The settlement obtained in November 1992 has not been implemented by the centre, president of the All India Gramin Bank Employees Association, SD Dopeshwarkar said in a statement here today.

Dopeshwarkar said the Allahabad high court had initiated contempt proceedings by serving a notice returnable on January 11, 1999 on the ministry of finance for non-implementation of the sixth bipartite settlement.The Kerala and Karnataka high courts have also ruled in favour of pay parity between regional rural banks and their sponsoring banks, All India Gramin Bank Employees Association's Dopeshwarkar said.

The united forum of nine unions of bank employees and officers which has given a call for strike on January 12, 1999 for expeditious wage settlement in the commercial banking sector,has also supported the demand.

These unions have called up on the union finance ministry to immediately implement the sixth bipartite settlement. The regional rural bank employees would also hold demonstrations on January 12 as an expression of solidarity with the sponsor bank employees and officers.