CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL
GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
1st Floor, North Avenue
PO Building, New Delhi - 110 001
Website :
www.confederationhq.blogspot.com
e-mail :
confederationhq@gmail.com
President
K.K.N.Kutty
09811048303
|
Secretary General
M.Krishnan
09447068125
|
No.CONF/2015
Date : 12-06-2015
Dear Comrade,
As indicated in our last
circular letter, the final meeting with the 7th CPC was held on
9.6.2015. Earlier on 8th
afternoon, the Staff side had met separately to chalk out the course of
negotiations. The National JCA also met
on the same day. The National Anomaly
Committee met on 9th June, 2015 at 3.00 pm under the Chairmanship of
Joint Secretary (E) Department of Personnel at Room No. 72 North Block, New Delhi. We give hereunder a brief synopsis of the
discussions at all the meetings.
1. Meeting
with 7thCPC
The following
Staff Side members were present at the Meeting:
Coms. M.
Raghavaiah (Leader Staff Side – NFIR), Shiv Gopal Mishra (Secretary, Staff
Side-AIRF), Com. Guman Singh, R.P. Bhatnagar and Com.Sharma (all from NFIR),
Com. Rakhal Dasgupta, Com. J.R Bhosale (AIRF) Com. KKN Kutty, M.S. Raja and
Com. M. Krishnan (from Confederation and NFPE) Com. Srikumar and Com. R.N.
Pathak (from AIDEF) Com. Srinivasan and Com. Surjeet Singh ( From INDWF)
(a) Date
of effect: The Chairman has made it clear that the Commission would
recommend 1.1.2016 as the date of implementation of their recommendations. The Commission would
finalise its report by end of August and would submit the same to the
Government thereafter. They would adopt
Dr. Aykroyd formula for the computation of the Minimum wage. To the specific
query made by the Staff Side, the
Commission said that they would factor the probable increase in the rate of
retail prices of the commodities and would arrive at the minimum wage as on
1.1.2016. There had been no reply to the loss of wages to the employees due to
the erosion of the real value of wages as there was no interim relief or
benefit accrued from the merger of DA.
These demands, therefore, stand rejected.
(b) Increase
in the insurance coverage in cases of death in harness: The Staff Side recalled the assurance held
out by the Commission earlier to have the actuarial assessed by an expert
agency to accede to the demand of the staff side to increase the subscription
and the insurance coverage. The Staff
Side was of the opinion that their suggestion to share the subscription in the
ratio of 3:7 was reasonable but in the absence of an expert study, the
Government might not accept the same.
The commission said that they would explore the possibility of such an
assessment by the LIC before finalization of the report.
(c) Fitment
formula. The Commission might accept
the suggestion made by the Staff Side in respect of fitment formula with
requisite change in the ratio on the basis of the quantum of minimum wage
determined.
(d) Open
ended pay scales: The Commission would recommend open ended pay scales as
suggested by the Staff Side.
(e) In
the matters of rate of increment, quantum of allowances etc, the
Commission did not come out clearly of their thinking in the matter.
(f) Parity
in pension entitlement of the past and present pensioners. The Commission is yet to make up its mind
on the suggestion made by the staff side in the matter. They however said that almost all the
Pensioners organizations which met the Commission had pleaded for this and the
same is linked with the one rank one pension demand of the Armed forces
personnel.
(g) MACP
scheme . The difficulties and
anomalies pointed out by the Staff Side and various other organizations have
been taken note of by the
Commission. The Commission assured to
evolve a methodology to resolve the problem.
(h) Opposition
to the induction of casual/daily rated workers and contractorisation. The Commission said that they were opposed to
the unfair practice of exploitation of labour.
For jobs which are of perennial and permanent character, regular workers
must be recruited, the Commission added and that would obviate the need for
outsourcing and contractorisation.
Since most of the outsourced jobs
do not require any academic qualification, the Commission was of the opinion
that the revival of Group D cadre would help to address the issue. However, the Commission stated that if only
the staff side sends in a communication in writing, the Commission would be
able to make any recommendation in the matter. The Staff Side reiterated that
they are totally opposed to outsourcing, induction of casual workers and
contractorisation and the same has been made explicit in their memorandum.
