Thursday, January 31, 2013

NOINO writes to Unions for Joint Front

Today NOINO wrote to all 9 other (besides NOINO) Trade Unions which participate in Charter discussions for wage revision etc. with the management in LIC, inviting them to form Joint Front. The letter is self explanatory and reproduced below:

31.1.2013

The General Secretary,
__________________

Dear Brother,

Re: Formation of Joint Front for Charter & allied issues

  As you are aware, the wage revision of LIC employees is due since 1st August 2012. Today a period of six months would be completed. All the unions have submitted their respective charters. Till now, the management has not invited the unions for negotiations.

  It always so happens, that the joint front of trade unions in our institution on the issue of wage-revision is formed a good one year after it is due. It is obvious that any struggle would be stronger when unions come together to fight instead of going it alone. The delay in formation of the joint front as also the settlement of wage-revision creates resentment among the employees.

  We, therefore, propose that joint front be formed right now. Further, we also propose that along with Wage Revision, we may also take some common issues like ‘one more pension option’, ‘LTC encashment’ and more, as we arrive at a consensus, under joint front banner.

  We request you to respond to the proposal as early as possible. If you agree to it, we will need to sit together first. We can decide a place for meeting and communicate to each other. As of ours, we are ready to go anywhere; however, if a central place like Mumbai or so is decided; people will feel convenient to assemble.

  Hoping to hear positive from you,

Yours sisterly,

Anagha Sant
GS, NOINO

Saturday, January 12, 2013

NOINO meets Chairman

Yesterday, i.e. on 11th January 2013, NOINO President Prakash Javadekar, MP, Rajyasabha led a NOINO delegation to Chairman Shri Dinesh Mehrotra to discuss some pending issues of LIC employees in general & Class I Officers in particular. Shri M R Kumar, ED(Personnel) was present during these discussions. The delegation consisted of Smt Anagha Sant, GS, NOINO; Shri Ganesh Kamath, Chief Advisor, NOINO; Shri Dattaraj Prabhukhanolkar, Resident Secretary, NOINO & Shri Manish Patankar, President, NOINO, Mumbai unit. Following issues were discussed:-

  1. Batches for promotion:- The delegation expressed its unhappiness over the non-inclusion of certain batches for promotion to the cadres of ADM & DM. The delegation also reminded the management about the various short-term(splitting of portfolios; promotion by application, ADM to be posted where SBM is posted; consideration of ADM & DM cadres as interchangeable etc); & long-term solutions suggested by NOINO in this matter. Shri Mehrotra replied that due to the shortage of vacancies, it was difficult to consider the said batches. He said that all efforts were taken to try & accommodate the said batches, but was not found possible right now. He, however, said that the long-term suggestions by NOINO like granting of scales to eligible officers; running scales to avoid stagnation; Grade pay; Increment as a percentage of Basic pay & Grade pay would be definitely taken into consideration during the wage-revision. We have again insisted on considering the batches that have not been included this year for promotion. Chairman has assured to look into the matter.

  2. Discussions on Charter: - The delegation demanded immediate discussions on the wage-revision due since 1st August 2012. Chairman said that the management was awaiting the nod of the Government over this issue. On the management’s part, it has already collected the relevant data & sent to the Government for consideration.

  3. One more option for pension: NOINO has again raised this issue & urged the management to solve the issue outside wage-revision. Chairman said that the issue was being followed up with utmost seriousness with the Government & the management too, wanted that this issue be resolved at the earliest.

  4. Recruitment of Class III & Cashiers: - We said that a massive recruitment in Class III & cashiers was the need of the hour to infuse fresh blood as well as to reduce the work-load on the officers. Shri Kumar said that recruitment of ‘Assistant-cum-Cashiers’ was under consideration in the near future.

  5. Autocratic behavior of Surat/Ahmedabad SDM’s (WZ):-- Shri Javadekar said that reports of these SDM’s treating officers with contempt were being received & these would not be tolerated. He demanded that the management restrain these SDM’s. Chairman assured to look into the matter.

