Mobile handset to retiring officers

NOINO wrote a letter to the ED (OS/SBU-Estates) pointing out discrepancy in their circular dated 02.09.2013 on above subject. The letter is reproduced below:

20.9.2013

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The Executive Director (OS/SBU-Estates),

L.I.C. of India.

Respected Sir,

Re: Mobile handset cost re-imbursement to officers retiring before completion of 3 years

       We invite your attention to the circular Ref:CO/OS/Mobile/2013-14/03(a) dated 2.9.2013. In this circular, the clarification regarding officers retiring before completion of 3 years (of purchase of mobile handset) is as under:--

“In case of normal retirement of an officer/superannuation before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset, he she will have to pay 30% notional depreciated value of the mobile phone”

      Now kindly refer the earlier circular Ref:CO/OS/Mobile/2013-14/03 dated 1.7.2013. In this circular, following are the relevant references regarding the officers retiring before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset:-

“a. In case, an officer is compulsorily retired/removed/dismissed from service….then he/she will have to pay the notional depreciated value of the mobile handset”

  “b. In case of voluntary retirement/resignation etc, before completion of 3 years from date …then he/she will have to pay the notional depreciated value of the mobile handset”.

Thus, nowhere in the earlier circular, there is a mention of normal retirement or superannuation before completion of 3 years from date of purchase of mobile handset. Not only there is no mention of normal retirement or superannuation, there is specific mention of officers who would compulsorily retire/removed/dismissed/voluntarily retired/resigned before completion of 3 years from purchase of mobile handset.

It is clear that anybody will logically deduce that the criterion for payment of notional depreciated value; therefore, do not apply to officers on normal retirement/superannuation before completion of 3 years from purchase of mobile handset. Based on this logic some officers in the above category have purchased the mobile handset. Many of them also got the re-imbursement promptly. It seems unfair & unreasonable that we should recover the notional depreciated value from such officers who have purchased the mobile handset during the period from 1^st July 2013 to 1^st September 2013.

We, therefore, request you to issue instructions specifying that the clause regarding the officers on normal retirement/superannuation in the circular dated 2^nd September 2013 would apply prospectively & not retrospectively.

Anagha Sant

GS, NOINO

Shri Ganesh Chaturthi

Greetings on Shri Ganesh Chaturthi !

NOINO APPEALS AGAIN FOR JOINT FRONT ON WAGE-REVISION

On 31^st January 2013, NOINO had appealed for a joint front on Wage-revision & allied issues to all the other unions in LIC having the negotiating table. Today, i.e. 6^th September 2013, NOINO has once again renewed its appeal for joint front. The format of the letter sent to the unions are reproduced below. The appeal has been once again made to NOIW / AIIEA / Class III Federation / Class I Federation / BVKS / All India Life / NFIFWI (development officers) / ABJBNCSKS (Class IV) / INTUC (Class III).

06.09.2013

The General Secretary,

(All unions in LIC)

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Dear Brother,

Re: Formation of Joint Front for Charter and allied issues

     Please refer to our earlier letter dated 31.01.2013 on the above subject sent to you on the same date. We are still awaiting your response.

    Banks’ talks are in progress and gradually taking final shape though, we would like to make it clear that our earlier stand of settling our Charter according to our financial status - separate from banks - remains as it is.

      At our end, talks have not been initiated yet, though more than 1 year already elapsed since our wage revision was due. Information Sharing between management and unions did not take place during last 3 years.

      In view of all above, we feel, time has come when we need to form a joint front and move united. Banks have even gone to the extent of presenting joint Charter. We can at least put pressure on the management to initiate the process – united we can do it better. This is also the feeling of majority of the employees, according to us.

       I, on behalf of National Organization of Insurance Officers (NOINO), once again put proposal for formation of Joint Front for the purpose of Wage Revision and other common allied issues. We request you to please take a decision in this regard at your end at the earliest and communicate to us. We may also decide to meet at a place convenient to all of us.

Hoping to hear shortly from you and with regards,

Yours sisterly,

Sd/-

Anagha Sant

General Secretary,

NOINO

Mobile handset allowed to officers on deputation

One more demand of NOINO has been accepted by LIC management. After the introduction of the mobile handset cost re-imbursement scheme on 1^st July 2013, NOINO first raised some issues regarding this scheme during the discussions with ED(P) on 12^th July 2013. The relevant part of our circular is reproduced below:-

“Mobile handset re-imbursement:- While welcoming the benefit introduced by the management, we also demanded A) the starting limit should be increased to 10000/. B) It should be paid to officers on deputation to other organizations. C) It should also be paid to all officers on probation. ED agreed to look into the matter.”

