Minutes of PNM meeting of Railway Board with NFIR held on 25th and 26th April, 2019

Highlights of PNM Meeting between Railway Board and NFIR held on 25th & 26th April, 2019

Minutes of PNM meeting of Railway Board with NFIR held on 25th and 26th April, 2019.

Dr. M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary /NFIR

General Secretary/ NFIR at the outset thanked Member Staff and Chairman of the PNM meeting for highlighting the significant performance of Railways during the year 2018-19, surpassing the previous targets. General Secretary also thanked the Member Staff for conveying the important decisions towards staff welfare including that of orders issued, granting 10 : 20 : 20 : 50 ratio to the Track Maintainer category in GP 2800, 2400, 1900 and 1800 respectively with effect from 08/03/2019.

While assuring Federation’s support for improving the efficiency levels further, the NFIR General Secretary placed the following points for taking necessary action.

Also check: RAILWAY EMPLOYEES BONUS 2019

I. The PNM meeting now being held after lapse of 111⁄2 months although Agenda was sent on 26/06/2018. Many issues continued to remain unsettled. Activating the PNM Machinery is very much essential for holding formal meetings frequently for sorting out the issues.

II. Railway employees are heavily overburdened due to non-filling of vacancies, for long period. With the recent decision of the Board to fill all vacancies, Federation hopes that the staff hardships may be mitigated to some extant.

III. Railway employees are extremely disappointed over:-

• Government’s failure to fulfill its assurance through Group of Ministers on revision of minimum wage, fitment formula and abolition of NPS.
• NFIR’s meeting with Hon’ble MR on 04/04/2018 and subsequently – latest being 23rd January, 2019 with regard to Federation’s repeated pleas for exempting Railways from NPS as already agreed to, by two successive Railway Ministers in view of complex and unique working of Railways and hard working conditions of Railway Staff akin to defence forces personnel (over 85% work in remote places, Jungle areas where no basic requirements of life exist). Although Hon’ble MR has assured to take action to pursue at Government level, it is observed that there has been no progress. Railway employees are extremely agitated as they do not get covered under Liberalized Pension Scheme. Over 7 lakh Railway employees joined on and after 01/01/2004, are extremely disappointed as they cannot hope for guaranteed pension of 50% of last pay drawn at the time of retirement. General Secretary specially requested the Member (Staff) to take initiative on this important issue.

IV. Aggressive decisions towards closure of establishments, outsourcing regular activities, contractorisation without prior consultations, surrender of posts are indiscriminately, contractorising the activities resulting staff dislocation and loss of seniority and career growth have been contributing for staff unrest. These are required to be addressed and instructions be re-iterated for ensuring prior consultations on all such matters in the interest of healthy industrial relations.

No prior consultations are held and arbitrary decisions resorted to.

Also read: Upgradation of posts in Railways recommended by 7th CPC – clearance of DoP&T and MoF

V. 7th CPC issues:-

• Departmental Anomaly Committee (DAC) was constituted by the Railway Board vide letter No.PC-VII/2016/DAC/1 dated 05/10/2016. NFIR had placed issues before the DAC vide Federation’s letters No.IV/DAC/7CPC/2016 dated 09/06/2017 and dated 16/08/2017. Second meeting of DAC was held on 04/01/2018, but with “ZERO RESULT” as Official Side maintained that the issues dealt did not come under the definition of ‘Anomaly’ (Loco Running Staff, Guards, Technical Supervisors, Pharmacists, Radiographer, ECG Technicians, Physiotherapist, Health & Malaria Inspector etc.).
• Railway Ministry has not initiated action on the positive recommendations of 7th CPC to give benefit to certain categories though a period of over 2 years 9 months passed. GS/ NFIR specifically mentioned NFIR’s letter No.IV/NFIR/7th CPC(Imp)/2016/RB dated 22/09/2016 and 15/11/2016.
• GS/ NFIR reminded that the proposals sent by the Railway Ministry vide No.PC-VII/ 2015 /R-U/9 dated 08/02/2017 to the MoF/ DoP&T relating to revision of pay structure of Senior Supervisors in Group `C’ of all Departments (other than Accounts Department) for upgrading 75% supervisory posts from Level-7 (erstwhile GP 4600) to Level-8 (GP 4800) and revision of Pay Levels of Group‘B’ Officers of all Departments (other than Accounts Department) to Level-9 have been pending for more than 1 1/2 years. He requested prompt follow up action for obtaining clearance.
• Shri Raghavaiah further stated that the Railway Ministry’s proposal for revision of KMA rates for Running staff w.e.f. 01/07/2017 has not been concurred yet by MoF. Similarly the Running staff are not being paid Leave salary on 7th Pay scales on Northern and West Central Railways due to IPAS problems. These issues should be settled without further delay.

