1. Trade Union Movement: Formative Years
The trade union movement of officers in the banking industry in our country is eventful and historic. In the early sixties, bank management used officers as tools to perpetuate its interests without adequately empowering the officers’ community, apart from imposing rigid service conditions that were akin to indignities and injustices. Social, cultural, and class barriers were erected around the officers. A trade union for the officers’ community was a taboo, beyond imagination.
There was no incentive for shouldering higher responsibilities. A feeling of alienation and helplessness loomed large in the face of draconian, stringent, and rigid service and conduct rules and regulations. The lack of opportunities for professional advancement, absence of job security, punitive actions without any right to appeal, and denial of equity and fair play were the sum and substance of the officers’ sufferings. Officers were greatly demoralized by the ‘Master & Servant’ relationship dynamic and the management’s power to ‘hire and fire’ even after the nationalization of the State Bank of India in 1955.
The resentment that started developing had no outlet. The trade union activities of workmen organizations in banks and elsewhere propelled the desire for the formation of officers’ associations in different banks.
2. Birth of Supervising Officials’ Association in Hyderabad Circle and Other Circles
The longing for unity and solidarity drove a small group of bold officers to fight against management. Through their untiring efforts, the State Bank of India Supervising Officials Association (Hyderabad Circle) was founded on 26th June 1965. It was subsequently renamed as the “State Bank Of India Officers’ Association (Hyderabad Circle)” on 23rd February 1975. The signatories to the notice for forming the Association were Sarvashri C.Gowrishankaram, K.Srinivasa Rao, T.Panduranga Rao, P.S.Prasada Rao, V.Suna Rao, S.Vijaya Raghavan, C.C.Mukundan Nambiar, K.Siva Ramakrishna Rao, B.Atchut Kumar, and S.Venkatraman. The first democratically elected President and General Secretary of the Association were Sarvashri P.Kotaiah and V. Madhava Rao, respectively. We owe a deep sense of gratitude to those pioneers of the officers’ movement in Hyderabad Circle. The broad objectives of the Association are to organize and unite all the officers of the SBI and to secure fair conditions of life and service for its members while addressing their grievances. Despite the adverse reaction of the management, similar associations were formed in several other circles in 1965. There was more to come. Unity and solidarity for justice were the spirit and driving force of this union movement, setting the tone for the formation of a federation.
The birth pangs of the organization were immense. Suspicion, vacillation, and fear reigned supreme. The immediate reaction of the management to the officers’ trade union was hostile. The management dismissed the formation of the Association with contempt, treating it as a ‘petition-making body’ or ‘officers’ club’. The role of the Association was seen as supplicatory, confined to making requests at the mercy of the bank. Another ground reality was that supervising officials in the State Bank were not authorized to discharge ‘management functions’ in the sense that they were not vested with the authority to make major policy decisions in personnel areas but were only given limited delegation to make financial and functional decisions. They did not have the authority to recruit, relocate, appraise performance, reward, or discipline. Despite facing stiff opposition from the bank and other interest groups, their attempts to organize themselves were unique for any supervisory cadre in any industry. They had to overcome many obstacles and hurdles. Every member had to be approached and convinced about the need and necessity to have an association. It took a lot of time and effort to enrol even 25 members in the beginning. Once the trend was set, it was en-masse, later. satisfaction of our clients.
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3. Historic Indefinite Strike in State Bank of India
The suspension of officers in the Mumbai circle was the flashpoint for the officers to take action. The issue for the strike was the “Right of officers to form a Trade Union to collectively represent and the right for Trade Union action and immunity from individual accountability for collective actions.” Officers could no longer tolerate the provocations of the bank and the humiliations heaped on them. An instant decision was taken to go on an indefinite strike. The word of the strike spread like wildfire. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Asansol to Ahmedabad, all officers downed their pens instantaneously. The bank retaliated and hurled threats. Invoking the concept of “MASTER AND SERVANT”, termination notices were served to frighten the agitating officers. The reign of terror and victimization did not have even an iota of effect on the officers’ community who were already at the end of their tether. The strike continued undeterred by threats of termination of service. Their anguish stemmed from shouldering vicarious responsibilities, facing accountability without authority, and working for 12 to 14 hours a day including Sundays and holidays without even the facility of casual leave or joining time. Their anger was due to being maltreated despite the deplorable working conditions they were subjected to.
