GNS writes.

Friends,

Our court case

          There are lot of enquiries from our anxious and agonised members about our court case.

The Next Date for our Hearing in the SC was indicated for 17th March and now we find that the same has been rescheduled to 24^th march, which is also not definite. We may perhaps need to wait for the confirmation. The SC is closed for Holi from 9th to 15th, in which case, the announcement regarding date and number  might come later. It is also beset with its own problems, having to handle sensitive and urgent matters like Sabarimala, Anti-CAA, Nirbhaya criminals case etc, and is under great pressure to get ahead with routine matters like ours. Moreover information reaching  us state that the SC is going to hear urgent cases only, and unless the situation changes, in the normal course, our case is not likely to find a place in the regular list of 24^th  March also. So we will have to wait and see.

Moreover, our president is of the firm opinion that  the SLP having reached almost the final stage, our objective should be to work for achieving a positive and a fair outcome, even if it requires a wait, and not to try to hurry the process which could  end up in a negative culmination. The DA arrears case  fought by us for a long period with the tolerated delay, ultimately gave us some positive outcome though did not satisfy all to the full extent.  It is to be remembered that some  other similar cases ended up in the adverse.

Banks seem to have come to a steady position, on their Negotiations with the IBA, on their Demands. So we may see a kind of agreement concluded, with certain aspects which may include Revision of Pension also, which will be a feather on their cap. This  definitely will have a bearing on us also, as it is the policy of the Government to treat both Banks and Insurance sectors more or less on equal footing.

          Since the Negotiations with LIC  Employee Associations is likely to follow, these are good bench-marks to start on , as they sit for talks. We also understand that the Class I,II,III & IV associations of LIC which made a representation, on the delay of starting of the wage negotiations,   to the LIC Management,  had included pension revision also as one of their demands.  If you ignite your memory, you will be able to recollect that our Federation General Secretary during December 2019 had written to Shri Rajkumar, General Secretary of the in-service   class I officers to include in their charter pension revision as one of the demands and the same had been taken up. So when  the Negotiations with LIC  Employee Associations commence, these are good bench-marks to start on , as they sit for talks.

         

The All India Federation  has recently issued a call, to its affiliated Associations, to strengthen the financial position of the Federation, to meet any contingencies that may arise due to extended Court Case in the SC.  The good start is that  Sri T R Madhava Rao, one of our senior members,  has spontaneously made a payment of Rs. 3000/- to the Association.

Our appeal to the other  members of the Chennai Association to follow suit.

 Loss of two more members of the Chennai Association

          While we had talked of some positive aspects we are also forced to inform our members the loss of two of our senior members.

Our president writes:

“I am shocked at the demise of Shri C S Venugopal last month. It is unfortunate that though he is reported to have expired on 27th of last month,  we had no information about it. Anyway his passing away removes from our midst yet another veteran member. We shall all be missing his gentle but assertive voice and his subtle sense of humour. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the family and pray for his soul to rest in peace”.

“I regret to report that one of our senior most members shri PVS Varadachari (91) peacefully passed away this morning (13/3/2020) at his residence at   Paruthipattu, near Avadi chennai.   He was quite normal and mobile till recently and according to his son who called me to convey the sad news  his end came following a cardiac arrest.    Known to many of us as a deeply religious person shri Varadachari endeared himself to all in LIC by his pleasant manners and exemplary humility.
            We convey our heartfelt condolences to the members of his family in this hour of their bereavement.  May his soul rest in peace !!
- GN Sridharan.