In the wake of global financial meltdown, employee unions from 15 Asian countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore and Indonesia, are coming together to form a lobby to discuss the problems being faced by them and derive a mechanism to pitch for their demands.
The new union?Asian Region Banks & Financial Sector Union Organisation?will be launched here on November 15. It will have more than 20 financial sector employee unions as members.
?The financial sectors in all Asian countries are going through the same problems. Hence, we thought of bringing all employees working in the financial sector in Asia under a single umbrella organisation,? All India bank Employees? Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said.
He urged the government to shelve the plans of consolidation and reform in the banking sector considering the financial crisis in the United States and Europe. ?The financial sector should be in the hands of the government because that is the only way that the public deposits could be used for real sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The private sector, as has been experience in the west, divert the deposits for profits,? Venkatachalam said.
He said that the government should expand the public sector banks instead of thinking of privatising them. ?We want stronger public sector banks but not privatisation,? he added.
AIBEA is organising its 26 th conference from November 15 where more than 2,500 employees and experts would discuss the key issues and future course of action. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta would inaugurate the four-day conference.
Union Minister for Labour and Employment (Independent Charge) Oscar Fernandes and Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit would also be present.
On AIBEA?s demand for another option to join the pension scheme, Venkatachalam said the actuarial report has been received and the same will be discussed with Indian Bank Association (IBA) next month. ?We have to discuss the modalities of another pension option,? Venkatachalam said.