(i) Parity
in the pay scales between the personnel in the Central Sectt and those in the
subordinate establishments.
The
Commission stated that they have appreciated the stand taken by the Staff Side
in the matter.
The
Commission was non committal on other issues raised by the Staff Side members.
2. National
Anomaly Committee meeting
The meeting
was held at Room No. 72 North Block, under the Chairmanship of J.S(E)
Department of Personnel and Training. In the initial remarks, the Staff side
raised the following issues.
(a) Though
the official side had promised to provide an action taken statement on all
issues in the National Council, the same has not been supplied;
(b) No
date for the National Council is indicated.
(c) No
indication of the steps taken to convene the Departmental Councils. The
official side had assured of the convening of the Departmental Council of the
Ministry of Finance in the last meeting.
However, the staff side has not been apprised of any date so far.
(d) Abnormal
delay in replying to the references made to the Ministry of Finance, Department
of Personnel from the Railways and other Ministries.
(e) The
necessity to increase the ceiling limit of the rebate in Incometax for the allowances
given to the Loco Pilots.
(f) Non-adherence
to the GOI instructions by the Defence Ministry in certain matters.
The Official
side stated that the Action taken Statement was almost ready but for certain
comments from Certain departments. The
same would be sent to the staff Side and another meeting held to discuss the
course of action required on items where no agreement could be reached. The JS (per) stated that some of the
references received from the Railways had been sent back to them for clarification
before a final decision is taken.
Regarding increase in the rebate ceiling under the Income tax Act, the
matter would be referred to the revenue department and requested the staff side
to appreciate that the same has to be considered in a wider perspective. Thereafter the agenda items, which had not
been discussed even once were taken up.
(ii)
Anomaly in the Pay Band and Grade Pay assigned
to the Group B Officers of the Audit and Accounts, Incometax, , Central Excise
and Customs and Postal Departments.
(Agenda Item No. 1 and 8 taken together.) Despite agreeing that there
existed an anomaly in the matter, the official side expressed their inability
to proceed further in the matter as the Group B Gazetted Officers were beyond
the ambit of the JCM scheme. However,
they agreed that the Govt. would take up
the issue specifically with the 7th CPC. Com.Shiv Gopal Mishra said
that the Govt. must consider a JCM set up for the promote officers as their
cases are not heard or discussed at any other forum. Com. Kutty said that the items were
introduced as early as in 2009 and it was not correct on the part of the
official sided to state that the same would be referred to the 7th
CPC. Normally the Pay Commission would
not entertain to consider the anomalies of the earlier Commissions. However, after some discussions, it was agreed
that they would discuss the issue of audit & accounts scale (AAOs)
separately after receiving a note from Staff Side and in respect of others, a
note will be submitted to the 7thCPC.
(iii)
Anomaly in the pay and Grade Pay of Data
Processing Assistants Grade A.. The official side did not agree with the
contention that the assigning of higher grade pay to certain categories of
officers (7450-11500 and Grade Pay4600) was arbitrary. The Government, they added, had acted upon
the recommendation of the 6th CPC. They also said that only in those
cases where the pre-revised pay scales were in 6500-10500 such up-gradation had
been made. In the case of DPA Grade A,
they were in the pre revised scale of pay of Rs. 5500-9000.
(iv) Item No.3. Grant of Grade pay of Rs. 4200 to Lab
Technicians. The official side said that the orders have been issued in the
matter.
(v) Item No.4. Up-gradation of Pay Band and Grade
pay of LDCs and UDCs.
The Staff
Side made the following points in support of the item:
(a) The
Grade pay of Rs. 1900 assigned to LDCs by the 6th CPC was without any logic and without
appreciating the existing vertical relativity
between Group D and LDCs and LDCs and UDCs.
(b) While
creating the non functional grade in the grade pay of Rs. 4200 in the Central
Secretariat, the Department of Personnel, which is the nodal department for all
matters concerning the common categories, did not extend the benefit to the
UDCs in the Subordinate offices.
(c) The
Staff side also pointed out the Department while restructuring the cadre of
stenographers in the Central Sectt. earlier, had extended the benefit to all
Stenographers in the subordinate offices.
