AIRRBEA/Circular No. 1/Date: - 25.11.2017
To All Units/State Federations/ CC Members/Office–Bearers
Dear Comrade,
Sub: - 13th Conference of the AIRRBEA/NFRRBO/NFRRBE held at American College, Madurai on 19-21 November, 2017.
We heartily congratulate and offer our greetings to all members / delegates/ observers / guests / leaders and also to the members and volunteers of the Reception Committee who made the Conference (13th AIRRBEA Conference and 2nd Conference of the NFRRBO/ NFRRBE) a grand success and helped the organization to decide future course of actions in the present difficult situation around us.
The 13th Conference held at Madurai has been organized in absence of our beloved leader Com D K Mukherjee for the second time in the life of our organization after his unfortunate expiry on 31.03.2013. But his sweet and fond memory prevailed all through the deliberations and activities of the Conference Programmes.
About 1450 RRB-men & women from all states having RRB across the country took part in the Conference.
As per schedule, the Conference commenced on 19.11.2017 with flag hoisting and paying tributes to the memory of the martyrs who lost their lives for the cause of the working class, as also to those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the human society.
After the flag hoisting the Open Session was inaugurated by Com A K Padmanavan, V P, CITU at 11.00 am, after the welcome address by Com Geetha, Advocate and Convener, Reception Committee. This session was also addressed by Shri Ravi Chandran, Chairman, Pandyan Grama Bank, Shri Suresh, General Manager, Pallavan Grama Bank, Dr D Christopher, Principal, American College, Madurai, Shri Manoranjan, Chairman, Pudubhai Grama Bank, Shri Venkatesh Athreya, eminent Economist, Shri Vijaya Shankar, Editor, Front Line and Com Pradip Biswas, GS, BEFI.
This session was presided over by the presidium consisting of the President, AIRRBEA Com C Rajeevan, the President, NFRRBE Com H N Rao and the President, NFRRBO, Com Sagun Shukla.
The Women Convention took place at 03.00 PM and 14 Comrades from various states deliberated on the report submitted by Com Suchorita Biswas, Chairperson of the women sub-committee. The convention was presided over by Com Meena (Kerala). Com Abdul Sayeed Khan, Secretary General spoke on the occasion to highlight the need of bigger involvement of women comrades in day to day activities in the Trade Union movements. The session was also attended by the Core Committee Members and a good number of CC Members attending the Conference.
A colorful rally of all the participants marched the city of Madurai covering more than 6 kilometers of the central area of the city, chanting slogans against the anti-people and anti- worker policies of the Government and demanding Pension Parity, scrapping of amended act for privatization of RRBs, formation of state level RRBs under NRBI/ NABARD, full parity of Other Allowances / Benefits / Service Rules/ Promotion Rules / Compassionate Appointment Scheme, Regularization of Casual / Daily waged workers etc. Local fraternal Trade Unions welcomed the participants of the rally at different points of the city.
The Delegate Session commenced at about 07.30 pm on 19.11.2017. The presidium was formed with the President and all Vice Presidents. The Steering Committee, the Credential Committee and the Minutes Committee were formed with other office bearers. Leaders in the presidium were felicitated by the Reception Committee. The report of the Central Committee was placed by the Secretary General, AIRRBEA, the General Secretary, NFRRBO and the General Secretary, NFRRBE and the Statement of Accounts for the past relevant period was placed by the Treasurer, AIRRBEA, Com Nilotpal Basu. The house was adjourned till 10.00 am on 20.11.2017.
Delegate session continued on 20.11.2017 and came to an end on 21.11.2017 at 5.30 pm. Good number of delegates totaling 75 took part on the discussion about the report placed in the house. The remarkable feature is that the number of speakers including new comers (youth), women and retired, was worth mentioning.
Following resolutions were placed, discussed and unanimously adopted/approved by the house:–
1. Demand of regularization of daily waged/casual workers engaged by the RRBs 2. To demand repeal of RRBs (Amendment) Bill, 2015 providing for private share and private director, and to demand formation of state level RRB under NRBI. 3. On payment of gratuity 4. Resolution against attacks on the Public Sector Banks 5. Resolution against price rise of essential commodities, and demanding strengthening of Public Distribution System 6. Resolution on job creation and job protection in the country 7. Resolution with demand to stop Disinvestment and strategic sale of Public Sector Units 8. Resolution with the demand to stop the Anti - worker Amendment to the Labour Laws 9. On Pension Parity 10. Resolution against fundamentalism, intolerance, communalism & terrorism 11. Resolution on Universal Social Security covering all Workers. 12. On demand of proper manpower planning/promotion policy and scrapping of the S.K. Mitra Committee Report.
