Why bank strike defer from 11th to 13th

Without any reasonable doubt many bank officers and employees have been deeply disappointed, nay, horribly dismayed, on learning that the unions have decided to defer their strike slated for 11th to 13th March 2020.

"Dismayed' is perhaps rather too mild a word to describe the travails an honest bank employee might be undergoing, for, the reason adduced by union leaders for deferring the strike indefinitely was some "positive developments" in the negotiations.

Were there indeed any positive developments? Members have been scanning all pieces of communications received from their beloved leaders after Feb 29th meeting using best available microscopes in order to discover the 'positive developments', but, unfortunately, have drawn a complete blank.

In reality, there has not been even a smidgen of positive development, not a millimetre of progress from where the negotiations were prior to the 29th Feb meeting.

The following, inter alia, are the highlights of the outcome of 'discussions' held on Feb 29th:-

1) Pension updation:- Data of pensioners to be shared with UFBU (Why did it take 34 months from first meeting to realize/recognize that both negotiating sides should have required data?).

2)Improvement in pension:- IBA is still working on it

3)Load factor :- Cost of improvement beyond the miserable 2% as in last settlement still to be worked out.

4) The 5 day week issue to be still kept open

5) Merger of special allowance with basic pay also to be still kept open - and this, notwithstanding verdict of Kerala High Court in clearest and most unambiguous terms imaginable, that not merging it with basic pay was in violation of the Pension Rules and paragraph 6 of the VII Bipartite settlement.

6. A sub-committee to be formed by including 2 members from UFBU to go into the issue of improving the load factor beyond 2%. As if to deliberately complicate the matters even further, UFBU proposes, while replying to IBA's overture, to have one representative from each constituent of UFBU on the so called 'sub-committee."

And, to add insult to the injury, there was also a threat from IBA to roll back and regress on the negotiations - from 15% to 13,5%, withdrawal of 5 day's PL encashment, etc. if strike call wasn't withdrawn - a brazen and bizarre threat nothing short of criminal act, similar to threat typically issued by a kidnapper, viz to kill or maim the hostage in case the other party wouldn't surrender.

And now, in its latest communication to the CLC, UFBU reportedly suggested that the meeting scheduled for today, i.e. March 5, 2020 also be cancelled and deferred to a later date convenient to the CLC.

And as if all this is not enough, there is a one-day strike call for March 27, 2020. Issues for this latest strike call? They are light years away from the wage negotiations.

Are all hapless bankers, members of unions constituting UFBU, wise in continuing to repose confidence in these leaders who are so blatantly betraying their interest?

My sincere feeling is it's well past high time all members bestowed serious thought on and seriously pondered this all-important question.