserve Bank Workers Federation (AIRBWF) for the benefit of the viewers of www.indianpsu.com 

We have addressed a joint letter to the Bank on 11’h November 2020 notifying our decision to observe Strike on 26’h November 2020 in solidarity with the call of central Trade Unions and others. Copies thereof have reached you. This is to be widely circulated, if possible by translating in local languages, amongst our membership everywhere. To reach our members in this difficult pandemic situation, Association and Union Leadership everywhere must meet immediately to decide on joint campaign and communication.

A severe grim situation confronts the country‘s working class and toiling people about which our membership have to be made fully aware and be prepared to fight.

The Central Government have got three anti-labour codes passed in Parliament most undemocratically, in forced absence of opposition parties. Those will be enacted soon. These will take away right to form Trade Unions, right to Strike, protection against hire and fire policy. A large section of workers will be thrown at the mercy of corporates in regard to their jobs, employment, livelihood etc. All these are being done in the name of “ease of doing business”. Whatever rights and legal protections the working class movement of the country could secure through prolonged struggles and sacrifices are being snatched This must be opposed, fought. Working class cannot give up their precious rights.

12-14    crores of people have lost their jobs. Even RBI acknowledge that our country is under the grip of recession. Country’s GDP came down to – 24%; it will be in the negative Zone for long. Meanwhile, a few corporates have been richer by billions.

Farmers are in distress. Prices of essential commodities have gone sky high. VRS on tap has been introduced in banking sector. Public sector banks are in the process of being privatized. Forced premature retirement has started for Government and public sector employees. Permanent job is being replaced by fixed term employment.

The Central Trade Unions also demand, inter alia, “Provide Pension to all, scrap NPS and restore earlier Pension” (i.e. defined benefit pension). We strongly support this.

All the above will affect RBI employees too, to-day or tomorrow. Already RBI has been reduced to a skeletal organization. Each year the staff strength is decreasing fast. Retirement is much more than a few intake. RBI offices wear a forlorn look — we are all witness to that. RBI jobs are being outsourced on this plea or that. RBI has the dubious distinction of being the ‘leanest central bank of the world”

Hence, we participate in the Strike on 26’h November 2020 with the entire working class like earlier years.

Association and Union leadership in all offices should decide urgently how to make the Strike a  success. Our Strike action should be well organized and disciplined like earlier years.

We will request our officer- colleagues to co-operate; for they face the dangers equally like others. Withdrawal of NPS is also an issue for officers.

Well-written posters, festoons, placards etc. should be displayed  at  office  gates.  On  26″  November 2020, from morning, activists of Association /Union will assemble peacefully at the  gates  displaying posters, banners etc.

In all our activities, we must scrupulously observe the health protocols, viz. wearing masks, frequently sanitizing hands, keeping a physical distance of at least 6 feet, not forming a crowd.

Let is march ahead, friends. Only our struggles is the guarantee for our future. With greetings