Trade unions furious over 7th Pay Commission report recommendations: Top 10 reasons why

While the 7th Pay Commission report recommendations have been a source of joy for hundreds of thousands of government employees, for the national trade unions linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left, the hike has not been high enough and they have not kept quiet about it.

Trade unions have protested vehemently against the 7th Pay Commission and are looking for redressal of their grievances and contemplating action. They have also looked at strong industrial action to indicate their unhappiness and will be indicating soon what their future course of action can be. Here are the top 10 reasons why, they say, they are angry with the Seventh Pay panel report:

1. Proposed 7th Pay Commission hike is lowest in many decades and not in sync with inflation - least hike (proposed) in the last 30 years. Considering the inflation, it is unsatisfactory.

2. 7th Pay Commission has recommended a 16 per cent hike in net pay against projected 23.55 per cent.

3. There is a huge gap in maximum and minimum pay in the 7th Pay Commission report recommendations.

4. The gratuity ceiling recommended by 7th Pay Commission has been raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, the benefit of this will go to senior officials only.

5. 7th Pay Commission report has ignored sharp increase in prices justifying substantial upward revision in HRA and other allowances. Instead the commission has reduced rates of HRA from 30 per cent to 24 per cent of the basic pay in A Class cities and corresponding decrease in other cities which is a retrograde recommendation.

6. Doubts about the way the 7th Pay Commission has calculated the figures. For example, they calculated House Rent Allowance (HRA) at 3 per cent against the mandated 7 per cent.

7. As per commodity prices on Agriculture Ministry's website and on the basis of Labour Bureau data, the Basic Pay comes at Rs 11,341 while 7th Pay Commission calculation shows it at Rs 9,218. There is a lot of gap.

8. There is no clarity in the 7th Pay Commission report on the pay revision for lakhs of contract workers in government ministries as well as 3 lakh Grameen Dak Sewaks.

9. 7th Pay Commission is the only commission, which has reduced the allowances and due to which the growth in net income is only 14.28 per cent. (PTI).

10. 7th Pay Commission report is totally disappointing and beats logic. Employees and workers will meet on November 27 to protest against the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission and discuss the issue.

NOTE: The 900-page report of the 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur was presented to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with a recommendation that the new scales be implemented from January 1, 2016. The panel recommended a 14.27 per cent increase in basic pay, the lowest in 70 years. The previous 6th Pay Commission had recommended a 20 per cent hike, which the government doubled while implementing it in 2008.

Source : http://www.financialexpress.com/