Central govt employees observe ‘black day’ against pay commission report

New Delhi: Several Associations representing central government employees on Friday observed as a “black day” to protest against some of the “retrograde recommendations” of the seventh pay commission.

 “Almost all the Central Government employees have joined today’s (Friday) protests and have pledged for sustained struggle,” Shiv Gopal Mishra (centre), Convener, National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) of central government employees said.

Shiv Gopal Mishra, Convener, National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) of central government employees “almost all the Central Government employees have joined today’s (Friday) protests and have pledged for sustained struggle”.

He further said, “If the Central Government does not remove retrograde recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission and resolve long-pending genuine demands of the more than 30 lakh employees central government employees, working in the Railways, Defence, Postal and other Central Government Organisations, will be forced us to go for indefinite strike”.

Against their demand for a minimum pay of Rs 26,000, the seventh pay commission has recommended Rs 18,000, thereby widening the pay gap between the minimum pay and maximum pay from existing 1:12 to 1: 13.8 which is more than their demand of ratio of 1: 8.

A huge rise in pay has been given to the Group A officers by the pay commission whereby the ratio between the minimum and the maximum pay level comes 1:13.

The fifth and sixth Central Commissions have given a pay rise of 40 per cent, while this Pay Commission has only given a pay increase of 14.29 per cent.

Additionally, the pay commission reduced the House Rent Allowance (HRA) from existing 30 per cent to 24 per cent, 20 per cent to 16 per cent and 10 per cent to 8 per cent.

The Pay Commission scrapped various existing allowances like risk allowance, small family allowance, festival advance, motor cycle advance.

The Pay Commission has not made any recommendation against the New Pension Scheme (NPS), while employees’ body strongly demanded to implement old pension system.

Instead of it, changes have been made to the existing 730 days Child Care Leave (CCL) with salary for women employees, the Commission recommended that Child Care Leave (CCL) should be granted at 100 percent of the salary for the first 365 days, but at 80 percent of the salary for the next 365 days.

The most of railway employees have been annoyed that the commission didn’t propose any better facilities for them who are exposed to riskier working conditions.

Through the protest rallies all over the country on Friday, central government employees with wearing black badges conveyed the government on Friday to improve the pay gap ratio of the seventh pay commission recommendations and for non-implementation of some of the adverse recommendations of the Pay Commission.

However, the Finance Ministry said the Ministry will examine the report and only then a decision will be taken at ministry level before cabinet nod.

Source :  http://www.tkbsen.in/2015/11/central-govt-employees-observe-black-day-against-pay-commission-report/