Following issues emerged for taking up by the leadership for agitation to realize them:
● Opposition to privatization of RRBs. ● Formation of state level banks under NRBI. ● Pension Parity, Full Parity of other allowances, computer increment, service rules and promotion rules. ● Representative in the board of Directors from workmen and officers. ● Compassionate appointment scheme, ● Trade Union rights with all other facilities etc. ● Regularization of part time / daily waged / casual workers. Pending this to extend them minimum wages as per the act with benefits of PF, Bonus, leave facility etc. ● Urgent need of strong opposition to the RRB Amendment Act, 2015. ● Deputation of sponsor bank officials to the RRBs except in the post of Chairman. ● Fair treatment to the retired staff not only in the matter of Pension Parity but in other matters like Medical benefits etc as allowed by the Government. ● Relaxation to be allowed on minimum service for promotion in case of all cadres as in case of Sponsor Banks. ● Adequate manpower for better customer service – scrapping of Mitra Committee Report. ● Need of organizing Retired staff under the banner of NFRRRBS ● Need of organizing TU training class for youth / new comers and others too including women comrades. ● Need of further and bigger agitation under the banner of the AIRRBEA / UFRRBU with support from UFBU. ● Need of our contact with other Trade Unions / peoples representatives at all levels etc.
The Secretary General, AIRRBEA, General Secretaries of NFRRBO & NFRRBE put up their replies and explanations to the points and issues raised by the delegates and thanked the speakers for their various suggestions in the matter of future programmes and also towards strengthening the organization. There was no remarkable query to be replied by the Treasurer on the Statement of Accounts. Report of the Central Committee and the Statement of Accounts were unanimously adopted by the house with loud applause.
In consideration of the demand for intensified agitational programmes to resolve the burning issues as raised by the delegates, the following programmes were declared from the Presidium:-
i) Black-Badge wearing w.e.f. 01.01.2018 ii) Mass contact with all Peoples Representatives/Campaign through Meeting /Seminars/Conventions etc. iii) Strike for one week on and from 26.03.2018 iv) To explore possibility to ensure the agitation programmes to link up with the programmes of the UFRRBU, and to try to gather support of the UFBU/other TUs and democratic movement of our country.
Main 5 point issues to be highlighted –
1. Opposition to Privatisation of RRBs – formation of state level RRB under NRBI/NABARD 2. Pension Parity – withdraw the SLP filed by the GOI in the Supreme Court. 3. Regularisation of Casual/Daily waged workers. Pending this, ensure payment of minimum wages and other benefits as per Minimum Wages Act, 1948. 4. Full parity of other Allowances/Benefits/Service Rule/Promotion Rule/ Compassion ate Appointment Scheme/Trade Union rights 5. Scrap S K Mitra Report - adequate manpower with massive branch expansion for better customer service.
Formalities of appointment of Auditors for the next term were left to be decided by the new Central Committee.
The Presidium profusely thanked and congratulated the units, members, leaders, delegates, observers and the Reception Committee as also the American College Authority for the total successful conduct of the Conference with their full and whole hearted cooperation.
Before the close of the session the house elected the following new committees –
AIRRBEA Principal Office Bearers:
Editor, Rural Bank Staff – Com Ajit Kumar Ghosh.
1. President - Com C. Rajeevan 2. Secretary General - Com S. Venkateswar Reddy 3. Treasurer - Com D. Samuel
Names of other Office Bearers and CC Members will be circulated shortly.
Principal Office Bearers of the National Federation of RRB Employees:
1. President - Com H. Nagbhusan Rao 2. General Secretary - Com Shiv Karan Dwivedi 3. Treasurer - Com Ram Krishn Pandey
Names of other Office Bearers and C C Members will be circulated shortly.
Principal Office Bearers of the National Federation of RRB Officers: -
1. President - Com Sagun Shukla 2. General Secretary - Com Abdul Sayeed Khan 3. Treasurer - Com Nilotpal Basu
Names of other Office Bearers and CC Members will be circulated shortly.
Women Sub Committee:-
Advisor – Com Sucharita Biswas (Assam) Chairperson- Com Meena (Kerala) Convener - Com L Pachao (Mizoram) Member – Com Neeta Hore (MP) Member – Com Mukta Anil Vaidya (Maharashtra) Member – Com Neeta Basu (West Bengal) Member – Com Jhansi (Telengana) Member – Com Vinodini (Tamilnadu) Member – Com M. Madhuri Devi (AP)
The Chairperson and the Convener of the Sub Committee will be permanent invitee to the CC. Names of members of Sub Committee will be circulated shortly
Retirees Sub Committee of the NFRRRBS:-
Chairman - Com Hari Shankar Singh (UP) Convener - Com Ganapathi Hegde (Karnataka) Joint Convener - Com P L Anand Reddy (AP) Joint Convener - Com Anadi Kumar Mahato (West Bengal) Joint Convener - Com Mahendra Singh (UP) Joint Convener - Com K Narendran (Kerala) Joint Convener - Com T Krishnan (Tamil Nadu) Joint Convener - Com N N Ojha (Bihar)
The Chairman and the Convener of the Sub Committee will be permanent invitee to the CC. General Meeting of the NFRRRBS will be held in Hyderabad within February 2018.
SC/ST Sub Committee/Legal Sub Committee/Youth Sub Committee will be formed in the first CC Meeting in near future.
The delegate session came to an end with thanks from and to the Presidium as also to all the participants, Reception Committee, fraternal Trade Unions, Guests, volunteers and all others concerned. And thus the 13th Conference of AIRRBEA was declared concluded. Yours fraternally
A. Sayeed Khan
(General Secretary-NFRRBO)
Shiv Karan Dwivedi
(General Secretary-NFRRBE)
S Venkateshwar Reddy (Secretary General-AIRRBEA)
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