One important fact to be noted about the strike in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the participation of officers. This is the second time it is happening. On the first occasion it was by officers only and it was way back in the 1970s during the time of S Jagannathan as the governor. The anomalies in salaries then were such that staff members used to have them reduced on promotion or get an extra Rs 20 or so for shouldering higher responsibilities!
It was during his time that the revision of pay scales of RBI employees was referred to the finance ministry for approval for the first time. Compare this situation with that earlier. Then I heard from a senior official of the Life Insurance Corporation of India that, when its chairman approached the finance minister for the approval of the revision of the pay scales of employees, he was advised to consult the RBI Governor L K Jha.
In the past, RBI employees had only the benefit of contributory provident fund. When the pension scheme was introduced, those who opted for it had to give up the PF contribution of the Bank. Now when the Pay Commission recommends updating the basic pension whenever pay scales of government employees are revised, the RBI staff are denied the facility on some illogical grounds. The worst case is of those who retired before 1986 who are not eligible for pension. After considerable efforts of the RBI Retired Employees Association, they were able to get some ex-gratia. Many who retired in the 1980s at the age of 58 are still alive and they spent the meagre amounts of PF and gratuity they received within a few years due to inflation. Now many of them can hardly have two square meals a day.
Political lobbying is more effective than industrial action. Look at the manner in which the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was extended to the whole country by the Prime Minister who lost no time, for the obvious reason, in implementing Rahul Gandhi's suggestion to that effect. In the normal course it should have necessitated the appointment of a high-level committee to study its financial implications. RBI employees should try to get the support of Rahul Gandhi to redress their genuine grievances.
A Seshan, via email
