SBI Officers Federation's General Council meet from tomorrow

Bangalore, July 14 (UNI) More than 800 delegates will participate in the three-day SBI Officers Federation's 23rd General Council Meeting, to be held here from tomorrow, All India State Bank Officers' Federation President Amar Pal has said.

Talking to newspersons here last night, he said the meeting would discuss burning issues, including the Union Government's alleged moves to keep the doors wide open for entry of private banks, merger of public sector banks, withdraw all the trade union rights in the name of labour reforms and outsource banking operations.

He said the Federation had strongly protested the Haryana Government permitting Reliance to start a Special Economic Zone as it would lead to total exploitation of the labour class with the corporates not required to adhere to any labour laws.

Federation General Secretary Shantha Raju, who was also present, said outsourcing would reduce jobs and result in total exploitation of the workers throughout the country. At present, there was sufficient staff to handle the workload and it had been handled well all these days and there was no need to outsource. ''Ofcourse, we agree to outsourcing for technology upgradation, but not for clearing house,'' he added.

About the proposed merger of public sector banks, he said there was no need for such a move since the banks had the capacity to meet capital adequacy. The Federation would not allow the Centre to succeed in its move.

Mr Raju said there was a need to restructure the Human Resource Development Department in the banking sector as employee welfare was neglected.

The meeting, in its business session on July 16 and 17, would deliberate on various issues, including privatisation of public sector banks, merger of banks, harrassment of labour class in the name of labour reformation, outsourcing of banking operations and chalking out strategies for the next three years.

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