Clarion call : Working class of our country is getting ready to plunge into nationwide Strike on 28th & 29th March, 2022. Trade Unions are gearing-up to make the Strike a massive success. It is expected that more than 200 million workers – both organised workers and unorganised workers will join the Strike. Newer sections of workers are coming forward to participate in this Strike.
AIBEA proudly joins : We are proud that AIBEA has also given the call and all our members in Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Co-operative Banks and Regional Rural Banks will manifest their protest against the anti–people and anti–labour policies of the Government along with millions of workers of our country.
Fighting against anti-worker policies – our prime duty : Ever since the new economic policies were launched in 1991 by the then Narasimha Rao Government, AIBEA has been in the forefront and has been part of all the struggles to oppose these retrograde policies. For the last 3 decades we have been consistently opposing these policies because we are of the clear view that these policies are not in the interest of the workers and general masses, rather, these policies adversely affect their interests.
AIBEA believes that fighting against anti-people & anti-worker polices of the Government is the paramount duty of our trade unions and that is why we have always been an inseparable part of these struggles against successive Governments at the centre.
Workers’ cause is a political task : There have been and even now there are views and criticism that these struggles are political in nature and hence Unions need to be away from such Strike actions. But AIBEA considers that it is the responsibility of the trade unions to champion the cause of workers whenever any policy of any Government would affect the interest of the workers. That is why AIBEA has gone on Strike against every Government whenever they had taken anti-worker measures.
Public Sector is the main engine for growth : AIBEA is of strong view that in a developing economy like India, Public Sector has a pivotal role to play in shaping up broad–based development. That is why AIBEA fought for nationalisation of Banks and succeeded in achieving it in 1969. For the past three decades, AIBEA has been consistently opposing banking reforms aimed at privatisation of Banks. Public Sector helps the nation while private sector fills the pocket of the owner.
Fighting for more jobs for the unemployed is the job of the Union : AIBEA is conscious that jobs and job security are very vital in our country where level of unemployment is very high and where standard of living of workers is not that high. We all know that in 1969, the number of bank employers were less than one lac and due to nationalisation & branch expansion, we have nearly 10 lacs of bank employees today. We need Public Sector to provide jobs for our unemployed youth. Hence AIBEA believes that we should be in the front of the struggles to oppose privatisation which will affect jobs & job opportunities. AIBEA will always support common struggles demanding more jobs for the unemployed youth.
Who will fight for the unorganised, if not the organised ? AIBEA also believes that organised workers cannot remain oblivious to the exploitation of the unorganised workers. Bank employees are safe and secure because we are organised into trade unions under the mighty AIBEA. But can we ignore the problems of unorganised workers, contract workers, and outsourced employees? They suffer from lesser wages, lack of proper service conditions, undefined working hours and job insecurity. When there is a common struggle on these issues, it is our duty to participate in the same.
Regular employees have to fight for contract employees: Because of the Government policy and encouragement, employers are resorting to more and more outsourcing the regular jobs. These employees are an exploited lot and are not covered by most of the labour laws. Even in our banking sector, their number is on the increase. There are 4,70,000 Business Correspondents. There are others who are contract employees or on cost to company basis. They do the same job as we do but they do not get the same wages we get. Who will fight for them, if not we? This is one of the important demands in this strike call.
Fight for today, fight for tomorrow – Scrap NPS : No doubt it is very important to fight for our present day needs. But trade unions have to keep in mind the future needs of the workers. When we talk of the future, pension linked to price rise is very important. Hence the demand to scrap NPS and restoration of DA-linked Pension for the young employees is a vital demand. This is an important demand in this 2 days strike.
Thus, this 2 days strike on 28th and 29th March is an important strike before us. Every issue is relevant to us. Let us make it a resounding success.
With greetings,
Yours comradely,
C.H. VENKATACHALAM GENERAL SECRETARY
