The SBI Officers’ Association (Hyderabad Circle) has celebrated four decades of its historic and remarkable service to its members. Founded on June 26, 1965, it operated as the State Bank of India Supervising Staff Association, Hyderabad Circle. The pioneering leaders of this movement were Sarvashri K. Sundara Ramayya and T. Panduranga Rao, who served as the first President and General Secretary, respectively. Later, Sri P. Kotaiah and Sri V. Madhava Rao were elected as the association’s first President and General Secretary. Notably, the circle takes pride in having Sri P. Kotaiah lead the Federation as its President. The Circle Association is affiliated with the All India State Bank Officers’ Federation, which has been a trailblazer in the trade union movement for the officers’ community in the country.
The movement faced challenges right from the beginning. The management’s refusal to recognize the trade union rights of the Officers’ Community led to an indefinite strike in 1969, marking the first indefinite strike by the managerial class, which lasted 17 days. The success of this strike transformed the representation of the officers’ organization and laid the groundwork for the establishment of an industrial relations structure. This development initiated the evolution of workers’ rights regarding bipartite discussions and prompted initiatives in Human Resource Development (HRD).
The Hyderabad Circle Association is proud to be a part of this historic event. Since then, the Circle Association has supported the Federation’s call and ensured success in all organizational programs and activities. Once again, we are participating in the historic indefinite strike scheduled for 7 days, from April 3rd to April 9th, 2006—an important chapter in any militant struggle. We extend our red salute and commend all those who led the struggle from the front and spread the message of solidarity and unity among workers across the country.