CONFEDERATION HAS WRITTEN TO THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF AIRF

REQUESTED FOR CONVENING OF THE MEETING OF ALL ORGANISATIONS IN NATIONAL COUNCIL JCM FOR FORMING A JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION TO PURSUE DEMANDS LIKE 7th CPC.

D/12/2012

Dated: 31.12.2012

Dear Comrade,

                I may invite your kind reference to the letter on the subject I had sent you earlier, wherein I had requested you to take initiative in convening a meeting of the leaders of all organisations participating in the JCM.  JCM as a negotiating forum, as you are aware, has virtually come to a halt.  It was in May, 2010 that the National Council met on the last occasion.  Barring Railways, Defence and to some extent the Postal, the Departmental Councils of other Ministries/Departments have not been meeting since 1995.  In some departments, these councils have ceased to exist as the Government on one pretext or the other has not been granting recognition to the Service Associations, even though they had complied with all the conditions stipulated in the CCS(RSA) Rules,  1993.  Most of these organisations having only a few thousand members are incapable of forcing upon a decision in the matter through agitation. 

                Though we had been raising this issue on a number of occasions and despite solemn assurances held out by the official side, nothing tangible has come about.  It is unlikely that the Government will consider revival of the negotiating forum unless we jointly demand effective functioning of the JCM at all levels and follow it up with joint agitational actions.

                As you are aware, the 6^th CPC made very retrograde recommendations in respect of Group B,C and D employees.  The Pay band prescribed for the above category of employees was equal to the pay+DPA +DA i.e. 1.86 times of the minimum of the basic pay of the lowest in the group, whereas the pay band for Group A posts was fixed by multiplying their prescribed basic pay by a factor ranging from. 2.2 to 2.63 (S.30, S.25).  Similarly grade pay was to be 40% of maximum of pre-revised pay scales whereas in the case of Group A officers it was later revised to 44 to 49%.

                Several anomalies were raised by us in the National Anomaly Committee.  After procrastinated discussions, except cosmetic changes, none was settled.  I have now been informed that even what was agreed to in the last meeting of the National Anomaly Committee, has been turned down by the Finance Ministry.  In all through the discussions at the Anomaly committee meetings, you must have noticed that reasoning has been the casualty. 

                The high ranging inflation in the economy especially in the last 3 years has caused soaring rise in the prices of all essential commodities especially food items.  Major portion of the salary of the low paid workers is consumed for accessing the food items.  The prices adopted by the 6^th CPC in determination of the minimum wage have now registered an increase of more than 162% and the DA compensation is just 72%.  This apart, the recommendation of the 6^th CPC being effective from 1.1.2006 has been in vogue for 5 years as on 1.1.2011.  In the case of all Public Sector undertakings, the Govt. has now agreed to effect wage revision after every five years.  We have, therefore, to demand the setting up the 7^th CPC without any further delay  It has been our experience, as you will agree with me, that the Government had agreed for setting up pay commission for wage revision only when we unitedly placed the demand and backed up the same with recourse to strike action. 

                There are other issues too which brooks no delay in bringing about settlement viz. the implementation of arbitration awards, merger of DA with pay, withdrawal of the PFRDA Bill, compassionate appointments etc.etc.

                The AIRF is the biggest Federation representing the largest number of Railway workers amongst the Central Government employees and naturally we expect you to kindly take initiative in convening a meeting of the leaders of all organisations participating in the JCM to form a JCA to pursue the long pending issues demands of Central Government employees.  I shall also be grateful for favour of your considered view in the matter.

                With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

S.K. Vyas

President

To

Com: Shiv Gopal Mishra General Secretary,

All India Railwaymen Federation 4, State Entry Road,

New Delhi - 110001