 Thereafter NOINO wrote a letter to the ED(OS/SBU/ESTATE) on 5^th August 2013 regarding various pending issues. One of the issue was regarding mobile handset re-imbursement, demanding certain improvements in the scheme. The relevant part of the letter is reproduced as under:-

“Mobile handset re-imbursement: - A) the benefit should be available to officers on deputation to other organizations. B) It should be available to officers on probation. An undertaking of proportionate recovery in case, the officer opts for reversion to Class III can be obtained. C) The gaps between the amounts of re-imbursement in the three categories seem to be large. The limit for re-imbursement can start from Rs 10000/-. D) There is no clarification as to who is the competent authority to sanction the handset re-imbursement at various levels. We are raising this query because, in some branches, the officers are being told that only Divisional Office is the competent authority. A clarification on this issue is required.”

The management has accepted our demand(refer circular CO/OS/Mobile 2013-14/03(b)) & now the benefit would be available to our officers posted/deputed in LIC HFL/LIC Card Services/Insurance Institute of India/ GBIC/HINS/IRDA/LIC HFL Care Homes/LIC Nomura Mutual Fund/ LIC Pension Fund/NIA etc. We thank the management for accepting one of our demands.

NOINO will continue to follow-up the pending issues.

EPFO - Is your pension safe?

By Economic Times Bureau | 2 Sep, 2013, 04.04AM IST

The Employees' Pension Scheme run by the EPFO has an estimated deficit of Rs 54,000 crore. If the defined benefit plan, which covers 8.25 crore members of the EPF, continues in its present form, it may go bankrupt by the time GenX is eligible to receive the pension.

57th Anniversary of LIC

LIC completed 57 years of committed service to the nation & its people and entered into unchallenged 58th year. Congratulations!

NOINO wishes LIC and all LICians a glorious future!

NOINO delegation meets Chairman

A NOINO delegation led by NOINO President Shri Prakash Javadekar, MP, Rajyasabha met Chairman Shri S K Roy today, i.e. 21^st August 2013. The delegation consisted of Shri Dattaraj Prabhukhanolkar, Resident Secretary; Shri Manish Patankar, President, Mumbai unit; Smt Neeta Prabhavalkar, Shri Surendra Chitnavis, Smt Vedanti Gadkar, Shri Suryakant Gawade, Shri Mahendra Vaze, Smt Saroj Kurdukar (all NOINO Mumbai activists) & Shri Ganesh Kamath, Chief Advisor, NOINO.

It was a brief visit & the first by Shri Javadekar since Shri Roy took charge. The following issues were raised / discussed:-

1.    One more pension option:- Shri Javadekar said that a time-frame should be fixed for settling this issue as this was pending since long. The delegation also stressed that this issue should be settled before & outside wage-revision. Shri Roy agreed to the same & said that the management was working on the proposal to be sent to the government. Shri Javadekarji also assured that he would use his good offices in the Finance ministry to push this issue.

2.    Wage-revision:- Shri Javadekar said that it was time that the negotiations start immediately. Shri Roy said that efforts would be made to settle the issue of pension option first & then the wage-revision would follow. The delegation pointed out that though NOINO was not in favour of linking our wage-revision with that of Banking industry, already three rounds of talks had taken place, though the wage-revision in Banking industry was due three months after our wage-revision.

3.    Upgradation of pension:- The delegation once again raised the issue of automatic upgradation of pension. Shri Roy was not positive on this issue & said that the matter was sub-judice.

4.    5 days week:- The delegation also once again raised this demand. Chairman assured to look into the matter.

5.    Sabbatical leave/Child care leave for women employees:- The delegation once again raised this demand. Chairman assured to look into the matter.

NOINO will continue to follow-up the pending issues of the employees.

WAGE REVISION: NOINO PRESIDENT MEETS FINANCE MINISTER

NOINO President Prakash Javadekar met the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram yesterday i.e. on 7^th August 2013 and reminded him about the pending wage-revision issue in LIC. He pointed out that the wage negotiations in LIC had not commenced though the wage-revision became due on 1st August 2012, i.e. more than 1 year back. He demanded immediate negotiations in LIC without any further delay.

Shri Chidambaram assured to look into the matter immediately.

NOINO will continue to fight for an early & satisfactory wage-revision for LIC employees.

NOINO WRITES TO ED(OS) ON PENDING ISSUES

NOINO submitted a letter to ED(OS-SBU-ESTATES) on 5^th August 2013 drawing attention to various pending issues. The letter is reproduced below:

5.8.2013.

