Riyaz Ahmed Bhat
Historically trade unions (TU) in India have remained a force to reckon with for the Governments and the managements of various undertakings whether in public or private sector. World over The institution of TU has been considered to be a tool for course correction of the organizations or the Governments. These institutions have come into existence as result of social evolution wherein individuals of same grouping under concept of collective bargaining undertook struggle of furthering group interests with the power centers existing in the system. Under similar conditions the TUs in Indian banking sector have been highlighting the issues of various individual banks or policies of government having impact on this sector on many occasions. Founded long before the dawn of independent political establishment in sub continent, these unions have undertook struggles. Besides in alignment with other TUs of various other sectors the banking TUs have always vociferously expressed their opinions on certain economic policies of political establishment and even gone on path of agitation opposing certain decisions of the Government of the time. The banking TU leaderships accredit themselves with a belief that they understand the economic situations at a particular time hence claim to have right to be part of consultative process of the political establishment in chalking out future economic course for the country. This belief comes from the fact that mostly the banks are considered as barometer of economy and the indicators like credit off take or deposit position at a particular time is taken to convey the overall position of economic growth and sentiment prevailing at that time. Such a belief or understanding is not totally misplaced however, it also remains a fact that a vast section of society still remains out of banking sector and their working and earning/spending is beyond documented facts collected by the government or related agencies. Hence it would be erroneous to opine that the banking Industry in India gives us the 100% correct understanding of the economic health of the country.
The TUs of the banking sector in India have organized the banking staff under different unions for different job categories including the supervisory cadre or officers and non supervisory cadre including clerks and banking attendants or peons. The organized strength of bank staff in different TUs has remained more than 85 percent of total staff strength and it covers various sectors of Indian banking like public, private, cooperative and regional rural banks. This wide spectrum of organized TU strength has increased their collective bargaining power which is depicted with the fact that latest settlement between banks and a common platform of bank unions covered more than one million employees. The settlement was reached on May 2015 between Indian Banks Association on behalf of 43 banks including 25 Public sector, 11 Pvt sector and 07 foreign banks while unions were represented by a platform of United Forum Of Bank unions comprising eight national TUs. Though Bank staff TUs were founded with an aim to strive for better pay and service conditions along with security of job yet their earlier agenda of working for a socio economic development of India in a socialistic pattern cannot be undermined. It is also a fact that traditionally TUs have remained apolitical yet most of the national political Ideologies have tried to control these institutions existing in various individual banks or tried to create their own national platforms so as to reap the benefits at the time of electoral battles or furthering their political agendas through the sector. This started in 1952 when Communist Party of India tried to enforce its leadership in one of the Bank Unions. These politically aligned TUs always back the economic decisions of political Godfathers yet the unity of ideologically diverse TU class of banking at the time of negotiating wage settlements with the managements speaks about persuing of common interests irrespective of political affiliations.
This unity is the basic strength which has helped the Bank staff to get good deal from their employers. Although in fifties the TU sector in banking remained a monopoly of left leaning politics of India and many such amalgams of bank wise unions remained affiliated to All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). But of late Unions in State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Indian Overseas Bank formed an amalgam to affiliate with of Indian National Trade Union congress (INTUC). Again with emergence of right wing politics another national level amalgam affiliated to Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) gained entry to the scene with one more player affiliated to Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU). This is because the political parties in the country feel that ideologically controlled TUs of banking sector are main obstacles which play irritating roles in persuing their agenda, for the sector, hence by having their own proxy presence in TUs of banking sector the movement of political ideology will be less resisted. The Paradigm shift in the priorities of Trade unionist politics marks a deviation from working for exploitation free society at large to prioritizing the persuing of interests of its own membership only. This shift had a severe impact on its new prospective enrollment of bank staff that is now joining the industry. To this young generation of new entrants, who are already under influence of consumerism, the appeal of TUs does not seem to be attractive. Though this generation of bank staff out of influence of their senior comrades becomes the members of TUs yet they skip any active role in organizational responsibilities. This has resulted in depreciation in quality leadership for TUs which otherwise in past had been very progressive and forward looking having a representative offices inclusive of various segments like women, part timers and honorarium workers.
Presently it is given to understand that the TU movement around the globe has been on a declining trend and unions are losing relevance in emerging new order, but the same seems to be a casual tea talk rather than being substantiated by any data. However, contrary to this fact the available data in Indian Banking sector shows that unions in general have remained relevant working for the membership. Their struggles include resisting the onslaughts on the privileges of their membership earned after long struggles spanning over tribunal and bipartite settlement era. This is depicted in culmination of various settlements with employer Bank Managements on introduction of technology redeployment of staff and other service matters. It cannot also be denied that there are growing challenges for these TUs which include renewing their appeal to new entrant class of bank staff and changing of strategies to record their opposition and protests. If the TUs are able to take these two challenges successfully this will open the doors for new vibrant leadership contributing for development of industry by devising new strategies and mechanism of the protests to express their displeasures as the age old practised methods of strikes etc have become ineffective due technological interventions and advancements.
(The author is General Secretary Jammu & Kashmir Bank Officers Forum)
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