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Joint Forum of UBGB Unions Protest Against Management’s Stubbornness on Unimplemented 12th BPS and PLI
Despite the good performance, bank employees are reeling in crisis. The Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank achieved a record operating profit of Rs. 463.47 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and recorded a net profit of Rs. 90 crore. The bank’s Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) stands at 10.32%, surpassing the mandatory requirement.
Author: Saurav Kumar
Published: July 30, 2024
The Joint Forum of Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank (JFUBGBU) Unions has started a protest against the management’s anti-employee stance and neglect of staff grievances. Grievances are based on the unpaid benefits of 12th Bipartite Settlement (BPS) and Performance Linked Incentive (PLI).
Members of the Joint Forum staged a peaceful protest at the bank’s headquarters in Muzaffarpur, demanding an immediate resolution of their unmet demands. One of the protesting bankers was blindfolded with a slogan stuck on his chest that read, “I am the management and I am unable to see anything.”
On July 26, employees across UBGB branches wore black badges on their forearms to express their discontent against the bank management’s stubbornness.
The Joint Forum in its letter dated July 24, 2024 addressed to the bank’s chairman, expressed dissatisfaction with the indiscriminate delay in extending these benefits but it did not happen. The letter termed the indecisiveness of the bank as dictatorial and informed about commencement of the protest.
The letter outrightly highlighted the set of grievances mentioned below:
Non-Implementation of Settlements
The Joint Forum had previously communicated their demands to the management through a letter dated July 20, 2024. They stressed the urgency of implementing the 12th BPS and 9th Joint Note, which were approved by the Department of Financial Services (DFS). Despite this, the management has failed to take any action, leading to growing dissatisfaction among employees.
The DFS on July 8, 2024 mandated the implementation of salary revisions according to the 12th BPS and ordered all the Chairpersons of the RRBs to implement the revised salary on par with the Public Sector Banks.
Performance Linked Incentives (PLI)
In addition to the non-implementation of the BPS and Joint Note, the forum has raised concerns about the overdue PLI payments. Employees have not received any communication or timeline for these payments, exacerbating their financial distress.
Bank’s Achievement
Despite the good performance, bank employees are reeling in crisis. The UBGB achieved a record operating profit of Rs. 463.47 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and recorded a net profit of Rs. 90 crore. The bank’s Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) stands at 10.32%, surpassing the mandatory requirement.
The forum also highlighted several other issues, including staff shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and the bank’s overall inefficiency. They pointed out that while the bank's business has grown significantly, the working conditions and employee benefits have not kept pace.
Planned Protest Actions
The Joint Forum has outlined a series of protest actions to press their demands:
- July 26, 2024: A black badge protest by employees and quit official WhatsApp groups by evening.
- July 29, 2024: Peaceful protest by Joint Forums unions at the head office.
- July 30, 2024: A day-long “Work to Rule” campaign.
- August 3, 2024: Social media campaign on X( formerly called Twitter).
- August 8, 2024: A massive protest and demonstration by the Joint Forum of UBGB union members.
Call for Government Intervention
The forum has also called for intervention from the Union government and higher authorities. They have urged the DFS and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to take immediate action to address their concerns and ensure fair treatment for UBGB employees.
The Joint Forum has emphasised that these actions are necessary to safeguard the interests of employees and ensure the bank’s sustainable growth. They have also indicated that failure to address these issues could lead to further escalations and disruptions in bank operations.