MINUTES OF THE 183rd JOINT CONFERENCE HELD BETWEEN THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MANAGEMENT OF CANARA BANK AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CANARA BANK OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION AT HEAD OFFICE, BANGALORE ON 18th FEBRUARY, 2011.  

PRESENT :

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MANAGEMENT:

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION:

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Sri A K Nahar, General Manager welcomed Sri S Raman, Chairman & Managing Director and the Representatives of the Central Negotiating Team of the Canara Bank Officers’ Association and the Representatives of the Management to the Joint Conference and requested our Chairman & Managing Director to address the gathering.

While addressing the Members of the Central Negotiating Team, Sri S Raman, Chairman & Managing Director expressed his happiness over the growth of the Bank in the recent months and mentioned that having achieved a benchmark it is all the more important not only to maintain the benchmark but also improve upon it in future.  He stressed the importance of ensuring that all the branches achieve their respective targets especially under CASA, Low Cost Deposits and Retail Business.    

He reminiscenced the fact that our Bank was known for its aggressive marketing style and requested one and  all  to work  to strengthen our Retail Business.   While reiterating his commitment to make our Bank a Happy Bank, he requested the Central Negotiating Team Members of the Association, as representatives of the Majority Officers’ Association of the Bank, to spread this message amongst the employees and called for the overall support of all the Members of the Officers’ community to make our Bank a fundamentally strong Bank in the days to come.

Sri K R S Murthy, President, Canara Bank Officers’ Association, welcomed the Chairman & Managing Director and expressed his happiness regarding the approach adopted by the Bank in achieving the goals under his able leadership and assured all support from the Officers’ community to take the Bank to greater heights.

Sri M Rasupandi, Chairman, Canara Bank Officers’ Association expressed his happiness over the performance of the Bank in achieving the set targets and impressed upon the need to improve the welfare measures to the Officers’ community so that morale of the employees will be high and which in turn reflect on the future performance of the Bank.  

Sri R K Avasthi, General Secretary welcomed the Chairman & Managing Director to the Joint Conference being held after their recent Biennial Conference.  He reciprocated the views expressed by the Chairman & Managing Director and assured the continued support of the Officers’ community for achieving the corporate goals.    At the same time, he expressed that the aspirations of Officers’ community should also be taken care of and emphasized the fact that a contented employee is an asset to the Organisation and will be pivot on which the Bank will achieve its goals.

With this the following agenda items were taken up for discussion:

1. Improvement in Rental Ceilings at all Centres.

The Representatives of the Association informed that the revision has taken place four years ago and considering the fact that the rates at which the rentals have increased drastically over the last couple of years and requested for revision of Rental Ceilings at all Centres keeping in mind the realistic situations across the country.

The Representatives of the Management informed that the matter is under due examination and a suitable decision will be taken shortly.

2. Improvement / Enhancement in Reimbursement of conveyance expenses to all officers including the Probationary Officers.

 The Representatives of the Association informed that the revision has taken place seven years ago and requested for Improvement / Enhancement in Reimbursement of conveyance expenses to all Officers.

            The Representatives of the Management informed that the matter is under due examination and a suitable decision will be taken shortly. 

3. Extending the facility of reimbursement of expenses of cleaning materials to all the Officers.

The Representatives of the Association requested for extending the facility of reimbursement of expenses of cleaning materials to all the Officers.

The Representatives of the Management informed that the Competent Authority has permitted reimbursement of expenses of cleaning materials to Officers occupying Bank quarters i.e. Bank owned and Bank leased quarters only.  The matter regarding the reimbursement of cleaning materials to all the Officers will be examined.
   

4. Uncapping the ceiling on Festival Advance.

The Representatives of the Association requested for Uncapping the ceiling on Festival Advance.

The Representatives of the Management informed that recently, Board of Directors have permitted to enhance the limits for the employees who have joined the Bank on or after 06.12.1990 and the enhanced limits have been permitted from 01.01.2011. The request of the Association in this regard is noted. 

5. APAS (Annual Performance Appraisal System) – Need for communicating the ratings to the appraisees.

The Representatives of the Association while informing that in the present scenario of transparency and openness, it is not in the interest of the Officers’ community as well as the Bank to resort to confidential appraisal and requested to communicate the ratings of APAS (Annual Performance Appraisal System) to the Appraisees to enable the officers to seek up-gradation of the ratings.  

The Representatives of the Management informed that the present policy of APAS was approved by the Board of Directors after thoroughly examining the various aspects involved.   It was also informed that in the case of a rating “Below Average”, the rating is being communicated to the appraisee.  However the same will be examined.

6. Need for augmenting the officers strength through recruitment in resonance with the expansion of the presence and business.

The Representatives of the Association urged upon the need for augmenting the officers strength through recruitment in resonance with the expansion of the presence and business.

The Representatives of the Management informed that the Bank is meeting the manpower requirement from time to time by way of deployment of staff from surplus pockets, if any and also through need-based recruitment, duly taking into account rationalization of the staff including the staff requirement on account of opening of new branches. The Competent Authority has already permitted to recruit 1000 Probationary Officers, apart from Specialist Officers and 2000 Clerks.  The process of recruitment for Probationary Officers and Clerks is already over and the Probationary Officers have already joined the Bank and Clerks will be joining the Bank on 21.02.2011.  Specialist Officers are under the process of recruitment.

7. Problems tagged with the implementation of CBS.

The Representatives of the Association raised the issue of Problems tagged with the implementation of CBS and brought to the notice various problems in implementing the CBS and impressed to revive the CBS Monitoring Committee which were earlier examining such issues.   

The Representatives of the Management agreed to revive the CBS Monitoring Committee and informed that the issues raised by the Association will be discussed in the Structured Meeting to sort out the problems.

8. Fake notes – a  crisis and related problem faced by the Currency Chests.

The Representatives of the Association brought to the notice of the Management that the machines given to the Currency Chests are obsolete and frequently breaking down and unable to recognize the fake notes.   Moreover, the Vendors are also not giving AMC. They highlighted the need for supplying sophisticated machines to detect fake notes.   

The Representatives of the Management informed that the matter will be taken up with concerned Wing for necessary action after receipt of the problems in the Centers specified by the Association.

9. Providing adequate infrastructure in LPCs, CPPC, IMB, ETDS etc. and issues related to officers working in DIT Wing, HO and TM Sections in Circles.

The Representatives of the Association raised the issue of providing adequate infrastructure in LPCs, CPPC, IMB, ETDS, etc. and also raised issues relating to Officers working in DIT Wing, HO and TM Sections in Circles.

The Representatives of the Management informed that Bank has recently recruited Probationary Officers and is in the process of recruiting Technical Officers and steps are being taken to provide adequate strength and will take up the matter with the concerned Wing to examine and upgrade the technology, if need be.

10. Review of Disciplinary matters.

The Representatives of the Association took up the issue of review of disciplinary matters.       The Representatives of the Management informed that the review/appeals are considered based on the merits of each case.

The next Joint Conference will be held after mutual consultation.
 
DATED AT BANGALORE THIS THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN.

    For CANARA BANK                                           For CANARA BANK OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION
  

   A K NAHAR                                                           M RASUPANDI

   D S ANANDA MURTHY                          K R S MURTHY
    

   S N MUNSHI                                             G V MANIMARAN

   D R DESHPANDE                                               ATUL KAPOOR

   NAIR AJIT KRISHNAN                            R M JOSHI

                                                                        K S SINGH
                                               

                                                                        R K AVASTHI

                                                                        R S REEHAL

                                                                        J  VANANGAMUDI