[Mani B]

Respected General Secretaries of UFBU,

* Shri C. H. Venkatachalam, AIBEA

* Shri Rupam Roy, AIBOC

* Shri L. Chandrashekhar, NCBE

* Shri S. Nagarajan, AIBOA

* Shri Om Prakash Sharma, INBEF

* Shri Prem Kumar Makkar, INBOC

* Shri D. B. Choudhary, BEFI

* Shri Man Mohan Das, NOBW

* Shri Adarsh Kumar, NOBO

I, Ramesh Bhateja, am one among the nearly eight lakh unfortunate pensioners. I wish to place a few points before you on behalf of all pensioners, with the hope that you will understand them in the right context.

To my knowledge, you have been serving as the General Secretary of AIBEA since the sudden demise of Comrade Shri Tarkeshwar Da in 2003. During my service in SBBJ, I had the opportunity to work with the All India Coordination Committee for a few years and got a chance to understand the functioning of trade unions, when Comrade Parwana Ji was our most beloved leader.

In those days, just a verbal message from Comrade Parwana was enough to bring the entire banking system to a standstill. But since then, much water has flowed under the bridge. Over time, union leaders and employees have reduced their union membership to a mere formality. The trust and passion once seen in the 1960s through the 1990s have now significantly waned.

In terms of salaries and allowances negotiated through bipartite settlements, we have fallen far behind central government employees. Our pensions and medical facilities also lag significantly behind those of pensioners from LIC, RBI, and even SBI. Due to the severe lack of strength in the unions, pensions for bank retirees have gradually diminished in each bipartite settlement due to union missteps.

Since 2022, because of the introduction of the "Special Allowance," pension has been reduced from 50% to just 35%. This special allowance seems like a negative contribution by the union—possibly introduced solely to reduce pension amounts. Moreover, the failure to merge the 8088 DA points for pre-01.11.2022 retirees has deeply disappointed all pensioners.

Retirees are also not provided with free medical insurance premiums on par with working employees, even though the DFS letter dated 24.02.2012, based on the Khandelwal Committee's recommendations, had mandated that 25% of the Welfare Fund be reserved for retirees. Yet, from 2015 onwards, this has been unlawfully given entirely to working employees. All pensioners are compelled to pay IBA group medical insurance premiums from their own pensions. Despite the government's removal of GST from medical insurance, we are still forced to pay GST on these policies, which is highly condemnable. Unfortunately, even after this wrong GST order, there has been no strong action from UFBU, AIBRAF, or AIBPARC.

Sir, if you believe that only you have the right to negotiate on retiree issues, then you should treat retirees on par with employees and ensure no harm is caused to them. Kindly look into your conscience—after every bipartite settlement, retirees have suffered losses in one way or another.

Now if the IBA claims that the Pension Regulation of 1995 has no provision for pension updation, why don't you oppose this? Why do you remain silent when the Finance Ministry repeats the same line in Parliament? All nine unions under UFBU seem to treat retirees as adversaries. Not even one union has ever spoken in favor of pensioners before the DFS, IBA, or CLC.

The Finance Ministry has already washed its hands off the matter by saying that if the IBA and UFBU reach an agreement on pension updation and send it to them, they will consider it. But why are you silent? The reality is that all UFBU unions and even retiree unions like AIBRAF and AIBPARC have remained mute on this issue. Regrettably, these retiree unions too have distanced themselves from real issues—writing a few token letters or organizing symbolic rallies is all they do. The poor retirees are now confused and helpless—where should they go, and whom should they tell their woes?

Without your support, pensioners' issues cannot be resolved. The RBI employees' union fully supported their retiree unions and stood up to management to ensure pension updation from 01.03.2019 for all their retirees. I request you to unite all nine UFBU unions and retiree bodies like AIBRAF and AIBPARC and raise your voice so strongly that the government is forced to implement pension updation.

Sir, I earnestly request you to understand the suffering of retirees in this painful time. If not, then please relinquish your exclusive right to negotiate on retiree issues. Why are you holding us back? In our old age, this is our only hope—that, like in RBI, bank retirees get their pensions updated from 2019, the special allowance is abolished, and medical insurance premiums are paid by banks just like for working employees. All these are legitimate demands, backed by legal provisions.

Sir, we all are at that stage in life where no one knows when we might receive our final call from above. So far, around four lakh pensioners have passed away while waiting for pension updation. The rest are waiting for their turn.

If I have used harsh language anywhere, please understand it as a reflection of our pain and frustration. Retirees are truly distressed. If you take any appropriate step in our interest, I shall remain forever grateful to you.

Before more retirees bid farewell to this world, please do something good for all pensioners and secure your own good karma, because divine justice comes silently. Life is short.

We all will soon become a story.

**Let’s try to make it a good one.**

**Ramesh Bhateja**

*A Retiree*

Now in circulation.

Karma of the papaathmas will be rewarded by the divine power in a proper and fitting way, not only in this janma but also in successive janmas. But these communists have no belief in janmas and karmas. 

Let us wait and see these thick skinned ones calling themselves as *"leaders"* in disguise. Fate never fails to show up in its existence. Rudeness will be repaid in such a rude language that makes them to understand.

[MURALIDHARA E.V. EYUNNY]

We resignees of pvt sector banks have not got their one more option to pension even though our banks are signatories to settlement. Why UFBU is keeping silent. Whether UFBU is for only public sector bank employees?. Pl give immediate attention and solve the issue.

Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer

On Mon, 29 Sept 2025 at 10:07, Mani B

<mani...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Ramachandran Bella]

Heart touching. Kudos comrade.Even after reading this if they do not take steps then it is confirmed and exposed what kind of heart those people have who are our own men!  But, we have our Almighty God who would sure do something. That is the only hope we have. Let us continue to endure comrade.

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[Daum.net]

Yes atleast now onwards if leaders behave like leaders with leadership qualities like RBI , NABARD, LIC and others, SBI and PSB pensioner wouldn't not have been faced this situation. 

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

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[Daum.net]

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