Calcutta, Feb 11: The United Forum of Regional Rural Bank Unions has launched a nationwide agitation over their demand for "continuation" of parity in wages and other benefits with the employees of sponsor/commercial banks in terms of the award of the National Industrial Tribunal (NIT) set up at the direction of the Supreme Court, the vice-president of the All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association, Ajit Ghosh, told reporters here on Thursday.Ghosh complained that the managements of RRBs have refused to follow the award dated April 30, 1990 of the NIT from 1992 onwards when the sixth bipartite wage talks began. As a result, RRB employees are "languishing" in pay scales revised over 12 years ago.
Ghosh pointed out that of late, there have been legal pronouncements by three high courts and one labour court to the effect that RRB employees are lawfully entitled to the benefits of all wage revisions in the banking industry in terms of the NIT award of 1990 which is "continuous and binding" on allparties.
He disclosed that prominent union leaders and RRB employees participated in today's demonstration rally in front of Bengal Chamber of Commerce premises and decided to intensify their agitation culminating in two days' strike on March 31 and April 1, 1999.
Among other demands of the RRB unions are parity of terminal benefits and creation of a negotiating forum for RRBs and their employees and officers on the lines of Indian Banks Association, union sources pointed out.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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