NOINO will continue to follow-up these issues.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Demonstrations on 28.12.2012 – a report

      As decided by Executive Committee of NOINO, the protest demonstrations were organized by NOINO at Yogakshem on 28.12.2012 on the following issues:-

  1. Not considering some batches for promotion to the cadre of ADM/DM.
  2. Immediate commencement of discussions on Charter of Demands.
  3. One more option for pension.
  4. Harassment of Class one officers on recovery of EWP.
  5. Compulsion of property returns/DOPA/P-form on class one officers.
  6. Immediate recruitment of Class III employees to ease the burden on Class I Officers. 
    There were many obstacles in the way. Many officers were on leave, some were away at ZTC, Akurdi for induction training. Some branches were in the midst of Inspection. In some places, officers were prevented from attending the demonstrations. In spite of these impediments, more than 500 local officers registered their presence. The presence of Lady Officers among them was overwhelming. The officers from the divisions outside Mumbai like Pune, Satara, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Amravati, Vadodara, were also present in good numbers.

A section of demonstrators at Yogakshema
    At exact 1.30 pm, the meeting began with robust slogan shouting on the above issues. After thunderous slogans, Shri Manish Patankar, President Mumbai NOINO welcomed Smt Anagha Sant, All India GS & our Chief Advisor Shri Ganesh Kamath.

Smt Anagha Sant, GS, speaking
Smt Anagha Sant, All India GS, spoke forcefully in her maiden speech at Yogakshem. She explained the reasons which compelled us to organize such protest demonstrations. She briefly dwelt on the issues of harassment of class I officers on recovery of EWP, Immediate discussions on charter of demands, & the need for a just and transparent promotion policy. She said that the officers need not feel isolated & NOINO would endeavour to take care of their genuine expectations. She made an earnest appeal to all present to participate whole-heartedly in all future agitations.

    Our Chief Advisor Shri Ganesh Kamath then summarized the issues in his speech. He expressed his unhappiness over the delay in resolving the issues like one more option for pension, Mediclaim Subsidy, & the delay in commencement of discussions on Charter of Demands. He reiterated NOINO’s opposition to the compulsion of filing of property returns on Class I officers and tagging this to promotion. He said that the officers were frustrated over many things like late-sitting. He said that massive recruitment of Class III employees & cashiers was the need of the hour to ease the late-sitting. The security issues involved with late-sitting, especially for female officers needed to be taken care pro-actively by the management, he said. He also said that these security issues should be taken seriously with so many untoward incidents happening around us.

     The prime focus of the meeting was non-inclusion of some batches for promotion to ADM/DM. Shri Kamath said that this move had further demoralized the Class I Officers who were toiling day & night. He demanded immediate review of the promotion policy to include the left out batches. In his speech, he also spoke about the several solutions that NOINO has offered to resolve the issue. He concluded his speech by exhorting the assembly to continue their co-operation in future agitations.

      Dattaraj Prabhukhanolkar, our All India Resident Secretary, offered vote of thanks. After one more round of slogans the demonstration programme concluded.

Activities at  other Zonal Headquarters.

While writing this report, we have also received the details of demonstrations conducted at other Zones.

Demonstration at New Delhi
·       North Zone: The demonstrations were organized at Zonal office in Delhi. Our All India Working President Dr S.B.Sharan, All India Vice President Shri S.K.Saini and all Zonal Committee members took active part, along with other officers present from Delhi. Dr S.B.Sharan informed the gathering about the prevailing situation. He also expressed his strong unhappiness over the long pending issues of class one officers. Our Zonal Secretary Shri Yash Pal Singh also raised the issues of NZ in his speech such as Proactive module for BMO’s, arbitrary and partial attitude of a section of management.
Demonstration at Chennai

·        South Zone: - In spite of the very recent formation, our SZ unit organised the demonstrations at ZO in Chennai with gusto. Our fire-brand Zonal Secretary Shri. R.Dhayalan spoke at the meeting after robust slogan-shouting by more than 60. Shri Dhayalan asserted that only NOINO could protect the interest and dignity of the class one officers. He also appealed the officers who were not members of NOINO to join NOINO immediately. The Zonal Committee later met the Zonal Manager and RM(P&IR) and conveyed the issues raised.

