INBOC Holds Meeting of National and State Office Bearers and Committee Members on 26th March 2025-Clarifies Stand on Withdrawal of Nation Wide Bank Strike

Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC), led by President Mr. R.K. Chatterjee and General Secretary Mr. Prem Kumar Makker, held a virtual meeting of INBOC National & State Office Bearers & Committee Members on March 26, 2025 from across the country via Zoom. Addressing the concerns of the officers’ fraternity regarding the withdrawal of the strike pending securing the demand for a five-day banking week, Mr. Makker and Mr. Chatterjee reassured members that INBOC remains committed to this goal. They emphasized that strike notices are a strategic tool to exert pressure on authorities, and the recent strike notice led to several significant outcomes. The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has now agreed to discuss key issues, including recruitment, outsourcing, the pursuit of five-day banking with the Department of Financial Services (DFS), recommendations on the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and measures to address assaults on bank employees. Additionally, after a decade-long delay, the DFS has softened its stance on the appointment of Workmen/Officer Directors to banks’ boards, with 14 recommendations sent to the appointments committee.

The leadership also highlighted that staff shortages remain a critical issue, forcing officers to work late hours and even on weekends, significantly impacting their work-life balance. They emphasized that achieving five-day banking without adequate recruitment would be ineffective, as officers would continue to bear excessive workloads. During the conciliation proceedings, the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) assured that progress on these issues will be monitored with the IBA and DFS. The next conciliation meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2025.

The All India General Secretaries of Affiliates Mr. Nagesh Dande (Central Bank), Mr. Prakash Soni ( RRBs), Mr. B. Arjun (Union Bank), Mr. Bennet Sabastian (Canara bank) and Mr. Bharat Nirmale (Nainital Bank) spoke on the occasion and expressed full confidence on the decision of INBOC/UFBU Leadership.

At the end forum was open for any participant to speak, many office bearers and committee members spoke and expressed their appreciation for the leadership’s transparency in convening such a large-scale meeting. They affirmed their confidence in the leadership’s decision and committed to conveying the message to the broader officer community. The participants unanimously assured their full support for the leadership and pledged to stand united in achieving the pending demands, including the five-day banking system