RBI staff writes to Governor Shaktikanta Das on delay in wage settlement; no resolution yet

Reserve Bank of India

All India Reserve Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has written to Governor Shaktikanta Das seeking intervention in the wage settlement issue of central bank employees. RBI staff wages are decided through a bipartite settlement once in five years through negotiations between management and employee unions. The current round of wage revision is pending since November, 2017.

The wage settlement applies to all central bank staff although officers typically get slightly higher revision compared with lower level employees. The Indian central bank has around 12500-13000 employees.

Delay upsets RBI employees

The delay in wage negotiations has irked the unions as the RBI is yet to give a final decision on the matter. According to the letter written by AIRBA, representatives of AIRBEA were asked to come to Mumbai for a physical meeting with RBI’s negotiating team on September 22, 2021 in presence of Executive Director in-charge of Administration.

Accordingly, AIRBEA invited its leaders from various centres to Mumbai. However, on September 24, 2021, though the AIRBEA representatives waited for the whole day for RBI's draft settlement which did not come, the letter said. “In the evening we were informed by the HRMD (Human Resource Management Department) officials that because of some constraints, Bank was not enabled to give us the draft and we were asked to come on Monday, the 27th September, 2021,” the letter said.

Moneycontrol has a copy of the letter.

Due to this, about twenty-five AIRBEA representatives had to prolong their stay in Mumbai in anticipation of the draft.

But on September 27, “after an agonizing wait for the whole day, we were told in the evening that Bank was not able to give us the draft, neither was HRMD in a position to state when that could be given, and suggested that instead of waiting in Mumbai we could go back to respective centres,” the letter said.

“That was stunning, to say the least,” said the letter, adding HRMD officials could not explain what the delay was for and what was the uncertainty about.

“Keeping AIRBEA office bearers and other representatives waiting in Mumbai for days and then asking them to go back without any rhyme or reason, when they have fully co-operated all throughout and the staff everywhere had been waiting for a settlement after a long delay was extremely frustrating and also insulting for the Association and its entire membership, you will please appreciate,” the letter said.

“Such a situation never arose in the history of bipartite settlement in the Bank from 1970 onwards. We are extremely agitated” says the letter.

Call to Governor for resolution

The employees have asked Governor to find an early solution to the wage issue.

“Sir, you are the respected head of the institution, the head of our family. The negotiation process started with your kind concurrence. You were keen to settle at the earliest, we are aware. At your instance only HRMD started at right earnest with consecutive meetings. Why suddenly it is stalled at the fag end is baffling indeed,” asked the letter.

Further, such a delay is bound to create strong resentment all around, the association letter said.

When contacted, Samir Ghosh General Secretary of AIREBA told Moneycontrol that he was hopeful of a resolution on the wage settlement issue soon.