BOBOA requests that order to open bank branches on holidays be withdrawn

The regulation mandating that bank branches in the Raebareli Region remain open on specified holidays has been vehemently rejected by the Bank of Baroda Officers’ Association (BOBOA), Lucknow Zone, in a recent appeal. Citing worries about work-life balance and staff well-being, the organization has petitioned the Regional Head of Bank of Baroda, Raebareli Region, to revoke the directive requiring branch operations on March 23, 2025 (Sunday), and March 30, 2025 (Sunday). 

Worries About Working Nonstop Without Breaks Letter ref. no. UPR/2024-25/HRM/1034, dated March 19, 2025, issued the directive, which also mandated that branches operate on March 22, 2025, the fourth Saturday. Employees have also stated that bank offices in the Raebareli area were open on March 8, 2025, the second Saturday, and March 9, 2025, the Sunday further exacerbating concerns over excessive workload.

BOBOA, which is affiliated with FBOBOA & AIBOC and represents over 3.5 lakh officers, acknowledges the importance of achieving business targets and ensuring a smooth financial year-end closure. However, it strongly emphasizes that continuous work without sufficient rest can have detrimental effects on employees’ mental and physical well-being.

The Need for Work-Life Balance

The association highlights that holidays serve a crucial role in allowing employees to:

Rest and recharge to maintain productivity.

Attend to personal responsibilities and family commitments.

Address medical and other urgent needs without professional obligations.

BOBOA warns that denying employees these essential breaks may lead to stress, burnout, and reduced efficiency, which could ultimately impact the organization’s performance in the long run.

In light of these concerns, BOBOA has formally requested the Regional Head of Bank of Baroda, Raebareli Region, to reconsider and withdraw the order to open bank branches on holidays. The association firmly believes that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for sustaining morale and efficiency among banking officers.Credit card services

The letter, signed by Akhilesh Kumar Rai (General Secretary, BOBOA Lucknow Zone), has also been forwarded to:

The General Manager, Bank of Baroda, Lucknow Zone.

The General Secretary, FBOBOA (Affiliated to AIBOC).

The Secretary, AIBOC (UP State).

BOBOA hopes that the management will take prompt action and reconsider the decision, ensuring that officers are granted their rightful holidays while maintaining the bank’s operational efficiency.

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Latest Update on Bank strike -Why Strike Deferred?

Today, a meeting of UFBU and Bank Unions was held with the government representatives. Earlier, meeting was held on 18.03.2025 but any decision would not be arrived at. So next meeting was scheduled for 21.03.2025. Today, the meeting was attended by Bank Unions, IBA and Bank Management. As per the details available, the strike has been deferred. Consensus has been reached for most of the demands.

The adjourned conciliation meeting took place today from morning. There was serious discussion on our demands. Iba and DFS were present. 

Joint secretary of DFS spoke on video call and informed about the positive discussion FM and DFS secretary had on the issue of 5 Day banking. Iba proposed to further discuss issues like recruitment and PLI and other issues. 

CLC informed that he will directly monitor the issues includi ng implementation of ,5 days banking. The meeting has been adjourned to be held again in the third week of April. 

In view of this positive development it was felt necessary to postpone our strike for a month or two. Units are thus informed that our strike on 24th and 25th is postponed. Detailed circular being issued. UFBU.

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Bank Unions Oppose Government’s modified PLI Scheme for Senior Officers in Bank

 

The recent modifications to the Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI) program for top bank executives made by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), which is part of the Finance Ministry, have been vehemently challenged by the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA). According to the union, the new formula is unjust, goes against earlier agreements, and causes conflict among workers.

Bank workers can receive additional financial rewards through the PLI scheme, which is dependent on their performance. In 2018, the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) first proposed a plan in which rewards would be granted according to each employee's performance. 

 PLI should be based on the overall success of a bank, not on the performance of individual employees, according to the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which represents bank unions. Services related to credit cards Following talks, PLI would be determined by each bank's total performance, as affirmed by the 11th Bipartite Settlement (BPS) and 8th Joint Note, which were signed in November 2020.

 June 2024 saw additional revisions to this agreement, but the fundamental framework stayed the same: rewards were to be given according to on collective performance.

What has changed now?

In November 2024, the Government of India (DFS, Finance Ministry) changed the system without consulting bank unions. The new rule states that PLI for Scale IV officers and above (senior management) will now be based on individual performance instead of the collective performance of the bank.

This change only affects officers in Scale IV and above, while junior officers and clerical staff will continue to receive incentives based on the bank’s overall performance.

