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 8thafternoon,
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
