The 7th pay commission which was set up in Feb. 2014 was to submit its
report in August, 2016. However, at the intervention of the Government,
the report was further delayed and it ultimately reached the Government
only in November, 2015.
Their recommendations were to be effective from 1.1.2016. Except setting
up an empowered Committee of Secretaries, the Government did not do
anything so far on the report. It is now more than six months the report
is with the Government.
Normally the revised allowances which form part and parcel of the salary
of the employees are granted with prospective effect i.e. from the date
of the issue of the orders. The delay in taking decision on the 7th pay
commission report will rob the employees of the increased allowances
for ever, The NJCA press statement said. This apart, the report of the
7th pay commission was totally disappointing as it did not address any
of the issues projected before them in a proper manner and most of the
demands were rejected sans reasoning and logic.
The increase they recommended was a paltry 14%, the lowest any Pay
Commission had ever suggested. The NJCA in a detailed memorandum
submitted on 10th December, 2015, conveyed to the Government as to how
the recommendations on all major issues were bereft of logic and
reasoning and suggested as to what improvements were required thereon.
The NJCA had been pursuing to have a meaningful negotiation and
settlement of the issues. Except hearing the leaders, the empowered
Committee did not go further. It acted as if it was powerless and the
final decision will have to be taken by the Government. At the request
of the Cabinet Secretary on Ist March, 2016, when the NJCA deferred the
strike action which was to commence in April, 2016.
As there had been no fruitful negotiations or discussions and having
realized that the Government has no intention to settle the Charter of
demands, the NJCA decided to serve the notice for an Indefinite strike
action on 9th June, 2016. Accordingly, all the constituent organizations
have served the strike notice to their respective heads of Departments.
The indefinite strike will commence on 11th July, 2016, if no
satisfactory settlement is brought about on the charter of demands.
About 35 lakh workers and employees belonging to various Departments of
the Government of India will participate in the strike action, which is
to commence on11th July, 2016. It will certainly be the largest
participated strike action of the Central Civil Servants of the country
since its independence.
The determination of the Minimum wage on the basis of Dr. Aykhroyd
formula enunciated in 1957 to which the Government of India was a party
is the most significant issue in the charter of demands. A right
settlement thereon will have far reaching impact in the wage
determination of the entire working class in the country. The
confrontation is between the forces who wanted India to be the
destination for cheap labour and others who fight against the
exploitation.
The new Contributory Pension scheme introduced by the Government in 2004
has made one third of the Civil servants unsure of their entitlement at
the evening of their life even though they were to contribute huge sums
from their wages every month compulsorily.
The PFRDA bill became an Act in the country as the members of Parliament
both belonging to NDA and UPA voted in favour of the loot of the
workers. Even the recommendation made by the Standing Committee of the
Parliament to provide for a minimum guaranteed annuity pension was
rejected when the Bill was passed. The other issue which must have a
satisfactory settlement in the charter of demands is about the
contributory pension scheme.
There was perhaps only one and only one positive recommendation made by
the 7th pay commission. That was to give some relief in the pension
entitlement of the past pensioners. The Government has now proposed to
reject that recommendation on the specious plea that the relevant
records required for the verification of the claim of the individual
pensioners especially those retired long time back may not be available
with the Government.
The Government is duty bound to accept the recommendation of the
Commission it has appointed. If the Government chooses to accept such
also untenable advices from whichever quarter it emanates, it would not
only be unfortunate but will make the strike action an imminent
inevitability.
While the NJCA hopes that the good counsel will prevail upon the
Government to avert the strike action, it appeals all its constituents
and through them all Central Government employees to go ahead with the
preparation of the strike action, which is slated to commence from 11th
July, 2016 with courage and determination, Mr.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA said in
NJCA press statement.
Source : NJCA Press Statement
June 22, 2016
Secretary, FNPO Tirunelveli
