INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MANAGEMENT

     As scheduled, the individual discussions with NOINO took place on 11^th February 2015 at Yogakshem. The management was represented by Shri M R Kumar, ED(Personnel); Shri T Mendiratta, Chief(P) & other officials of the Personnel department. NOINO was represented by Shri Dattaraj Prabhukhanolkar, GS, NOINO; Shri Ganesh Kamath, Chief Advisor, NOINO; Shri Vivek Verma, ZS, NOINO, CZ; Shri Kamal Kishore, DS, NOINO, Amritsar, NZ; & Shri Brahmesh Hardikar, NOINO Mumbai Unit.

     Shri Kumar asked us to submit our views on the draft transfer policy. We submitted our broad views as under:-

• It is heartening to note that an attempt has been made to formulate a Codified Transfer policy. NOINO has been demanding the same since inception.

·         It has taken nearly 60 years to formulate a Codified Transfer policy. For the response, we would require some more time.

·         We demanded that at least a two days’ workshop should be convened on this issue.

·         There should be complete transparency in all procedures & the unions/associations should be taken into confidence before framing any policy. The concept of participative management should be introduced.

·         Logically, first Promotion policy should be framed. Only then, Transfer/posting policy should follow. If officers get promoted regularly, there will be an automatic churning.

·         Transfers should only be effected where vested interests are likely to develop. Otherwise, they should be only on promotion or on request.

·         A consensus should be formed on the common agreed points by the associations representing the Class I Officers. Only those common agreed points should be implemented first. The policy can be expanded, if necessary, after thorough discussions.

·         The officers promoted in the supplementary round should also be considered for request transfers along with the officers promoted in the main list when they(officers promoted in the main list) complete the requisite number of years.

·         If government guidelines/instructions/policies are to be strictly followed, then other policies like child-care leave & posting of Women employees near their places of residence should be implemented first.

·         Regulated work hours should be implemented. Similarly training/meeting/conferences should be conducted during office hours only. There should be no work on Sundays & holidays.

·         There should be a specific time-frame for transfer/promotion round & this should be declared at least three months in advance to all officers.

·         The promotion/transfer lists should be issued only within office-hours.

·         The formula of staff strength should be made known.

·         The position of number of Class I officers in each cadre, Zone-wise should be made known. Whether any imbalance exists in any Zones (e.g. ratio of number of branches to the number of officers). The number of vacancies & the number of eligible candidates for promotion should also be made known.

           We would be giving our specific response on the draft transfer policy in writing shortly. The ED(P) was positive on our views & said that our views will be taken into consideration while finalizing the policy. He also said that the issue of posting of female employees will be given due consideration. He said that if necessary, the unions/associations will be invited once again for discussions on this specific issue.

               After this, we proceeded to discuss the following issues:-

1.    Biometric login:- We submitted that there were apprehensions in some quarters that the biometric login will give way to biometric attendance. The ED(P) categorically assured that the biometric login will be only for access to efeap.

2.    One more option for pension:-  We once again raised this demand. ED(P) said that efforts are on to convince the government authorities, though, till now, they have not succeeded.

3.    Anomaly after computer increment: - We again raised this demand & reminded that SBI has settled this issue in 1996(i.e. 19 years back) by granting one more increment to all the affected employees. We submitted that the anomaly is crystal clear & it was a clear case of injustice to the affected employees. Though the ED(P) was not positive on this matter, after our strong insistence, he assured to explore the possibility of the same.

4.    Running scales: - We once again raised this demand since the officers were stagnating due to lack of opportunities for promotion. The management agreed to examine the issue at a later stage.

5.    Grade pay:- We once again demanded that the concept of Grade Pay(in addition to the increment on promotion) on the lines of  Sixth Pay commission & RBI to be introduced in LIC. (As submitted in our Charter : AAO -> 3000, AO -> 5000, ADM -> 7000, DM -> 9000, SDM -> 11000, ZM(O) -> 13000,  ZM(S) -> 15000).  This will be a motivating factor for accepting promotion. (Grade pay is, in the nature of fitment benefit. At the time of promotion from one post to another, the grade pay (being a fixed amount attached to each post in the hierarchy) attached to posts at different levels within the cadre of officers will change. The management was positive on this issue.

6.    PLLI:-  We once again demanded:- a) equal percentage to all b) Simplification of parameters & including those parameters on which the employees have control  c) Current basic to be counted for calculation. Management was positive on PLLI being paid on current basic.

7.    Recruitment in Class III:- We once again raised this demand. ED (P) replied that the legal impediments owing to the litigations will be removed shortly (say within six to eight weeks) after which the process would be started. We also demanded that the staff strength formula should be revised so that enough number of employees can be recruited. Management has agreed on this issue.

8.    Late sitting & security of (particularly) female employees:- We urged the management to give a serious thought to the whole issue of late sitting & most importantly the security of female officers & their safe transit to their respective homes. We also demanded monetary compensation. We also demanded to restrict the period of inquiry to enable the employees to concentrate more on their work. Management was positive on this issue(restriction of Inquiry timings) & assured to take action by talking to the concerned department.

9.    Child care/Sabbatical leave:-  We once again raised this demand. We submitted that the banks/central government had already introduced this leave. We demanded that this leave should be introduced at the earliest in LIC after proper discussions & requisite modifications. Management was positive on this issue & said that the groundwork for this has already begun.

10.  5 days week: - We once again raised this demand. Management replied that though right now it was not on the agenda, it would definitely look into it in the near future.

11. Excess & Wrong payments: - We once again raised this issue. We submitted that the officers were unnecessarily harassed for system errors. As earlier, we also suggested Fidelity Insurance or a reserve fund specifically for this purpose as the other options. We also demanded System Audit prior to the payments. The management was positive on the issue of System Audit & assured to take steps for the same.

NOINO will continue to follow-up the issues of Wage-revision as well as other pending issues.