Central Employees submit charter of demand to Cabinet Secretary
Friday, December 11, 2015
CHARTER OF DEMANDS - JCM (NC) STAFF SIDE
CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1. Re-compute the minimum wage on the basis of the actual commodity prices as on
1.7.2015 and factor the Dr. Aykroyd formula stipulated percentages for housing and socialobligations, children education etc. Revise the fitment formula and pay levels on thebasis of the so determined minimum wage;
We are not in agreement with the methodology adopted by the 7th CPC incomputing the minimum WAGE. We give hereunder briefly the reasons thereof.
1. The retail prices of the commodities quoted by the Labour bureau is irrational, imaginary and even absurd in respect of certain articles at certain places. The StaffSide had objected to the adoption of those rates in its meeting with the Commissionon 9th June, 2015.
2. The adoption of 12 monthly average of the retail prices is contrary to Dr. Aykroyd formula. Same is the case with the reduction effected by the Commission onhousing and social obligation factors. The house rent allowance is not a fullcompensation of the expenditure incurred by an employee for obtaining an accommodation. Therefore, no reduction on that count in arriving at the minimumwage is permissible. We may cite the minimum wage computation made by the3rd CPC in this regard, The employees were in receipt of HRA even at that time. But still the 3rd CPC, and rightly so, adopted the 7.5% as the factor for housing. In respect of the addition to be made for children education and social obligation asper the Supreme Court judgement, (25%) the Commission has reduced the percentage to 15% on the specious plea that the employees are separately givenchildren education allowance. The Children education allowance is not a fullreimbursement of the expenses one has to incur. After the liberalization of theEducation Sector where private parties were allowed to set up universities andcolleges, the expenses for education had increased heavily . No concession orallowance is granted to the employees for educating the children beyond the highersecondary levels. The earlier Pay Commission has only tried to compensate a littlein the increasing cost of education and that too at the primary level, since even theGovernmental institutions had started charging abnormal tuition and other fees.
3. The website maintained for the Agriculture Ministry depicts the retail prices of commodities which go into the basket of minimum wage computation. Even thoughthe rates quoted by them vary from the real retail prices in the market, it provides a different picture. If one is to take the rates quoted by them fordifferent cities and make an all India average of the prices as on 1.7.2015, it willwork out to Rs. 10810. It will result in the computation of the minimum wage of Rs.19880. Adding 25% for arriving at the MTS scale, it will rise to Rs. 24850. To convertthe same as on 1.1.2016,
3% will be added as suggested by the 7th CPC. The final computation will be Rs.25,596, when rounded off shall be Rs. 26000.
4. The Andhra Pradesh State Pay Commission in its report has taken the commodityprices at Rs. 9830.- as on 1.7.2013 which works out to a minimum wage of Rs.18080. The wage of MTS will then be Rs. 22600 as on 1.7.2013, TheCorresponding figure for
1.1.2016 shall be Rs. 26758 , rounded off to Rs. 27000.
5. The Staff side had computed the minimum wage as on 1.1.2014 at Rs. 26,000, takingthe commodity price at Rs. 11344. The rates were taken on the basis of the actual retail prices in the market as on 1.1.2014( average prices of 8 Cities in the country) substantiated by the documentary evidence of Cash bill obtained from theconcerned vendors. As on 1.12016, the minimum wage work out to Rs. 29339,rounded off to Rs.
30,000.
6. The 5th CPC adopted the rate of growh in the economy ( as reflected in the increasein the per capita net national produce at factor cost) over a period of ten years toarrive at the increase required to be made to arrive at the minimum wage. The percapita NNP at factor cost registered an increase of 65.28% over a period of ten yearsin 2013-14. If we apply the same percentage to the emoluments (Pay +DA) as on1.1.2016 (assuming that DA will be 125% as on that date), the minimum wage as on1.1.2016 for an MTS will have to be Rs. 26030, rounded off to Rs. 27000.
7. In para 4.2.9 of the report, the Commission has given a table depicting the percentage increase provided by the successive Pay Commissions, according to which the 2nd CPC had made a paltry increase of 14.2%. The 3rd CPC gave a rise of 20.6, 4th 27.6,5th 31.0 and 6th CPC 54%. While the per centage increase had been in ascending orderall along, the 7th CPC has sought to reverse that trend ostensibly for reasonsunknown. It is was the meager increase of 14% provided for by the 2nd CPC thattriggered the volatile situation in the civil service and led to all India strikeencompassing all employees which lasted for 5 days in 1960. We do not knowwhether the 7 CPC really intend to create such a scenario once again.
8. In the case of Bank, Insurance and many other Public Sector Undertakings wage revision takes place once in 5 years. In the recently concluded agreement, Bankemployees were provided more than 15% increase.