The Executive Director(OS-SBU-Estate),

L.I.C. of India.

Respected Sir,

Re: Issues concerning Class I Officers

           Our Corporation has, in the recent past, taken certain welcome initiatives like Preventive Health Check-up scheme; Mobile call charges re-imbursement; Mobile handset re-imbursement etc. These initiatives have been welcomed by the Class I Officers. However, there are some areas where improvements are needed. Kindly consider the following:-

1. Preventive Health Check-up scheme :- A) There is a dearth of hospitals at many places. Hence the condition of compulsory tie-up with hospitals should be reviewed. B) The administrative instructions were issued on 4^th April 2013. Nearly 4 months have elapsed since then. However, many divisions have not entered into tie-up with hospitals, there-by depriving many employees of availing the facility. C) The health hazards have increased manifold due to the stressful life nowadays. Hence the lowering of age criteria should also be considered.
2. Mobile handset reimbursement :- A) the benefit should be available to officers on deputation to other organizations. B) It should be available to officers on probation. An undertaking of proportionate recovery in case, the officer opts for reversion to Class III can be obtained. C) The gaps between the amounts of re-imbursement in the three categories seem to be large. The limit for reimbursement can start from Rs 10000/-. D) There is no clarification as to who is the competent authority to sanction the handset reimbursement at various levels. We are raising this query because, in some branches, the officers are being told that only Divisional Office is the competent authority. A clarification on this issue is required.
3. Transfer incidentals :- have not been revised for 27 years. These should be revised immediately & substantially.
4. Transfer TE/Packing/Loading/Unloading charges:- have not been revised for last 16 years.
5. Limit for ex-gratia re-imbursement for High cost/Protracted treatment for major diseases:- have not been revised for last 10 years.
6. Lease accommodation rent:- The limits were revised on 30.7.2012 after 4 years. We had written a letter to your good self on 10.8.2012 demanding an increase in the limits by at least 100% as compared to the ceilings in the year 2008. This is because a mere 20% increase in limits (after 4 years, meaning only 5% per year) does not match the spiralling prices of land & real estate.
7. Security at Yogakshem & other offices: - A) After the introduction of the cubicle system, it has been observed that inadequate & unequal space has been allotted to some departments in Yogakshem which is clearly a security hazard. This is because, in case of a fire, it would be difficult for the employees of some departments to make good their safe escape. The wooden panels of these cubicles would help spreading the fire. Hence a solution should be immediately found in this matter. B) It is good that we have a security system in place for Yogakshem. But there is absolutely no security for many other offices. The offices, where we have more than 2/3 branches & situated in a fairly large building should also be provided security to prevent a possible terror attack. E.g. Jeevan-Prakash building in Fort has 4 branches as well as LIC HFL office. At least 300 employees work here, not to speak of the general public who visit these offices. There is no guarantee that in the future these buildings will not be vulnerable to terror attacks.

We request you to immediately look into the above demands/grievances & take steps to redress them.

Yours faithfully,

Sd/-

Anagha Sant

GS, NOINO

NOINO office-bearers write to MD on wage-revision

As a part of NOINO’s continuous efforts for initiation of wage-revision & as per the decision of our EC meeting at Chennai on 22nd & 23rd April 2013, our Central & Zonal Office-bearers sent the following mail today, i.e. 23rd July 2013 to the Managing Director, Shri Sushobhan Sarker as a follow-up to the issue of wage-revision:

The Managing Director,

LIC of India,

Central Office,

Mumbai

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Respected Sir,

Re: Wage Revision due on 1st August 2012

The wage-revision of the Class I Officers & employees is due since 1st August 2012.

National Organization of Insurance Officers’(NOINO), representing the Class I Officers in LIC has submitted its Charter of Demands on 23rd July 2012 itself i.e.  8 days before the wage-revision was due.

Today, i.e. on 23rd July 2013, one year has been completed we submitted our Charter of Demands. The LIC management has not invited the unions representing Class I Officers & employees. This has led to unrest among the Class I Officers & the employees.

The Class I Officers toil day and night for the institution (LIC) but when their wage revision becomes due, it is always delayed for settlement. We feel, it is injustice to Class-I officers and employees.

Our Executive committee had met on 22nd & 23rd April at Chennai to review the situation & has decided to continue our efforts for initiating the talks on wage-revision. As a part of the decisions, we are sending this mail to you.

We, therefore, request you to start talks immediately on our pending wage-revision.

Yours faithfully,

NOINO office-bearers