People's Democracy

IN a letter written to the union labour minister Sharad Yadav on September 26, seven central trade union organisations demanded his intervention in the matter of a totally unfair and retrograde move by the management of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The latter has recently served a show cause notice to the All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIRBEA), threatening the withdrawal of the latter’s recognition.

The central trade union organisations that signed the letter are the AITUC, CITU, HMS, AICCTU, UTUC, UTUC(LS) and TUCC.

The AIRBEA is the representative and recognised trade union of Class III (clerical) employees of this premier banking institution of the country. The management of Reserve Bank of India poses as if it wants to withdraw the recognition granted to the AIRBEA ‘in the interest of the country’s economy and the general public.’ But the real reason for the move is that the association had called for strike actions by the employees on three occasions and staged dharnas on two days during the period from May 2000 to September 2001, when the management refused to meet the justified demands of these employees. (See People’s Democracy, September 23.)

The show cause notice itself has noted that the association was recognised under the Code of Discipline. But the unions said the management cannot arbitrarily invoke the Code of Discipline to withdraw the recognition once granted. It can be considered only by the Evolution and Implementation Authority of the government of India’s ministry of labour.

The immediate provocation for the show cause notice appears to be the strike called by the association on September 6. But the fact remains that the association made due efforts to amicably resolve the dispute with the management. It was only the bank management that, after seeking the intervention of the conciliation machinery, frustrated the efforts of the RLC(C) to avert the strike.

The central trade unions organisations have therefore urged the minister to prevail upon the management of Reserve Bank of India. The management must be made to withdraw the show cause notice for withdrawal of recognition and make efforts to resolve the dispute with the staff through amicable negotiations. (INN)