LATEST UPDATE ON PENDING ISSUES OF PENSIONERS AND RETIREES

LATEST UPDATE ON PENDING ISSUES OF PENSIONERS AND RETIREES

We have been posting you with the developments and various efforts put in by CBPRO and its constituents in regard to the following major outstanding issues concerning the pensioners and retirees:

100% DA neutralization to pre 2002 retirees;
Improvement in family pension;
Pension updation
Improvement in medical insurance policy/medical benefit scheme for retirees;
Second option to left out compulsorily retired officers;
Second option to resignees who have put in pensionable service;

We are happy to note that due to our persistent follow up and interactions with the UFBU, they have taken up the issues mentioned in the record note of the last Bi-partite settlement during their ongoing negotiations for the 11th Bipartite Settlement. We are in constant touch with the Convenor of the UFBU and the leaders of the constituents of the UBFU.  During their meeting with the Chairman of the Sub-Committee of IBA In-charge of negotiation on 1st August 2017, they have taken up the matter of 100% DA neutralization and family pension and have got a positive response from the Chairman of the sub-committee in resolving the above issues.  We hope that the issues contained in the record note will be sorted out on a priority basis before the conclusion of the ensuing Bipartite Settlement as the record note is the product of last settlement.

Meanwhile we have been pursuing all the major issues concerning the retirees cited above with the Government and the IBA by writing to them and also by meeting them.  After our meeting with Shri Arun Jaitleyji, Honourable Finance Minister on 1st June 2017, we are enthused by his response  to us while discussing our issues.  We explained to him the details about 100% DA neutralization issue, family pension and updation. By all means it was not a meeting for merely submitting a memorandum but a meeting where he heard our issues patiently asking us to clarify points in respect of the issues.

As a further follow up we met Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwarji, Honourable Minister of State for Finance on 24th July 2017 and further explained to him about our meeting with the Honourable Finance Minister and also urged him to advise his Ministry to initiate steps to resolve the issues on an urgent note as quite a lot of retirees are in their advanced age of life.  The Honourable Minister was very sympathetic and assured us of the resolution of the pending matters.  He also informed us that he had already talked to the Ministry officials in this regard and assured of reminding them further.

In between the meetings we had with the Honourable Finance Minister and Honourable Minister of State for Finance, we were also pursuing the issues on a continuous basis with the top Ministry officials in the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.  We have given a detailed note on 17th July 2017 in respect of all the above issues and also submitted a chart with approximate calculations in regard to each of the above issues.  We have also mentioned in our note that the cost implications are not going to affect the profitability of the Banks as the payments have to be made out of Pension Funds which are adequate to meet the cost of improvements.

We are happy to inform you that consequent to our meetings with the Honourable Ministers, followed by meetings and  discussions with the top Ministry officials, a  committee has been constituted in the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance to resolve the pending issues of Bank pensioners and retirees.  We are hopeful of a favourable outcome in regard to the issues very shortly.

We firmly believe that the issues like Pension Updation, Family Pension, Medical Benefit Scheme etc. shall be of direct concern to the serving employees as well in the years to come on their retirement. It is imperative that the UBFU and CBPRO enhance their combined efforts for resolution of the pending issues.  We are happy that all the constituents and leaders of UFBU are making sincere efforts in this regard.

Comrades, we do understand the anxiety of all concerned as the issues did not get encouraging response from any of the authorities earlier. Nevertheless we did not allow our determination to diminish for clinching the issues.  The developments during the last couple of months tend to give us confidence that as a result of our efforts with Ministry and IBA and also the initiatives taken by UFBU we are inching towards a satisfactory solution to the issues raised by us.  We will further step up the momentum of our efforts with the Ministry and IBA and also scale up the level of our interaction with UFBU leaders so as to ensure early success.

With regards,

Yours comradely

       
(A.RAMESH BABU)              (K.V. ACHARYA)
                         JOINT CONVENERS

Pre Retirees 2002

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR RETIREES OF PRE_2002 ONLY.
THEIR PENSION IS BEING RE_FIXED ON THEIR LAST DRAWN
ACTUAL BASIC PAY ON 40%/50% BASIS. SO, THEY ARE GETTING
ARREARS w.e.f. 1.5.2005.

1. In COURT case of SBI Pensioners Federation, WPC 1875 / 2013, Govt
had appointed a Committee whose recommendations have been
approved by Govt./RBI

2.A copy of Govt letter is attached.

3. 5th Bipertite Pay Settlement (Jan 87 to Oct 92),
6th BPS (Nov 92 to March 98), and 7th BPS (April, 98 to Oct 2002), are MAIN
BENEFICIARIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS. Increase ranges ROUGHLY between Rs.1500 to Rs.2500
per month (based on April, 2017
Pension) approximately.

4. Pensioners Federation had approached Bank for AD HOC release of 90% of arrears which
has been accepted by Bank.

5. Arrears are being credited to Pension Account in a phased manner on DAILY BASIS as
large number of 40,000 beneficiaries are there.
So, WAIT FOR YOUR CREDIT PATIENTLY.

6. A chart showing approx amount of arrears is attached,

(Based on peace meal information available.)

E. & O. E.

PLEASE ADVICE WHEN YOU RECEIVE CREDIT,
WITH YOUR SCALE, DATE OF RETIREMENT AND AMOUNT
FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS

100% D.A. Neutralization in Pre-November 2002 Retirees’ case

100% D.A. Neutralization in Pre-November 2002 Retirees’ case Judgment in Hon’ble Supreme Court reserved

A circular on the above subject, issued by CBPRO is reproduced below.