Why are bank unions opposing this change?

The AIBEA and other bank unions have raised strong objections to the government’s move. They argue that:

It is a unilateral decision: The PLI scheme was originally decided bilaterally between IBA and UFBU. The government did not consult bank unions before making this change.

It creates division: Under the new rule, some senior officers will receive huge incentives, while lower-level employees will get much less.

It is discriminatory: While a few officers will get a very high PLI, many deserving employees will not receive anything.

It is unfair to banks as a whole: If a bank performs poorly due to external reasons (such as fraud or government policies), the entire workforce suffers, even if some employees worked hard.

It violates previous agreements: The UFBU had already agreed on a collective PLI system in previous wage agreements, and this sudden change goes against that.

In opposition to this decision, the AIBEA and other bank unions have chosen to demonstrate. They insist that the government go back to the original collective performance model and remove the current individual-based PLI system. Bank officers and staff are currently awaiting additional talks between the government, the Indian Banks' Association, and bank unions. In the upcoming months, there might be bank staff strikes and widespread rallies if the government doesn't change its mind. 

The government's new PLI system has been met with fierce criticism from bank unions. Bank unions are concerned that this may result in discrimination, inequality, and needless competition among employees, despite the government's claim that individual incentives will improve performance.

The coming weeks will be crucial in deciding whether this issue will escalate into a major confrontation between bank employees and the government.

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This PSU Bank Announced Strike, All branches will remain closed on 20th March

Employees of the Bank of Maharashtra have declared a statewide walkout for March 20, 2025. The strike will resume on March 20, 2025, as the conciliation negotiations with management have failed. The other bank unions have also expressed their complete support to Bank of Maharashtra association. 

Bank of Maharashtra Employees have been asking the government and bank management to comply with their demands, but nobody has taken notice. With the following demands, the strike has now been declared.

Recruitment of PTS through Absorption of Temporary PTS:

Employees are demanding the absorption of Part-Time Sweepers (PTS) who are currently working on a temporary basis into permanent positions. The union argues that these employees have been serving the bank for years and deserve formal employment with proper benefits.

Adequate Recruitment in Sub-Staff and Clerical Cadre:

The union has raised concerns over staff shortages in sub-staff and clerical positions, which are affecting the efficiency of banking operations. They are calling for immediate recruitment to fill vacancies and ensure smooth functioning.

Filling Up of Special Assistant Posts as per Agreement:

Employees claim that certain posts of special assistants have remained vacant, despite previous agreements that mandated their filling. The union is demanding the implementation of the agreed-upon staffing policies.

Restoration of Bipartisan Practices:

The union has accused the bank management of unilaterally making decisions without consulting employee representatives, leading to dissatisfaction among staff. They are demanding the restoration of a bipartisan approach in decision-making, where employee unions have a say in policies affecting workers.

Restoration of Union Offices:

Employees are also demanding the reinstatement of union offices within bank premises, arguing that these offices play a crucial role in addressing employee grievances and ensuring effective communication between the workforce and management.

Honoring the De Jure Recognition Agreement:

The union has insisted that the bank management adhere to the De Jure Recognition Agreement in both letter and spirit, ensuring that employee rights and agreements are respected.

The banking industry will be significantly impacted by the strike. Additionally, the UFBU has declared a strike for March 24 and 25, 2025. Employees of Punjab National Bank have also declared a strike for March 28 and 29, 2025. The lack of employees is the biggest issue the banks are dealing with. Banks have been experiencing a staffing shortage for a while, but no one is taking notice. Other employees are compelled to work longer hours due to a staffing shortage, which has an adverse effect on their physical and emotional well-being.

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Why Bank Unions announced Strike and other trade unions support this Strike?

 

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Latest Update on Bank Strike: Reconciliation Meeting Held Today

 
A reconciliation conference involving the IBA, bank associations, and bank management was held today. This conference was attended by the labor commissioner and the management of all public sector banks. On March 24 and 25, 2025, Bank employees announced a strike, prompting the demand for the reconciliation meeting. 

 Due to demands like 5-day banking not being met, the bank associations have declared a strike. The meeting was place today, but no agreement could be reached. Therefore, the next meeting is scheduled for March 21, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. 

 The CLC office was the location of the meeting. The bank management, DFS, and IBA were all present. Every topic was covered. Regarding the concerns, particularly recruitment, 5-day banking, and unilateral PLI, there was no improvement.