Banking transactions came to a standstill. Government treasury work came to a screeching halt. The doors of clearinghouses were closed. The entire country, nay, the entire world, was watching the rare action of the managerial class with dismay and disbelief. Dismay because the lifeline of economic activity was broken; disbelief at the first-ever managerial class strike that was unheard of in the annals of trade union history anywhere on the globe.
Finally, better senses prevailed on the powers that be in the bank. The suspensions were lifted and the strike was called off. The entire nation breathed a sigh of relief. All this took 17 long days. The path-breaking historical strike by the State Bank Officers’ community inspired and enthused officers in other organizations elsewhere too. Associations of Officers were formed in almost all sectors to combat exploitation and secure better working conditions.
4. Emergence of a Stronger Federation
The associations of four circles of the State Bank of India, namely Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, and Madras, federated to form the ALL INDIA STATE BANK SUPERVISING STAFF FEDERATION, which is presently known as the ALL INDIA STATE BANK OFFICERS’ FEDERATION. Shri S.R. Mohandas, a leading Industrial Relations Consultant, had been the friend, philosopher, and guide during this formation. The first Annual General Conference of the Federation was inaugurated by Shri Shantilal Shah, Minister of Government of Maharashtra, at Bombay on the 27th of August 1965, with Sarvashri S.K. Mishra and L.V. Subramaniam as President and General Secretary, respectively. The Federation is an apolitical and independent trade union led solely by serving bank officers. Subsequently, all the Circle Associations joined the Federation.
After this consolidation at the apex level, the Federation and the Associations gradually started exerting pressure on the management, first for recognition as the sole bargaining agent and for establishing a bilateral relationship. Even though supervisory and managerial employees were specifically excluded from Labour Law by the Government, the officers of the bank used all their ingenuity to secure recognition for this group of professional workers through a series of organizational actions like removal of ties, work-to-rule, mass casual leave, and many other forms of agitation. The management retaliated with terror and victimization in the form of transfers, suspensions, and charge sheets.
Despite stiff efforts from the top management to demoralize officers, the Associations/Federation established themselves after the historic 17-day total strike of 1969. The State Bank officers’ strike in 1969 was a significant boost to the managerial and professional employees’ movement in India and around the world.
5. Emergence of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation
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With years of experience in the industry, our company has established a strong reputation fAcknowledging the need for unity of purpose, apolitical conduct, and confederative strength, the All-India Bank Officers’ Confederation came into being. It is worth noting with pride that the AIBOC was born in 1985 in our city. It was soon recognized by both the Government of India and the Indian Bank Association as a dominant bargaining agency for bank officers. Since then, the officers’ movement has been marching ahead.
6. Achievements
The following achievements reflect our determined efforts to break free from the yoke of unilateralism in the industrial relations machinery of the banking industry:
1. Recognition of Federation/Association as sole bargaining agent.
2. Formulation of Central/Circle/Regional Negotiation Councils, Industrial Relations Councils, Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures, Structured Fora, etc.
3. Abolition of grades in Head Cashiers; removal of vicarious responsibility of payment of guarantee insurance by Head Cashiers.
4. Representation on the Central Board of the Bank.
5. Discontinuation of contribution to Pension Fund by members and the introduction of Family Pension Scheme.
6. Improvements in Superannuation benefits.
7. Grade merger and automatic movement in time scale up to MMGS III.
8. Introduction of fair placement policy.
9. Right to defend a colleague following the Principles of Natural Justice.
10. Redefining of leave rules/improvement in working hours.
11. Leave/Home Travel Concession and Leave Encashment facilities.
12. Medical Aid facilities to dependents.
13. Index-linked D.A.
14. Leased Accommodation facility/Economic Rent to all officers, including Probationary/Trainee Officers; and for officers posted at Difficult Centres/rural centres.
7. Conclusion
The gains of the movement have to be further consolidated. The struggles are not over. Several attempts are being made to destabilize the Officers’ Trade Union Movement by both political parties and the Government. Let us strive for further strengthening of our unity and march towards a new era of patriotic and responsible Trade Union Movement for the welfare of ourselves and society. We have several tasks ahead of us. Issues like scrapping the obnoxious clause 19(3) from Service Rules, restoring conveyance reimbursement to pre-gulf war levels, and reviewing Systems & Procedures on Disciplinary Proceedings, keeping in view the changes in the environment, are still eluding solutions. Similarly, the stubborn attitude of the IBA and Government on wage revision is driving us towards an agitational path once again. History shall be rewritten to showcase our unity and strength.