Non redressal of long pending demands of the Railwaymen

I write to bring to your kind notice a number of serious issues, which have repeatedly been deliberated at various levels i.e. up to the level of Hon’ble Minister of Railways, are yet to be addressed, despite lapse of considerable time.
Some of the burning issues are being appended below:-…..

D.O.No.AIRF/24(C) Dated: 24.10.2018
Dear Shri Aggarwal,
Reg.:-  Non redressal of long pending demands of the Railwaymen

I write to bring to your kind notice a number of serious issues, which have repeatedly been deliberated at various levels i.e. up to the level of Hon’ble Minister of Railways, are yet to be addressed, despite lapse of considerable time.
Some of the burning issues are being appended below:-

1. Implementation of four grade in the ratio of 10:20:20:50 in case of Trackmen/Track Maintainers
As you are well aware that the Joint Committee on Package and career progression of Trackmen/Track Maintainers, in its unanimous recommendations, had duly recommended four grade in ratio of 10:20:20:50, for Trackmen/Track Maintainers. Unfortunately, this recommended structure is yet to be implemented, whereas it was assured during the last Railway Board’s level PNM with AIRF that instructions would be issued in a couple of days. This is resulting in discontentment and resentment among this ever neglected category.

2. Revision of rates of Running Allowance and other Allowances related to Running Staff

The revision of rates of running allowance and other allowances, related to running staff is hanging fire for considerable time in the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), While accepting the recommendations of 7th CPC related to various allowances, the Union Cabinet, had categorically mentioned that running allowance being specific for Railway Running staff, this can be settled by mutual agreement by Railway Board and the Organized labour. Although, orders in respect of revision of allowances , including TA/DA , have since been issued but this issue still remains unresolved, with the result that the running staff is badly perturbed on this account.

3. LARSGESS

Safety Related Voluntary Retirement Scheme, was evolved after detailed deliberation by the then Hon’ble Minister Sh. Natish Kumar, conducting “Maha Surakash Samwad” on having interaction with the grass root workers, deployed in the Safety Categories. This was further modified by Ms. Mamta Baneerjee, in the name of LARSGESS, covering other identified categories working in erstwhile GP Rs. 1800/- and further in erstwhile GP Rs. 1900/-. This scheme has proved to be beneficial, both for Railways and the Railway Staff, as young blood, with lower remunerations, was being inducted in place of aged personnel, who were seeking retirement under this Scheme. Owing to certain litigations , this scheme was kept on hold and even those wards of the railway employees, who were duly selected and those who had under gone medical examination, prior to cut off date i.e. 27/10/2017, are also being denied employment under this scheme, despite regular persuasion by AIRF. Not only, these wards of railway employees need to be given employment, but also some via media needs to be evolved to continue with this highly beneficial scheme.
4. Advancement prospects of staff working in erstwhile GP Rs.1800/- and GP Rs.4600 

As you are well aware that owing to massive unemployment, highly qualified candidates is being recruited in erstwhile GP Rs. 1800/- in different categories. Since advancement prospects, are grim, they feel highly disappointed. Similarly, Engineering Graduates, who are directly recruited as SSE or equivalent posts in erstwhile GP Rs. 4600/- have no prospect of advancement. On account of this bad situation, there is serious unrest bereaving among them. This issue has also been raised repeatedly by A.I.R.F. however; amicable solution thereof is still to be evolved.

5. Non revision of rates of incentives bonus/bonus factor and PCO allowance, paid to Technical employees and Supervisors of Production Units and Maintenance Workshops

As per convention, the rates of incentive bonus and PCO Allowance being paid to the staff of PUs/Maintenance Workshops, was being revised after implementation of recommendation of successive Central Pay Commissions.
The revision of above allowance is also overdue and orders to this effect, are yet to be issued . We have regularly pursued this issue with Addl. MS and other officials of Railway Board. This also needs to be finalized.

6. Up-gradation of Apex level of Group C to Group B

It may be appreciated that in some of the Ministries in Central Government and State Governments, JEs get promotion upto level of JA Grade onward. In railways, however, apex level group C staff has little chance of promotion to Gazetted cadre.
The issue of upgradation of Apex level Group C to Group B posts, is also being deliberated for quite some time by AIRF and despite several efforts, no fruitful result has yield out. This needs to be looked into.

7. Regularization of Act Apprentices in Railways

After sustained persuasion by AIRF, a decision was taken by Railway Board to regularize such course completed act apprentices in railways against the vacancies of Safety Category, who were imparted training in different workshop, shed and depots. A large number of course completed act apprentices were employed in Railways, which proved very helpful because skilled manpower was readily available in safety categories. This practice has been stopped, and after vigours persuasion by AIRF, the Railway Board have revised the policy , providing that 20% vacancies shall be ear-marked for employment of these course completed act apprentices through positive act of selection by RRB/RRC We are demanding that these course completed act apprentices , on completion of their training in railways, under Apprentices Act, prior to cut of date, should be regularized , as per practice in-vogue , prior to issue of Railway Board orders, supra. This issue is still unresolved despite regular persuasion 8. Engagement of Act Apprentices for imparting training in Railways under Apprentices Act While on persuasion of AIRF the slots for imparting training under Apprentices act in different workshops/depots and sheds, have been enhanced but the policy of engagement has been revised according to which engagement would be done on the basis of educational qualification and merits. This is creating chaos and is impracticable one also.

AIRF desires to continue the practice previously invogued for imparting training under Apprentice Act. Beside the above issues the national issues viz; scrapping of NPS and Restoration of old guaranteed Pension/Family Pension scheme for those appointed on and after 1.1.2004 , improvement in minimum wage and fitment formula , stopping of indiscriminate outsourcing of perennial nature of activities in railways & implementation of Ist Option in case of pensioners as recommended by 7th CPC, are still not resolved., despite categorical assurances given to the staff side by group of Ministers, comprising of Hon’ble Home Minister Sh.Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Finance Minister, Sh. Arun Jatley and the then Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and State Minister for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha during negotiation on the face of Indefinite Strike, commencing from 11.07.2016 which was deferred on their clear assurances.

Further, it would be quite appropriate that a meeting be convened in your chamber preferably on 29.10.2018 to discuss these issues for early redressal thereof.

I would, therefore, request you to kindly look into the above issues and settlement thereof, should be ensured, least, it is too late.

With kind regards,

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