Consumer Price Index for November 2014 released

Consumer Price Index Numbers for Industrial Workers - CPI(IW) for the month of November 2014 remained unchanged at 253.

Extension of date of filing Asset Statement under Lokpal Act : 30.04.2015

Declaration of Assets and Liabilities by public servants under section 44 of the Lokpal and Lokayukt Act 2013 - submission of property statement - date extended to 30th April 2015 from 31st December 2014.
Click here for the Gazette Notification.

West Bengal likely to announce Dearness Allowance soon

It is learnt from sources that West Bengal Govt. is considering to release another installment of Dearness Allowance for it's employees and pensioners soon. The Govt. may declare 7% D.A. with effect from 1st January 2015 and announcement in this regard may come at any time.
If sources are to be believed, another installment of 7% D.A. may be paid with effect from 1st April 2015. 
The state employees are lagging behind to the tune of 49% in D.A. compared to their central counterparts, these two installments (7+7) may certainly bring some relief. Let us wait and see.

Chief Labour Commissioner called for conciliation meeting ahead of bank strike

Against the arrogant attitude of IBA in delaying the 10th Wage Revision process,Bank Unions have given call for one day strike on 7th January 2015followed by 4 day strikes from 21st to 24th January 2015 and indefinite strike from 16th March'15 onwards.

Mean while a Conciliation meeting of Bank Unions and IBA will be held by Chief Labour Commissioner(Central ) on 5th January 2015 at 3.00 p.m. in Main Committee Room, C-Wing, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi.

IBA has not considered any wage hike above 11% so far despite the earlier strikes and conciliations as against Bank employees demand for 23% increase

Submitted by Mohan.P 

Bank Unions wage increase demand irrational: IBA

Indian Banks’ Association said it is the only representative body of banks which acts on the mandate given by the banks for wage settlement, a statement issued here said.
It said IBA’s Negotiating Committee comprise of CMDs of Public Sector Banks as well as Private Sector Banks which are parties to the Bipartite a settlements has started the wage negotiation in right earnest since October 2012.
It said 14 rounds of discussion have been held and two major issues, i.e., effective date of implementation and merger of DA have been clinched.

Supreme Court ruled against recovery of excess pay due to employers' mistake

Recovery of excess amount paid to Class-III and Class-IV employees due to employer's mistake is not permissible in law, the Supreme Court has ruled saying that it would cause extremely harsh consequences to them who are totally dependent on their wages to run their family. 

The apex court said employees of lower rung service spend their entire earning in the upkeep and welfare of their family, and if such excess payment is allowed to be recovered from them, it would cause them far more hardship, than the reciprocal gains to the employer. 

No proposal to reduce central retirement age : Govt. assures in Rajya Sabha

No reduction in retirement age

There is no proposal under consideration of Government to reduce the retirement age from 60 to 58 years for its employees.  The retirement age for Central Government employees was revised from 58 to 60 years in 1997 on the basis of recommendations of the 5th Central Pay Commission.  The Centre’s total wages and salaries bill for its employees for the year 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is Rs. 85,963.50 crore, Rs. 92,264.88 crore and Rs. 1,04,759.71 crore, respectively.  This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Dr. T Subbarami Reddy and Smt. Ambika Soni in Rajya Sabha, today.  Click here for the PIB Press Release

Series of bank strikes to follow in January 2015

After the UFBU meeting held today afternoon leaders chosen warpath.                                                                         STRIKE, STRIKE and STRIKE.
One day nationwide strike on 7th Januray.
Four days continuous strike from 21st to 24th January.
Indefinite strike from 16th March 2015....

Bank officers plan candle march today

DECEMBER 15:  

To protest against the delay in revision of wage settlement, bank officers will organise a candle march in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and other State capitals on Tuesday. “The All India Bank Officers’ Confederation has decided to organise a protest candle march tomorrow, in all State Capitals and major cities to highlight the undue and unwanted delay in wage revision and other policies of the Government,” the confederation said in a statement. The revision is due from November 2012.

Source : Hindu Business Line

Labour Commissioner called IBA & UFBU for meeting

All India Bank strike on 12 th Nov'14, as well as the Relay Zonal Strikes from 2nd to 5th December 2014 with  unprecedented success, displayed the anguish and frustration of the bank employees,through out the country , who are being denied the reasonable wage revision and also the undue delay on the part of IBA in conclusion of the 10th Bi partite settlement. 

Now Chief Labour Commissioner has fixed a conciliation meeting of Bank Unions (UFBU) and Indian bank's Association on 17th Dec'14,at 11.30 AM. at Mumbai.

 UFBU will be meeting  will be held on the same day at Mumbai.

News Courtesy : Mr Mohan P 

Bank relay strike ends, what next ?

The four-day relay strike by employees of public sector banks has ended with western region staff going off work today to press for wage hike.
All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam claimed that about 17,300 branches of PSU banks were closed in West India and 1.20 lakh employees took part in the strike.

The western grid was affected by the strike with 3.55 crore cheques worth Rs 2.25 lakh crore being held up today, he claimed.

However, private sector banks continued to function normally in three states where PSBs' employees went on strike. Cheque clearances and deposit and withdrawal from branches in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat were affected.

Kerala Pay revision in final stages, to be implemented soon - CM

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the Assembly that the pay commission report was in the final stages and that pay revision would be implemented soon.

“As soon as the pay commission report is received, further procedures will be  expedited. The pay revision was due by July. Only 5 months are overdue, whereas during the time of the previous government it was implemented after 19 months of the due date,”

Mr. Chandy said in reply to a calling-attention motion by C. Divakaran seeking interim relief to the employees.

Source : Deccan Chronicle

Bank employees continue with zone wise relay strike, IBA issued Press Release

Bank employees are proceeding with their relay zone wise strike as declared. There is still no break through in terms of finalization of wage settlement. In the mean time IBA issued a press statement regarding status of wage revision negotiation. Salient features of the press release is reproduced below.