Today, Office Bearers of the captioned two majority organisations of Officers’ & Workmen of the leading & largest Nationalised Bank of the country i.e. Punjab National Bank, went on a day long Nation-wide dharna in front of all Regional Offices, Zonal Offices & Head Office against the un-congenial HRD policy & decisions of PNB CMD, Mr. K.C. Chakrabarty & top Management of the Bank.
At Chandigarh in front of PNB House, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh, the Dharna was participated by Mr. T.R. Verma, Vice President, AIPNBOA, Mr. V.N. Gupta, Asstt. General Secretary, AIPNBOA, Mr. M.P. Singh, President, AIPNBEA, Mr. Anil Grover, Organising Secretary, AIPNBEA & Mr. Ram Kishore, District Secretary, AIPNBEA alongwith many other leaders came from different parts of the State of Haryana to participate in the Agitation. PNB CMD after joining the bank on 4.6.2007 have suddenly started taking decision unilaterally without informing or consulting the major Officers’ & Workmen Associations against the previous traditions of the bank. The today’s agitation programme is for the following causes:
o Denial of Mandate to IBA to negotiate the Next Wage Revision of Officers/Workmen.
o Shortage of Staff.
o Shrinkage of Career Opportunities in the bank.
o Unilateral Restructuring of the Bank against the interests of the Employees and Institution.
o Vindictive & Biased approach of the Management in Staff matters.
o Attempts to undervalue the contributions of the Majority/Recongnised Organisations in building the Institution and Belittling Bilateralism.
o Bulging outsourcing of Core Banking Activities.
o Unilateral Manpower planning of the Bank.
The Associations have given the call to intensify the agitation as per the programme given under:
o Joint ‘Dharna’ & ‘Demonstration’ before RO/ZO on 13.3.2008;
o Massive Demonstration during the visits of CMD to ROs/ZOs;
o Joint Day Long Dharna by CEC/Working Committee at HO on 21.3.2008;
o Full Day STRIKE on 31.3.2008.
While speaking on the demonstration in front of PNB House, Haryana Zone, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh Mr. T.R. Verma, Zonal Secretary said that Workforce is backbone and constitutes an integral part of any organisation. This is amply reflected in the excellent performance of our beloved PNB over the years. The issues/grievances relating to the officers & workmen working in our bank are discussed & deliberated upon in the MRM & IRM meetings held periodically with the management at Regional/Zonal/Corporate level since 1983-84. The Management Relations Machinery has been in existence in our bank, which apart from providing a well structured forum to discuss the issues/grievances of the working class, also provides an opportunity to discuss important issues relating to improvement in customer service & development of bank business. Mr. Verma expressed with sorrow that present CMD has been deleting the tradition of participative management in this great Institution.
Mr. V.N. Gupta, Asstt. General Secretary, All India PNB Officers’ Association while speaking on Dharna said that in the past, AIPNBOA & AIBEA have been effectively utilizing the “Management Relation Machinery” for the welfare of the officers & workmen. This had definitely resulted in creating an environment of understanding so essential for smooth functioning and progress of the organisation. Proper and timely attention towards problems and difficulties of the field staff through this platform creates healthy and sound atmosphere for growth of the bank. Unfortunately at present PNB CMD has lost transparency in the management decisions & keeping all functioning of the management decisions in isolation & in most secret manners.
Mr. M.P. Singh, President, AIPNBEA, Haryana expressed with pain that after 1952, working class of PNB is facing such uncongenial HRD environment which in turn is creating hindrances in the smooth & continue growth of the Institution. He hoped that PNB CMD will introspect our this agitation & will agree to our demands.