Dhubri unit of UFBU stages demonstration

 A Correspondent

DHUBRI, May 10: Dhubri unit of United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU) staged demonstration on their charter of demands at Dhubri SBI main branch premises and expressed solidarity with the ongoing talks between UFBU and Indian Bank Associations (IBA) on Wednesday. In the 11th bipartite settlement meeting at Churchgate in New Delhi held on Wednesday, UFBU had protested and refused the paltry offer given by the IBA. The IBA asked about union’s expectations and in response to this, UFBU representatives decided to go by the charter of demands, a union source said.

 The source also informed that the charter of demands which figured in the discussion includes medical insurance scheme on which various options were discussed at length, but discussion remained inconclusive. It was decided to have separate meeting on this issue. Discussion on variable pay remained inconclusive as UFBU had opposed the notion of variable pay. IBA made it clear that talks would be held for up to Officer Scale III as fractured mandate received from the banks.

 On the revision of salary, IBA said that due to deteriorating financial condition of banks as revealed by recent quarterly results, they were left with no choice but to offer initial 2 per cent hike in pay.  But UFBU protested and refused this paltry offer, the source further added. So the meeting failed to yield any result and thus remained inconclusive.