QUOTE :
To,
All the General Secretaries of the Constituents of CBPRO.

As you are aware the above case is pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. After few adjournments, it came up for arguments today for disposal. The Senior Advocates of all the parties were heard at length. The arguments by the lawyers representing the Retirees’ Organizations were very well received. Our presence in the Court helped an excellent coordination among the Senior Advocates who represented the Retirees’ Organizations. The Senior Advocate who represented the Bank Management argued vehemently that there was no discrimination as the employer has a right to restrict the applicability of new benefits/ improvements to the future Retirees and for that purpose the
cut-off date in this case being 01.11.2002 was in order. He also argued that making the 100% D.A. neutralization applicable to all past Retirees would involve huge financial burden. His argument was that the quantum of amount mutually agreed at the time of signing the settlement as a load factor to be distributed among various components of pay like Basic pay, D.A., HRA, Medical, other
allowances, etc. was a limiting factor which was agreed to by all the Unions representing the Employees and Officers. Hence, it could not be questioned at this stage. These arguments were effectively countered by the Senior Advocates who represented various Organizations of Retirees.
Shri V.K. Bali, Senior Advocate (Former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court and Former Chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal), who represented AIBRF, argued the case excellently. His arguments were able to impress the Court about the distinctions made out in Para2(b) of the Bipartite Settlement of May, 2005 in respect of applicability of uniform rate of D.A. and the distortions in its
implementations vide IBA Circular dated 28.06.2005 going against the spirit of the Bipartite Settlement. The clauses relating to payment of uniform D.A. from May, 2005 in the Bipartite Settlement and Joint note did not stipulate any cut-off date with regard to exclusion of Pre-November 2002 Retirees from the applicability of 100% D.A. rather it only mentioned about the change in the
D.A. formula to 100% D.A. neutralization from 2005. IBA while issuing the circular to the Member Banks unilaterally created artificial classification by wrongly dividing the Retirees into different groups as Pre-01.11.2002 Retirees and post 01.11.2002 Retirees. It was sought to be questioned in the Court by the Senior Advocates representing the Retirees Organizations. The distortion caused by IBA Circular was well explained to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Shri Jitendra Sharma, Senior Advocate,
representing the Petitioners namely United Bank of India Retirees’ Welfare Association strongly supplemented the arguments of Shri Bali while also highlighting the clause 6 of Pension Settlement of 1993. 

Shri A.S. Nambiar, renowned Senior Advocate who represented the ARISE, an affiliate of AIBPARC made very valid points invoking Article 14 of the Constitution of India. He also argued about the absence of justification and rationale objectives with regard to Artificial Classification made by IBA Circular based on the date of retirement of the Pensioners. He effectively highlighted the ratio
laid down in the case of D.S.Nakara. He also pointed out that the inflation equally hurts all the Pensioners irrespective of their date of Retirement. D.A. is payable towards part compensation on account of price-rise and hence there cannot be different rate of D.A. payable to the Retirees merely on the basis of their date of retirement. Mr.Nambiar was ably assisted by Mr. Sewa Ram,
Advocate(Former IOBian). Mr.Sewa Ram also argued that the Pension Options were exercised by the Employees in 1993-94 on the basis of the Pension settlement even before the Pension Regulations were finalized on 29.09.1995. He also argued that IBA’s letter dated 17.12.1993 to Sri R.N. Godbole the then General Secretary of AIBOC clearly stated that the Pension Regulations will be finalized on the lines of Pension rules of the Central Government and the Reserve Bank of India. The argument of the Management Lawyer about the Pension fund being contributory was well countered by him on the grounds that it is a revenue expenditure which has to be fully met by the Bank in accordance with the actuaries investigation. He also supplemented the arguments of Mr.Nambiar. Mr.Sewa Ram also actively coordinated the mutual consultations amongst the Senior Advocates so as to ensure
effective and fruitful arguments before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
Mrs. V. Mohana, Senior Advocate, representing RBONC (Constituent of CBPRO) advanced  arguments about discrimination caused by IBA’s Circular dated 28.06.2005 despite there being no such clause in the Bipartite Settlement or Joint Note. She also made a point that the judgment in the case should apply to all the affected Bank Pensioners. She also made a point that the Management’s
argument about huge financial burden on account of 100% D.A. Neutralization was without any substance or justification and the number of pre-2002 Retirees is small in number as compared to the large number of Pensioners who have retired after November, 2002.
The arguments in the case started at 10:30 AM and concluded at 03.00 PM. After hearing the arguments of the parties, the Hon’ble Court sought some clarifications in the light of the earlier case of 100% D.A. neutralization having been dismissed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The Judges sought the views of the Advocates representing the Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Organizations
about their earlier judgment relating to dismissal of appeals against the Order of Hon’ble High Court of Madras and implications thereof. The Senior Advocates expressed their views in response to the queries raised by the Hon’ble Court. In view of very sound  and valid Constitutional points raised by the Senior Advocates representing the Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Organizations, the Hon’ble Court reserved the judgment. We hope for a favourable verdict in the matter. We also hope that the initiative on the part of the Delhi based Leaders of Pensioners’ and Retirees’ Organizations in ensuring excellent coordination amongst the Senior Advocates shall go a long way in further strengthening the Bank Retirees’ Movement.
With Regards,
Yours Comradely.
A.Ramesh Babu     K.V. Acharya
Joint Conveners

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