The official
side stated that it was not possible for them to address the issue, whatever
may be its justification in the background of the setting up of the 7th
CPC. They however, assured to make a
reference specifically to the Commission.
(vi) Item No.5. Senior Clerks in DMS to be assigned
grade pay of Rs. 4200. The matter was stated to be sub-judice.
(vii) Item No. 6 and 12. - Removal of anomaly in the
case of artisans staff of different departments & Master Craftsmen pay
scale in MMS in Postal Department The
two agenda items being identical were take up together. The Staff side pointed
out the glaring discrimination in the matter. They also stated that the number
of employees involved is very small. On behalf of the Postal Department it was
stated that the recruitment qualification in the Postal Department was VIII
Standard and ITI whereas in other establishment, the academic qualification
stipulated was X Standard. The Staff side contested the same pointing out that
no person is entitled to be admitted to ITI without having X standard qualification. They pointed
out that the merger of Artisan Grade I and Charge hand was the root cause of
the problem. The official side took the
stand that in any case the anomaly cannot be removed at this stage and have to
wait till the 7th CPC recommendations are made.
(viii)
Item No. 7. Parity in pay scales between the
Central Sectt. and subordinate offices. The official side said that the
up-gradation of the pay scale of Central Sectt. Assistants were on well found
grounds. The Government had considered the repercussion of the said decision
and therefore, the decision is not possible to be either reversed or extended
to any other category of employees. They
added that perhaps the 7th CPC before whom the matter is already
agitated by the employees organizations of the subordinate offices might take a
decision in the matter.
(ix)
Item No. 9 and 10. Higher grade pay for Medical
Assistants and Store keepers. The Defence Ministry was asked to submit a
detailed note to the Ministry of Finance indicating the duties and
responsibilities assigned as also the recruitment qualifications stipulated in
the RR to enable them to reconsider the issue.
(x)
Children Educational Allowance for any two
children. The official side stated that the
deviation made in identifying the eldest two children was consciously done
taking into account the National Population policy and various other factors
and is not likely to be changed.
Regarding the claim for reimbursement of expenses incurred in the
nursery class, as such institutions or classes are not linked to any
Educational Boards, the official side said that they would look into the matter
with a view to find a solution thereof.
National
JCA meeting on 8th June.
The National JCA which met at the Staff side
office on 8th June, 2015 took note of the fact quite a few States
are yet to hold the State level conventions.
The meeting also noted that the
strike decision taken on 28th April, 2015 has not been
percolated down to the rank and file of the workers. The meeting wanted the affiliate to realize
that the denial of the demand for wage revision to be effective from 1.1.2014
and the consequent denial of interim relief and the benefit of merger of DA
with pay must be viewed very seriously as the said decision will have a far
reaching consequence. The Government
would not in future will discard the age old practice of grant of I.R. and
merger of DA for ever. It has decided to
appeal to all the affiliates to chalk out independent programmes of actions in
the months to come and to carry out the same in all seriousness so that the
employees become fully aware of the possible outcome of the 7thCPC . The
Chairman and Convenor of the National JCA will get in touch with those
States, where the programme has not been carried out. The meeting decided to convey to the members
that the minimum wage computation, in the given situation would be on an
imaginary basis. The National JCA was of
the opinion that a meeting of all office bearers of the participating
organizations must be convened at Delhi somewere in the month of July to chalk
out the programmes of action to be pursued by theCGEs togher
It was
informed at the house that both Defence and Railways would be taking their
strike ballot and would be concluded in the first week of October. The meeting
decided to advise the other units to chalk out progammes of action in July so
that an ambience of struggle could be created. The NJCA also took note of the
painful fact that despite assurances, Government was not convening the Departmental
Councils and the JCM has been allowed to become defunct.
The National
JCA in conclusion decided to appeal to all affiliates to take concrete steps to
invigorate the joint movement of the Central Government employees and meet the
challenge that is like to arise on receipt of the recommendations of the 7th
CPC.by creating an atmosphere of Unity, and determination to carry out the call
of indefinite strike action scheduled to
commence on 23rd November, 2015..
With
greetings,
Yours
fraternally,
M.Krishnan
Secretary
General
