AIBEA CIRCULAR NO. 41.74 DATED 9TH OCT. 2026

—CIRCULAR No. 30/41/2026/74 9-10-2026

To Office Bearers, State Federations and

All India Bankwise Federations, All Unions

Dear Comrades,

1st Bipartite Settlement was signed on 19th October, 1966

Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Bipartism

Hail the role & contribution of AIBEA

Preserve bilateralism and collective bargaining

Our beloved AIBEA was born in 1946. Some Unions also starting coming up in some States in some Banks after that. But the managements of Banks were totally antagonistic and unfriendly to trade unions. Managements were opposed to formation of Unions. Many of the attempts to start Unions were foiled and crushed by the managements with their hostile and vindictive actions including victimisation of those who started unions.

In this background, with the formation of AIBEA, demands were placed on the managements. Managements were there, IBA was there. But they were not ready to talk to AIBEA and settle our demands. When AIBEA went on agitation, our demands were referred to a third-party mechanism, a Tribunal. Sen Tribunal, Sastry Tribunal, Labour Appellate Tribunal and Desai Tribunal – they gave their Awards. But these Awards were not satisfactory. In fact, Sastry Award reduced the wages of bank employees. This long tribulation before the Tribunals went on from 1949 upto 1964, for 15 long years.

With this bitter experience, in the 13th Conference of AIBEA held in 1964 in Trivandrum, our visionary leaders Com. Prabath Kar and Com. H L Parvana gave the slogan – No more Tribunals, We demand Bipartite Settlement. AIBEA fought for this demand and achieved the first ever industry-level bipartite settlement in our country in any sector on 19th October, 1966. A new era began. A new path began. It was our beloved AIBEA which achieved this right to collective bargaining and right to bilateralism.

We have now completed 60 years of this Bipartism. We have so far achieved 12 successive Bipartite Wage Revision Settlements, historic Settlement on Pension and various other Settlements.

All of us can feel proud that AIBEA is the only Union which has signed in all the 12 Bipartite Settlements and all other Settlements.

During the negotiations for these Settlements, AIBEA encountered innumerable hurdles, obstacles, hindrances and impediments from the Government, from politically oriented enemies, disgruntled elements, etc, etc. Due to the unity of the employees and due to the firm commitment of our members in AIBEA, all these attempts were successfully thwarted.

In fact, there were many attempts to scuttle this bipartite system and foist tribunals. We are happy that with the support of our members we could overcome and frustrate all these attempts.

Due to these continuous efforts and successive Settlements, the wages and service conditions could be substantially improved upon.

The achievement of Bipartism 60 years ago and preservation of bilateralism for the last six decades are glorious contributions of AIBEA. But even today there are attempts to dilute and weaken this system of bilateralism. The unilateral PLI scheme is a glaring example for the same. Thanks the recent struggle by UFBU this attempt has been now thwarted. Hence vigilance and caution are the need of the hour.

To hail the 60 years of bipartism and to celebrate the role and contribution of AIBEA we call upon all our State Federations and unions to organize various meetings between 15th October, 2026 and 10th November, 2026.

We recollect and reminisce the unforgettable role played by our immortal leaders Com. Prabhat Kar and Com H L Parvana and the generation of bank employees who demanded and achieved Bipartism in banking sector. Our salutations to them.

C H VENKATACHALAMGENERAL SECRETARY AIBEA
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