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CBI Arrests Bank Manager for Taking Bribe

The branch manager of Baroda UP Bank's Sikhola branch in Azamgarh was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as he was taking a ₹20,000 bribe. The offender was apprehended while requesting money from an account holder in order to permit the withdrawal of funds from a sanctioned loan. 

The complainant had taken out a loan under the Dairy Loan and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) programs, according to CBI authorities. According to reports, the branch manager wanted a payment of ₹20,000 when he went to the bank to withdraw the authorized amount. The manager informed the complainant that he would not be able to access his loan funds if he did not make the payment. The victim, distressed by the demand, informed the CBI of the situation.

The CBI promptly responded to the complaint after registering the case on March 12, 2025. The CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch set up a trap on March 11, 2025, and apprehended the accused as he accepted the money. 

 The manager was taken into custody right away and is currently being brought before the Lucknow special CBI court. 

 This episode brings to light a recurring problem in the banking industry, especially in rural areas, where officials are allegedly demanding bribes in order to execute loans under government programs. When attempting to obtain their legitimate payments, farmers and small borrowers frequently encounter exploitation by crooked officials and middlemen.

According to CBI officials, the probe is still underway and further information could come to light. It's possible that additional officials are engaged in similar dishonest activities. Call for Public Reports of Corruption Both the CBI and the bank administration have called on the public to report any bribery demands made by bank officials in the wake of this case. 

 Authorities have promised that dishonest staff will face harsh consequences. It is anticipated that this crackdown will send a powerful message and make those engaged in such immoral actions fearful. Concerns over the integrity and transparency of banking operations have also been brought up by the case, particularly in rural areas where farmers depend on loans to make a living. The action taken by the CBI is regarded as an important milestone in the fight against corruption.

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FBOIOA launches ‘Sahayya’ scheme to provide interest-free financial assistance to officers

 

A unique relief program called "FBOIOA Sahayya" has been launched by the Federation of Bank of India Officers' Associations (FBOIOA) to provide interest-free financial aid to officers who have had their salaries drastically reduced as a result of perquisite tax deductions. The program's goal is to give officers who had significant tax deductions in February 2025 and whose net salary was less than Rs.20,000 instant financial support.

Public sector banks have recently started taxing the perks that officers are provided. Benefits offered to bank employees include low-interest loans. For instance, the average person's car loan interest rate is 9%. Bank employees receive a 5.5% loan rate.

Because bank employees pay low interest rates, they can save money on loans, which is considered advantageous. Bank workers are now required to pay taxes on this perquisite. This indicates that tax will be paid on the amount that differs because of the different interest rates. If the general public pays Rs. 1000 in interest on a car loan while bank employees pay Rs. 700, the bank employees must pay tax on the Rs. 300 difference.

Financial distress resulted from the Bank of India's officers receiving drastically reduced or no pay in February 2025. Nearly 1,400 officers reportedly have net salary credits of less than Rs. 20,000 as a result of high tax deductions applied by the bank.

In response, the FBOIOA has been negotiating with bank management to find a long-term solution. However, to offer immediate relief, the federation has launched this interest-free advance scheme for affected officers.

Who is eligible for the scheme?

To apply for financial assistance under the Sahayya scheme, an officer must meet the following criteria:

* Must be an active FBOIOA member.

* Net salary for February 2025 should be below Rs.20,000, primarily due to perquisite tax deductions.

* Application process and required documents

* Eligible officers need to submit an application form (Annexure-1) through their Unit General Secretary along with the following documents:

1. A copy of the February 2025 salary slip showing a net salary below Rs.20,000.

2. Five post-dated cheques (PDCs) of Rs.10,000 each, drawn in favor of the respective unit.

Deadline for application submission: March 7, 2025.

Disbursement and repayment of financial assistance

Under the FBOIOA Sahayya scheme, officers will receive ₹50,000 as an interest-free financial advance, which will be disbursed in two equal installments:

Rs.25,000 as the first installment upon approval of the application.

Rs.25,000 as the second installment in the following month.

The repayment will begin from May 2025, with officers required to repay the total amount in five equal monthly installments of Rs.10,000 each.

Federation’s commitment to officer welfare

The FBOIOA has assured officers that discussions with bank management are ongoing to prevent such financial distress in the future. While the Sahayya scheme serves as a short-term relief measure, the federation remains committed to finding a long-term solution for perquisite tax deductions affecting officers’ salaries.

Officers facing financial difficulties are encouraged to apply for the scheme before March 7, 2025, to avail of this support.

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