·   South Central Zone: The demonstration was held at Jeevan Bhagya, Hyderabad – the Zonal headquarters. After slogan shouting, Shri Hari Somayaji, Zonal Secretary addressed the gathering and talked on different issues for which demonstrations were being held all-over-India.

·      Central Zone: At Bhopal, the demonstration was held at Jeevan Prakash. A good number of officers assembled there and shouted slogans. Shri Anand Jharia, Zonal Secretary spoke on the occasion. He briefed the reasons for which NOINO had to resort to protest demonstrations at Yogakshema & all Zonal headquarters. The Zonal Committee also distributed leaflets enumerating the demands.

   ·   East Zone, East Central Zone & North Central Zone: Due to bad weather conditions demonstrations could not be held at Kolkata, Patna and Kanpur; however, officers did other activities like distribution of circulars related to demands etc. of the demonstration at these three places. Officers showed their solidarity with NOINO on the issues raised by us.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Sad news received from NOIP

Dear friends,
I am very sad to inform you that our beloved friend Shri V W Bapat breathed his last today morning in Borivli, Mumbai due to massive heart attack. Mr Bapat was Secretary, NOIP and was a catalyst in fund raising in Mumbai and in all other activities of NOIP. He was a regular attendee in all our CC Meetings including the one held in Delhi in November 2011. He was Asstt Secretary (LEGAL) in CO Mumbai and took VRS when he was having still 3-4 years service. He was just 64 at his death.
It is a great loss to NOIP and also to his family. He is survived by his wife and a married daughter.
We pray the Almighty to give the necessary courage to the bereaved family to forbear this sudden loss.
May his soul rest in eternal peace!
Ashok j Joshi
Genl Secr, NOIP

NOINO joins NOIP in the prayer..!! Our condolences go to Late Bapat’s wife and family..!!


{NOIP = National Organization of Insurance Pensioners. It is our sister Organization for Pensioners (retired employees & officers) in insurance industry. It is also affiliated to BMS.}

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

NOINO writes to the Chairman

Our General Secretary Smt Anagha Sant wrote a letter to the Chairman today wishing him a happy new year. She also drew his attention to the burning issues of Class-I within the industry. The letter is reproduced below:

1.1.2013.
------------
The Chairman,
L.I.C. of India.

Respected Sir,

Re: Wishes for the year 2013

         This is my first letter to you after my election to the post of General Secretary of NOINO. First of all, I wish you a very happy new year 2013 on my personal behalf & on behalf of NOINO. We sincerely wish that the Corporation rises to new heights under your dynamic leadership beating the hitherto negative trend. We assure you that the employees in general & officers in particular will leave no stone unturned to realize our common dream of being & remaining the best.

         We have read your message to LICians for the New Year. We fully agree with you when you say “We can do it & we shall do it”. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the Central Trade union (the largest in the country) to which NOINO is affiliated, has always believed in “Nation first, Industry next, employee there-after”.

         In the same breath, however, we would also like to remind you about the issues that are craving for attention. An early solution to these issues would go a long way in ensuring a healthy atmosphere in the Corporation, which in turn would motivate the employees & the officers to give their best. The issues like wage-revision, one more pension option, and recruitment in Class III are of paramount importance & need to be addressed quickly. The officers are also agitated & frustrated over the non-inclusion of some batches for promotion to the cadre of ADM & DM. They are also demoralized by the Damocles sword of “fixing up of responsibility” over EWP cases for their bonafide mistakes.

         Last but not the least, as you have rightly said, the crucial quarter has begun. The working hours will get longer & longer now. Being a female officer myself, I would also like to highlight the security aspect of the female officers. Many female officers are left to fend for themselves in the most un-earthly hours after they finish their work for the day (?!). With so many horrible incidents happening around us these days, this security aspect should be taken care of in a pro-active manner by the management.

         We urge you to intervene in these matters & bring succour to the officers. This will boost their sagging morale & further motivate them to do better.

Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Anagha Sant
GS, NOINO

Happy New Year !!

We wish you all a very Happy New Year, 2013..!!