Bank Unions and Management Held a Conciliation Meeting Today; Talks about PLI and 5 Days Banking

 

With reference to the information in the conciliation minutes dated April 29, 2025, the parties' discussions have begun today. As stated in the final paragraph of the conciliation proceedings on April 29, 2025, it is noted at the outset that the representatives from the Bank of Maharashtra, State Bank of India (later one representative joined, but not at the proper level), Central Bank of India, UCO Bank, and IOB (later one representative joined, but not at the proper level) were once more absent. In order to ensure that their representatives of the proper level are always sent, it was agreed to write a letter to the top management of each bank.

All other issues contained in the conciliation proceedings dated 29.04.2025 were also reviewed with following outcomes:

All other issues contained in the conciliation proceedings dated 29.04.2025 were also reviewed with following outcomes:

What Bank Unions Said? What happened in Meeting

(i) There was an improvement in the matter of PLI as intimated by the Ld. Representative of DFS that it is proposed to give flexibility to the banks’ board for identification of officers in different brackets in each scale, within the ambit of the PLI scheme. However, the Ld. Representatives of unions were not agreed. Accordingly, after marathon discussion it is agreed that representatives of union and the IBA to discuss the issue threadbare at bipartite level and come up with certain proposal within the ambit of the scheme. 

Such proposal shall be submitted to the DFS for review of the present scheme in the light of the proposal so that a consensus may be arrived at in order to maintain smooth and cordial relation in the industry. At this juncture, it is expected that all the banks shall cooperate by not implementing the PLI scheme for any scale till the outcome of the discussions.

The committee/the group so created for discussion on the issue of the PLI is also mandated to discuss the issue of outsourcing / recruitment of sub-staff and submit a report.

(ii) So far recruitment and the data in this regard is concerned, some of the banks have submitted but lack of consistency and uniformity is observed. Accordingly, the committee/group so created for discussion on PLI is also advised to collect the data on recruitment in an appropriate format so that consistency and uniformity is maintained and submit the same on the next date of hearing.

(iii) Despite issue of a letter by DFS to all the Chief Secretaries of the States to look into the security issue of banks against attack on bank staffs, one fresh instance of attack at Dhule in State Bank of India has been reported which is not only unwarranted rather painful and unbearable. In view of this fact, IBA is requested to advise all the Banks to take immediate steps to avoid any such occurrences in future.

(iv) The issues related to 5 days banking, the matter discussed in length, a D.O. letter bearing No. 21(17)/2025-IR dated 16.06.2025 has already been sent to the Secretary, DFS. The representative of DFS informed that the issue is under consideration of the Government.

The next date of conciliation proceedings is fixed on 11.08.2025 at 11.30 AM.