AIBEA & AIBOA : Save Associate Banks – Stop merger with SBI

Dear Comrades,

Save Associate Banks – Stop merger with SBI

In our Joint Committee meeting held at Hyderabad on 4th and 5th August, 2016, it was resolved and decided to extend full support to the campaign programmes of the SSBEA and to be part and parcel of their programmes.

We now reproduce herein the Circular issued by SSBEA giving the details of their campaign programmes. We request all our units to extend all support to the programmes chalked out by SSBEA.

State Federations and State Committees should organise meetings of Associate Bank employees in respective centers and ensure proper implementation of these programmes.

With greetings,

Yours comradely,

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SSBEA CIRCUCLAR: 7 8THAugust 2016

To All Units/Members:

Dear Comrades,

SSBEA NATIONAL MEET DECISIONS AND CALL:

SAVE ASSOCIATE BANKS, SAVE PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS:

FURTHER INTENSIFIED ACTION PROGRAMMES:

The Executive-Advisory Committee Meeting of SSBEA held at Hyderabad on 4th August, 2016 took stock of the developments with regard to the moves to merger and close down Associate Banks, reviewed the ongoing campaigns undertaken by our organization and have planned further intensive and extensive programmes of campaigns and struggles including strikes in the coming days.

Chaired by our President Com. S R Powar, the meeting was attended and addressed by the President of AIBEA Com. Rajen Nagar and the General Secretary Com. C H Venkatachalam, Com. S Nagarajan, General Secretary, AIBOA and other Leaders of AIBEA and AIBOA. All the Office bearers and Members of EC-AC of SSBEA took part in the Meeting. This meeting took place at the same venue where the two-day Joint Central Committee of AIBEA and AIBOA was held on 4th and 5th August, 2016.

Merger = Closure

The meeting assessed that the proposed merger of Associate Banks for creating a global bank was anti-developmental and against the interests of common people and mass banking structure and schemes. With the Top Management of the State Bank of India stating before the public that 30 per cent or more than 7000 branches of the combined entity may have to be closed down and that there will be staff redundancies, apprehensions raised by SSBEA, of curtailment of banking services and loss of employment opportunities are coming true.

Is Government bothered about People's interest?

The meeting noted that the propaganda from Government and Management was that they will take care of the interests of Employees. But Employees are raising the issue of existence of Associate Banks, their continued service to the common people and further expansion of branches and business for the development of the states and nation. Government and Managements are not able to counter the question why Public Sector Banks should be consolidated and shrunk and private banks in the form of small finance banks, payment banks and universal banks are established, encouraged and expanded. Just because of Bank Customers and Shareholders are not organised, Government and Managements are taking advantage. Customers are being denied their choice. Deliberate tampering of financial results of Associate Banks has been done to show them in poor light. Unwarranted provisions thrust upon the Associate Banks beyond RBI stipulations have led to lowering of profit and even loss.

People oppose merger

The meeting evaluated that the Associate Bank merger is being opposed by the Bank Customers and General Public, Political Parties, Trade Unions, Student-Youth-Women-Trade and Industry organizations etc. MPs and MLAs in many states have expressed opposition to the merger moves. The near-unanimous resolution of the Kerala Legislative Assembly opposing the proposed merger of SBT with SBI and urging upon the Central Government to rescind the merger proposals is historic. Now that the Bank Merger matter has become a national issue with the same reaching both houses of the Parliament and with senior Members of Parliament expressing their concerns and objections over the mergers, it is high time that the Government, if they are committed to Public Sector Socio-developmental Banking, concerned about people's voice and care for democratic principles and values, revisited its policy and put an end to the merger moves.

Employees stand by principle

Even though a Minister in the Government stated in the floor of the Lok Sabha that Associate Banks cannot violate 10th Bipartite, the Government has not cared to restrain the SBI Management from imposing the so-called CPS over Associate Banks. And Management is propagating that CPS is highly attractive. If it is attractive, why propagate like this? Why this pressure? Is abolition of certain permanent posts, enhanced duties across cadres, outsourcing of permanent jobs, increased working hours, and wider mobility attractive? Attractive to whom? May be to the Management. And for the Central Government that is dismantling labour laws and job security. We are sure that our Comrades shall once again prove to the SBI Management that they cannot be purchased and shall reject the latest CPS offer also in total.

SSBEA meeting after due deliberations have framed the following programme of action ahead.

PROGRAMME

To move intensively and extensively among People; Political Parties, People's Representatives, Bank Customers and General Public, Trade Unions etc.etc., to be in preparedness for intense struggle programmes including strikes at any time.

To reach out to All the MPs in the 5 States immediately, also in all other states.
To reach out to All the MLAs in the 5 States immediately and also in other states.
To Meet the Chief Ministers of the 5 States immediately.
Further raising of the issue in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

50 lacs Signature Campaign to be launched on August 9 Quit India Day with massive Propaganda:

At Every District and Town Centres.
Two weeks intensive programme to be organised.
Prominent Customers to come to the forefront.
People's Representatives from Panchayat, Municiplaity, Corporation, Political- TU Leaders etc to be involved.
Press Statements, Press Meets.
Letter to PM and FM.

Seminars: In All State Capitals under State Federations in August 2016

Dharna, Relay Hunger Strike: In Delhi for 5 Days in September2016 .

Relay Fast: In 5 States in September 2016

Raj Bhavan March: In All States in October 2016

Massive Parliament Maha Dharna: During Winter Session November 2016

Support from Mass Organisations:

Political Parties, Trade Unions, Student-Youth-Women, Trade and Industry bodies etc to be stepped up.
Save Bank Forums at 4 States.
Prominent public personalities, Economists, Academicians, Cultural Leaders etc to be involved everywhere.

Campaign Committees to be formed in All the States/districts for co-ordinating the SSBEA units under the auspices of the State Federation.

Conventions of Employees of Associate Banks in all States and Centres under the auspices of the State Federations.

Each Branch Unit shall be Campaign Centres.

AIBEA and AIBOA shall be extending total support, guidance and lead to the campaigns and struggle programmes at all levels. In the historic Joint CC of the twin organisations, Resolutions were adopted urging upon the Government of India to withdraw the merger moves.

We call upon our Members to rise up to the occasion with steely determination and carry out this patriotic campaign for saving the Associate Banks.

Comradely, yours

K S KRISHNA

GENERAL SECRETARY

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UNION MINISTER FOR FINANCE,

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,

NEW DELHI.

Sir,

DO NOT MERGE ASSOCIATGE BANKS: SAVE STATE BANK OF ……………………

I am deeply concerned and disturbed to hear from the media that State Bank of India is proposing to close down 5 Associate Banks and merge them away with itself. As a Customer dealing with ……………………………………….……... for long, I am opposed to any proposal for annihilating State Bank of …………………..………...

This Bank which has completed many decades of glorious and meaningful existence serving the people of the state and outside and is the premier Bank of ……., with branches spread all over the country and a household name for us. I have observed and also personally felt that the Bank is extending excellent Customer Service with human touch and with up-to date technology. As I understand, all these years, the Bank has been making profits only.

I therefore urge upon Government of India to intervene as Custodians of the Public Sector Banks to rescind the moves to close and merge Associate Banks with SBI and restore confidence in the loyal Customers of the Bank.

Yours faithfully,