The Cabinet took this decision on May 1, 2010 while approving the National Labour Policy, 2010, presented by the Ministry of Labour and Manpower.
Section 27-B, which was incorporated in BCO during Nawaz Sharif's government, prohibits misuse of bank's resources for union activities; prohibits carrying weapons in banks; bans carrying out union activities during office hours; prohibits subjecting bank officials to physical harassment or abuse; and also prohibits non-employees to be office-bearers of bank unions.
According to the SBP, Section 27-B neither curtails the right to form trade unions guaranteed under the constitution, nor does it violate instruments of international law that by no means promote undesirable acts such as display of arms in the workplaces or physical and verbal abuse of colleagues.
Section 27-B was introduced to protect against unhealthy union activities that were being carried out in connectivity with the active support of outside elements. The unfortunate state of affairs prevailing in the banking industry prior to 1997 explains the significance of Section 27-B of BCO.
Highly politicised and disgruntled elements, mostly outsiders, were misusing the union platform for promoting their personal interests at the cost of the depositors' money. These elements held banks management hostage and humiliated bank staff by their unfair demands. Bank facilities like telephone, cars and other resources were being badly misused.
The Cabinet was informed that the Prime Minister, in his first policy address to the National Assembly after a unanimous vote of confidence, had emphasised the need to address labour issues, and announced the lifting of ban on trade unions, and repealed the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002, Removal From Service (Special Powers) Ordinance 200 and other anti-labour laws.
The Cabinet, after detailed discussion, approved the following proposals, submitted by the Labour and Manpower: (i) Enhancement of minimum monthly wage from Rs.6000 to Rs.7000; (ii) payment of wages to employees through bank cheques/transfers; (iii) introduction of Universal Registration Scheme; (iv) launching of smart card through Nadra; (v) all registered workers under universal scheme to benefit from Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) schemes, including those on housing, education (fee, uniform, transportation, books/stationery), scholarships (higher studies abroad also), marriage grant to female workers and daughters of workers (Rs70,000 each case), death grant (Rs300,000; (vi) provision of medical facilities to retired registered workers and their dependants from Social Security Institutions; (vii) legal aid from WWF to terminated workers subject to maximum of Rs 15000; (viii) referral to public/private hospitals in absence of facilities at Provincial Social Security Institution hospitals at institution's expense; (ix) application of Employees' Old-age Benefits Act to the contingent/project employees of statutory bodies; (x) enhancement of EOB pension in sync with government servants pension; (xi) payment of survivor's pension to disabled child for life and unmarried daughter till marriage; (xii) reduction of age from 55 years to 50 years for entitlement of old-age pension in case of mine workers; (xiii) establishment of Review Board to review the cases of workers dismissed under the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance, 2000; ( xiv) payment of survivor's pension without any condition of insurable employment under EOB Act;(xv) introduction of Matric-Tech scheme in WWF schools; (xvi) establishment of labour market information system and human resource centres and; (xvii) setting up of tripartite monitoring committees at District, Province and Federal levels.