9. After the implementation of the Pay Commissions Report the AP State Employeeshave been given a wage structure based on a minimum wage far above the level of Central Government employees. In their case also wage revision does take placeonce in 5 years.
It could be seen from the above that the computation of minimum wage by the 7 CPC isprima facie wrong and computed on untenable premises and incorrect data. Theminimum wage therefore requires re-computation and revision. Once the minimum wage gets
revised, the fitment formula, the multiplication factor applied for determining the paylevels and the pay matrix itself will have to consequently revised.
Determination of Pay LevelMinimum
It is seen that the 7th CPC has applied varying multiplication factors for different paylevels. The 6th CPC has taken the emoluments in the private sector to hike the salary ofofficers by applying different yardstick to compute the pay bands disturbing the verticalrelativity while the 7th CPC has further accentuated the gap of differences in wagesbetween officers and employees. This being unacceptable we urge upon adoption ofuniform multiplication factor for determining pay levels.
2. Revise the pay matrix basing upon the revised minimum wage and rounding off thestages to the next hundred. Accept the suggestion made by the Staff Side in itsmemorandum to
7 CPC for de-layering viz. to abolish the pay levels pertaining to GP 1900, 2400 and 4600.
In our memorandum to 7th CPC the staff side had requested for de-layering byabolition of Grade Pay of Rs 1900, 2400 & 4600. The pay levels pertaining to GP 1900,2400 and
4600 may be abolished and merged with the next higherlevels.
3. Revise the rate of increment to 5 % and Grant two increments in the feeder cadre levelsas promotion benefit.
The rate of increment has been pegged down to 3% by the 7th CPC. At this rate an employee will not be able to double his pay even after 30 years. The demand of thestaff side to increase the rate of increment to 5% to be accepted.
Promotion from one cadre to another is a rare phenomenon in government services especially in lower grades. If one to be awarded only an increment amounting to 3%of pay, it might not become a sought after affair and will in fact act as a de-motivating factor. This apart, in most of the Govt. Departments, promotion is followed byposting to a different location. Those who are posted to unclassified cities or fromMetro cities to towns will financially suffer due to such mandatory transfer onpromotion. This is because of the fact that the rate HRA, Transport Allowance etc varyfrom one station to another. The financial benefit on promotion must be, therefore,at least two increments i.e. 10% of the pay.
4. Fill up all vacant posts by holding special recruitment drive
5. MACP to be treated as financial up-gradation, without any grading stipulation; to beprovided on the basis of the promotional cadre hierarchy of the concerneddepartment; increase the number of MACP to five on completion of 8, 15,21,26 and 30thyears of service. Reject the Efficiency Bar stipulation made by 7th CPC. Personnelpromoted on the basis of Examination should be treated as fresh entrants to the cadre.
6. Upgrade the LDCs in all departments as UDCs for it is stated by the Commission thatthe
Government has stopped recruiting personnel to this cadre.
The cadre of LDC, after the introduction of MTS has presently overlapping functions.Most of the specific functions have also become obsolete on introduction of computerized diarizing and maintenance register. There is no specific need forthis cadre in any of the offices. While future recruitment can be stopped, which thegovernment has conveyed to the Commission, what has to be done to the existingcadre is not mentioned. It is therefore necessary that the existing incumbents bepromoted as UDCs by upgrading all posts of LDC as UDCs.
7. a) Parity to be ensured for all Stenographers, Assistants, Ministerial Staff in subordinateoffices and in all the organized Accounts cadres with Central Sectt. By upgrading their pay scales ( and not by downgrading the pay scales of the CSS)
b) Drivers in all Government offices to be granted pay scale on par with the drivers ofthe
Lok Sabha
The question of Parity, as has been rightly mentioned by 7th CPC, is a settled matter.It is the Department of Personnel which the cadre controlling Department for CSScadre that unsettles the parity every time. The recommendation to downgrade theCSS is however not acceptable. What is required is to grant higher pay levels at parwith CSS ministerial and stenographer cadres and other similarly placed cadres inthe field/subordinate offices and IA&AD & Organized Accounts cadres.
8. To remove existing anomaly, the annual increment date may be 1st January for those recruited prior to 30th June and 1st July in respect of those recruited prior to 31stDecember.
9. Wage of Central Government Employees be revised in every 5 years
10. Treat the GDS as Civil Servant and grant them all pay, allowances and benefits grantedto regular employees on Pro -rata basis
11. Contract/casual and daily rated workers to be regularized against the hugevacancies existing in various Government offices.
12. Introduce PLB in all departments. All existing bilateral agreement on PLB must continueto be in operation
13 Revise the pension and other retirement benefits as under:-
(a) Parity between the past and present pensioners to be brought about on the basisof the 7th CPC recommendations with the modification that basis of computationto be the pay level of the post / grade/ scale of pay from which one retired;whichever is beneficial.
