UBOAK Magazine | Jan Mar 2020

MANAGING EDITORS COLUMN

Dear comrades, colleugues & well wishers,

At the onset, I wish everyone a Happy and prosperous Vishu.

We are undergoing the trying times, when COVID 19 pandemic is taking lives across the world, continuing to destroy the man kind as such. This precarious situation has spoiled the morale of our society and destroyed the livelihood of lakhs and lakhs of indians. As a responsible trade union we must resolve to stand strong as a formidable force to help the needy & support the poor. Now amidst the chaos, government implemented amalgamation of PSB's. Our bank took over the Corporation & Andhra banks and now new members have joined "Union Pariwar".

This is a very challenging scenario when some unsocial activities and disturbances are purposefully created in social media by a nexus of anti trade unionists, who have a sole motive of destroying the unity & dignity of our trade union. All India Bank Officers Confederation with a majority in all the three amalgamated banks will emerge as a mighty force under the auspices of AIBOC to serve the officers fraternity with more passion and zeal. Our membership will be around 40000 officers combined which will be the most formidable force in the industry as such. We must understand and defend the negative mind set of certain people who enjoy in social media adventurism.

Now a days, social media, including whatsapp and Facebook has been a platform to vent out the frustration of many. But some are violently mudslinging others, with derogatory remarks and personal comments which is truly condemnable. We must keep our pace since we have a lot of obligation towards our members, to protect them from discrimination & high handedness

Union Bank Officers Association (Kerala State) will be celebrating the golden jubilee in 2021 October and hence 2020-21 will be our Golden Jubilee Year. A series of programs will be chalked out by the Executive Committee and we solicit the active involvement of one and all.

Union Disha, the face magazine of UBOA(KS) / AIUBOF / AIBOC is relaunched in a more digital format, and at the offset let me congratulate the editorial team for publishing such a wonderful magazine. As Rachel Anders told, the journey of a life time starts with the turning of a page. The reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are. Reading is an act in empathy where it takes us to a different world and asks us to look into some others perspective. Reading will defenitely change your social spectacle & will encourage you to think different. Hope this magazine clarifies its purpose during this lock down days.

There is no one as loyal as a book. When Union Bank Officers Association (Kerala State) launch this magazine, we defenitely believe that Union Disha takes the readers for journey into the socio - economic - political scenario of banking & bankers.

Stay safe from the dreadful pandemic, COVID 19. Lets emerge into a more socially responsible trade union with a empathy towards the discriminated working class

Finally but importantly, a message for the haters.. !!!

The dogs with the loudest barks are the ones that are most afraid. Be like a lion ever ready to hunt, not like a dog ever ready to bark. So dear haters, our team UBOA Kerala State / AIBOC have so much more for you to be jealous & mad, keep patience. Keep carrying the rumours, which will only be forwarded by fools & accepted by idiots

EDITORS COLUMN

It is after a long interval that the new edition of Union Disha is being published. The Magazine is now completely made online and videos also can be published in the Magazine. This time, the Thoolika group and Disha Chithram group participated in preparation of the Magazine by giving News articles and photos. This edition also incorporates the videos of Dyuthi 2020 which can be seen in the Video Gallery section.

Arts and Sports play a huge role in bringing together people from various walks of life. We started our arts and sports initiative through Dyuthi and now it has grown to be a mega event. Steps are being taken to develop Dyuthi into an Arts and Sports club and already we have various WhatsApp groups on Music, Acting, writing and Photography. Now the written articles and photo materials in the magazine are provided by these groups. Interested individuals may contact me so that they can be added to corresponding groups.

It is a very proud moment for all the comrades that our General Secretary Sri. Sreenath Induchoodan has been appointed as the General Secretary of Kerala State AIBOC unit. A very well-deserved position and we are waiting to see him grow to greater heights so that he can serve more people. Under his leadership, we have developed Union Bank Officers Association - Kerala State Unit into a much stronger Employees Association often springing into action for the goodwill of the Union Bank officers fraternity all over India. Our activities in Kerala State under his leadership are seen as model by many other state units and even by other Bank Associations. Now that Comrade Sreenath has been selected as the State AIBOC General Secretary, we have greater responsibility to the whole Banking sector of Kerala. The young turks of UBOA (KS) will not fail and will not tire. Our unity and diversified activities are already popular in the Banking fraternity all over Kerala.

A great pandemic, COVID-19, is spreading all across the world and many lives are being lost. Many great nations are stunned by the great loss of lives this Virus is inflicting on the society. Our Nation has declared a 21-day Lockdown on 24th March 2020, but we Bankers cannot rest. We deal with the financial sector of this great nation. We are out there, while our brothers and sisters are at home. It is through us that the government distributes many monetary benefits to the society, it is through us that salaries and pensions are paid, it is through us that many MSME units function, it is to us that the poor to the rich look upon for the safe keeping of their wealth. We are the financial army of this nation. Being a Public sector Bank, our responsibilities are greater. These are testing times, we are working hard in-spite of the spread of this contaminating virus for the service of the nation even by staying away from our family and loved once. Many out of state officers are also doing their service at far off and remote places, away from their home. There are going to be huge economic impacts due to the restrictions being implemented across the country, but we will overcome. The Association will be tirelessly working to ensure that our fellow comrades are safe, that everyone are allowed to safely travel to work, that no one is left hungry during the lockdown. All the important communications and information are passed on through the multiple Social Media outlets that we have. Letâ€™s not let this virus kill our morale. We will overcome.