PRATHAMA UP GRAMIN BANK OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association popularly known as AIRRBEA came into existence in the year 1978 at very initial stage of formation of RRBs in the country. AIRRBEA was the national apex body of its State Federations and RRB-level Units till 2010 and after formation of two national federations for Officers and Employees respectively under the aegis of AIRRBEA it has turned into a co-ordinating apex body of the National Federation of RRB Officers and the National Federation of RRB Employees.

AIRRBEA, directly associated with World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and resultantly, through them, with their Financial Sector Wing The Bank, Insurance & Financial Unions (BIFU), holds the overwhelming majority and representation of the total workforce of Gramin Banks of the country with a glorious history of struggle for achievements of demands of the Gramin Bank Officers and Employees like Equal Pay for Equal Work – pay-parity for all officers and employees, Regularisation of part-time workers till a certain time, Introduction of Service Regulations for RRB Employees, Fetching Social-Status of Gramin Bank Employees, Consolidation and Strengthening of RRBs through amalgamation etc and have still been endeavouring for pension-parity and parities of all other benefits and service conditions with Commercial Banks, Workers’ Representation in RRB Management, Consolidation of RRBs to form State-wise RRBs under a National Apex body delinking from the Sponsor Bank, Evolving Competitive playing-level ground with technological upgradation for RRBs etc.

The herculean task and onus for up-gradation of status of RRBs and the service conditions of staff members had to be shouldered by the AIRRBEA as it was the only Association in RRB sector in the nascent stage of RRBs and as in the way of achievement there were so many hurdles and obstacles even from the insiders. All other associations have come into the arena only after the ill-paid, disintegrated and disgruntled RRBmen got a foothold in the platform of AIRRBEA on their journey for struggle. The greatest achievement of AIRRBEA is the snatching out of EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK for the RRBmen through the award of the National Industrial Tribunal setup under the order of the Supreme Court which is recounted to be a historic struggle in workers’ liberation movement. It has got a cognizance in the recently delivered award of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

National Federation of Regional Rural Bank Officers popularly known as NFRRBO, the largest Officers’ Federation in the Gramin Banks in the country represents more than 72% of the officers across the country and enjoys majority status in 38 out of 43 RRBs in this vast country.

National Federation of Regional Rural Bank Employees popularly known as NFRRBE, the largest Employees’ Federation in the Gramin Banks in the country represents more than 82% of the employees across the country and enjoys majority status in 38 out of 43 RRBs in this vast country.

Presently the National Federations have been working as apex organisations of the respective State Federations (cadre-wise or otherwise) and the Unit-level cadre-wise Associations under the overall guidance and supervision of AIRRBEA. Flowing with its branches and tributaries the AIRRBEA is an apolitical and independent organisation having well-founded fraternity with the  democratic and like-minded organisations.

The AIRRBEA was in leading part and was instrumental to causing co-ordinated joint movement in RRB sector by all associations cutting across their political allegiance and irrespective of cadre and status which contributed to formation of UNITED FORUM OF RRB UNIONS popularly known as UFRRBU which is the common platform of RRBmen for joint movement for their economic and social demands.

The AIRRBEA is the major propagator for unity, consolidation, awareness and action for social justice for all working force and downtrodden people. This objective in view the AIRRBEA is relentless for struggle with cohesion and unison of all members of working class.

The AIRRBEA clamours with a clarion call to all RRBmen to assemble under the big umbrella of AIRRBEA to create a world free of repression, oppression and injustice with a new brightest horizon for all of us and to fulfil our demands:

Scrap Privatisation Bill 2014 – Form State level RRBs under an apex body (NRBI/NABARD) delinking from existing Sponsor Banks

Pension Scheme at par with Banking Sector

Full Parity of all other Benefits, Allowances & Service Regulations including Promotion/Recruitment Rules

Regularisation of all Casual, Contractual & Daily-Rated Workers

Appointment on Compassionate Grounds

Workers’ Participation in Management

Trade Union Rights – IBA to be Negotiating Forum – Participation of Officers/Employees in the Board of Directors of RRBs

We hope and aspire that our united effort will enable us to overcome all odds and achieve our demands in no time.

The AIRRBEA is the Light-House of the RRB People.