(b) Pension to be 60% of the last pay drawn in the case of all eligible persons whohave completed the requisite number of years of service.
(c) The family pension to be 50% of the last paydrawn.
(d) Enhance the pension and family pension by 5% after every five years and 10% on attaining the age of 85 and 20% on attaining the age of 90.
(e) Commuted value of pension to be restored after 10 years or attaining the age of70,
whichever is earlier. Gratuity calculation to be on the basis of 25 days in themonth as against 30 days as per the Gratuity Act.
(f) Fixed medical allowance for those pensioners not covered by CGHS and REHS tobe
increased to Rs. 2000 p.m.
(g) Provide one increment on the last day in service if the concerned employeehas completed six months or more from the date of grant of last increment.
14 Exclude the Central Government employees from the ambit of the National PensionScheme
(NPS) and extend the defined benefit pension scheme to all those recruited after1.1.2004
15 In the absence of any recommendation made by 7 CPC, the Government must withdrawthe stipulated ceiling on compassionate appointments
16 Revise the following allowances/advances as under in place of the recommendationsmade
by the 7th CPC:
The 7th CPC has recommended to abolish large number of allowances and interest free advances without going into the exact relevance in certain departments where the allowances are provided for. The allowances which are stated to be subsumed andwhich are clubbed with other s also require consideration. If these allowances arewithdrawn, it might affect adversely the very functioning of the Department itself incertain emergent situation. Of the allowances mentioned in the report for abolition, wehave mentioned hereunder those pertaining to civilian employees which require to beretained.
In respect of advances the Commission appears to have taken a shylock view of thematter. Most of the under mentioned advances are required to meet out contingencieswhich the employees cannot manage to organize. These advances are, therefore, to beretained.
(i) Allowances
(a) Retain the rate of house rent allowance in place of the recommendation ofthe
Commission to reduce it.
(b) Restructure the transport allowance into two slabs at Rs. 7500 and 3750 withDA
thereof removing all the stipulated conditions.
(c). Fixed conveyance allowance: This allowance had no DA component at any stage.. This allowance must be enhanced to 2.25 times with 25% DA thereon as and whenthe DA crosses 50%
(d) Restore the island Special duty allowance and the Tripura Specialcompensatory
remote localityallowance.
(e) The special duty allowance in NE Region should be uniform for all at30%
(f) Overtime allowance whenever sanction must be based upon the actual basic payof the entitled employee
(g) Cash handling /Treasury allowance. The assumption that every transaction in
Government Departments are through the bank is not correct. There are officials entrusted to collect cash and therefore the cash handling allowance to beretained. (h)Qualification Pay to be retained.
(i) Small family norms allowances; (j) Savings Bankallowance
(k) Outstation allowance
(l) P.O. & RMS. Accountants special allowance.
)m) Risk allowance
(n) Break-down allowance.
(o) Night patrolling allowance.
(p) Special Compensatory hill area allowance.
(q) Special allowance for Navodaya Vidyalaya Staff.
(r) Dress Allowance ceiling to be raised to Rs. 32,400/- p a
(s) Nursing Allowance to be raised to 2.25 times of Rs 4800/-
(t) All fixed allowances must be raised to 2.25 times as per the principle enunciatedby the Commission
(u) The erroneous statement in Para 9.2.5 to be corrected. Vide OM No.13018/1/2009- Estt (L) dated 22.07.2009, DOP, P&W, the leave period for Childadoption has been increased to 180 days
(v).Restore the allowances abolished for the reason that it is either not reportedor mentioned in the Report by the Commission
17 Advances.
Restore the following advances and revise the same to 3times. (a). Natural calamity advance;
(b). Festival Advance
©. LTC and TA advances
(d). Medical advance
(e). Education advance.
(f) Vehicle advances including cycle advance
18 The stipulation made by the 7th CPC to grant only 80% of salary for the second year of CCL
be rejected and the existing provisions may be retained
19 50% of the CGEIS premium to be paid by the Government in respect of Group B andC
employees.
20 Health insurance to be introduced in addition to CGHS/REHS and CCS(MA) benefits andthe premium to be paid by the Government and the employee equally.
21 Reject the recommendations concerning PRIS
22 Full pay and allowances to be provided for the entire period of WRII .
23 The conditions stipulated in clause (4) & (5) under Para 9.2.37 be removed
24 Reject the recommendation made by the 7th CPC in Para 8.16.9 to 8.16.14 concerning dress allowance to PBOR as otherwise the five Ordinance Equipment factories under OFBwill have to be closed down
25 Set up a Group of Ministers’ Committee to consider the anomalies including thedisturbance
of the existing horizontal and vertical relativities at the National level andDepartmental/Ministry level with provision for referring the disputed issues to the Boardof Arbitration under the JCM scheme
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