JOINT Forum of Trade Unions and Associations (JFTU) in public sector general insurance (PSGI) companies has given a call of dharna at all Regional Centers in the country for their legitimate demands. The employees are demanding early discussion on wage revision, pending since August 2017, scrapping of National Pension System (NPS) and offering 1995 Pension Scheme to all, updation of pension, uniform 30% family pension and urging the Government to repeal GIBNA Amendment Act 2021. On February 21 and February 22, the PSGI employees sent mail to Union Finance Minister and Department of Financial Services. On February 24 and February 25, instant postcards were sent by the employees to Finance Minister for settlement of their long pending wage revision. On Monday, the PSGI employees working at Nagpur staged dharna in front of the Regional Office of National Insurance Company Ltd., situated at Mount Road, Sadar.

 

The aggrieved employees shouted slogans and condemned the Government and General Insurers (Public Sector) Association of India during the dharna. Also lunch hour demonstrations were organised as a part of dharna programme. After the demonstrations meeting was addressed by Anil Sakharkar of GIBCEWA and Prashant Dixit, Working Committee Member of GIEAIA. Anil Sakharkar condemned the Government and GIPSA management for delaying the genuine demands of PSGI employees. He said, “Since 54 months the issue of wage revision is pending, but we have observed the casual approach of Finance Minister.” Prashant Dixit of GIEAIA in his address said, Government is drafting and implementing policies to favour private players in the general insurance industry. He said, instead of strengthening offices, Government directed PSGI companies to downsize its number of offices under closer and merger policy.

 

When the offices of PSGI companies will be closed/merged, local insurers will not have any alternative, but to go to private companies in their areas, which will benefit private general insurance companies only, Dixit said. He condemned Government for disinvestment in LIC. Cabinet had given nod to issue 20% of IPO of LIC to foreign investors. Leaders of various JFTU constituents - Deepak Gotmare, Nitin Rambhad and Anil Ghodmare of GIEU (WZ), Rajendra Saroj, Anant Borekar and Anand Telang of NICOA, Anil Nimje, Pradeep Awachat and Sanjay Shionkar of UIICOA, Ajit Ranade, Prashant Barhanpurkar and Mangesh Karanjkar of BVKS, Omkar Shende & Vinod Sakhare of AIGISC/STEP (J) were present. Gita Moni, Poonam Moon, Shital Bhopale, Nilima Godbole, Anil Rishi, Ritesh Sonare, Pravin Kakde, Vinod Harde, Vijay Nimje and Suryakant Khapekar took efforts for success of dharna.