VI. Implementation of commitments dated 07/02/2014.

• LPs Mail/Exp – placement in GP 4600/- pending.
• Stepping up of pay of LIs inducted prior to 01/01/2006 – pending.
• Merger of Technicians-II with Tech-I – pending.

VII. Other important issues:-

• VII CPC report – Para 9.2.37. – Hospital Leave, Special disability leave and sick leave subsumed in a new leave named “Work Related Illness and Injury Leave (WRIIL):- Orders yet to be issued.
• RELHS-97 – Railway Board’s letter dated 31/05/2012 allowed post March 2009 retirees/dependents to join as members within one year period. Some retired staff living in remote places were unaware of opportunity, consequently not availed the provision. Railway Board may now provide opportunity for those retired staff/dependents between March, 2009 and May, 2012) to join RELHS. (Board’s letter No.2011/H/28/1/RELHS/Court Cases dated 31/05/2012).
• Extension of Scheme for contract employment of para-medical personnel against vacancies beyond 30/06/2019 is needed as RRB empanelled candidate may not be available by that date, while retired personnel may not join lower level posts. On one Zone there are 2 regular Dialysis Technicians, while contract Dialysis Technicians are working. Similarly, 25 contract Nursing Superintendents in a Central Hospital who may face termination on 30/06/2019 and if posts go unmanned, health care suffers badly.
• Extension of MACPS to Railway School/College Teachers – All Teaching Staff of HRD Ministry, Delhi National Capital Region, Defence Ministry run schools are covered under MACPS. Action be taken for bringing Railway Teachers under MACPS with retrospective effect.
• Minimum educational qualification for Pharmacists in Railways – Government’s Notification/Ministry of Health & Family Welfare not implemented. Action be taken for revising the entry qualification.
• Harmonization of the cadre structure of Medical Laboratory Staff with those in Central Government Hospitals – Case pending despite elaborate proposal sent by NFIR.
• Employees visit Hospitals for eye vision test. After dilation of eyes, it will take hours for them to be able to see. If roll on sun glasses are provided, the present problem can be got solved. Instructions may be issued to stock “roll on sun glasses” in hospitals for use of those undergo eye vision test.
• On S.E.C. Railway – Raipur Division:- Compassionate appointment requests for wards of medically decategorised and voluntarily retired employees are rejected despite Board’s orders. Instructions may be issued to respect Board’s orders and consider rejected cases.
• Pending MACPS issues – Separate meeting at MS/FC level needed as already committed to the Federation.
• 100% objective type question paper – Negative marks stipulation be removed.
• Railway Board’s norms for creation of posts ESMs, JE, SSE (Signal) etc., not implemented. Action be taken for implementation of Norms without further loss of time.
• Lateral induction of Track Maintainers:- Board’s instructions are not being complied with, on Zonal Railways resulting disappointment among Track Maintainers. Board should issue instructions again to GMs.
• No Dues Certificates : The General Secretary, NFIR stated that responding to the instructions issued by the Railway Board vide letter dated 30th July, 2018, Federation requested to issue clear instructions to the GMs of Zonal Railways and Metro Railway, Kolkata not to levy penal/interest charges where dues have been cleared by our affiliated Unions. He requested the Railway Board (MS) to kindly refer NFIR’s letters dated 18/08/2018 & 22/09/2018 and see that this issue is resolved. He also requested the Railway Board to connect Federation’s letters dated 08/10/2018 and 11/12/2018 relating to the specific case of South Eastern Railway and sort out problem.
• Retention of Railway residential accommodation by the Office Bearers of recognized Unions on their superannuation : GS/NFIR invited kind attention of Board (MS) to the instructions issued vide Board’s letter dated 06/04/2018 to various Zonal Railways asking Zonal Railways to get vacated the Railway residential accommodation allotted to the Office Bearers of recognized Unions after their superannuation. He stated that NFIR has sent series of letters dated 11/05/2018, 21/05/2018, 04/06/2018, 23/07/2018, 03/08/2018, 07/08/2018, 21/08/2018 and 11/09/2018, but unfortunately clear instructions to Zonal Railways are yet to be issued. He further said that the accommodation allotted to the Office-Bearers of the Union by the competent authority should be allowed.
• Appendix II A qualified Accounts Clerks as JAA against D/R quota upto 331⁄3% vacancies: GS/NFIR requested the Railway Board to issue appropriate clarification to the Zones etc., to take 331⁄3% of total DR quota vacancies of JAA into account for granting promotion to Appendix-II A qualified Accounts Clerks so that all the qualified staff will have benefit of promotion. He requested that the modification in the Board’s order is necessary in view of some confusion in calculating vacancies against 331⁄3% quota on a Zonal Railway (South Central Railway) wherein the Seniority Units are 2 or more in the Zone.
• Replies to NFIR’s letters : Dr. Raghavaiah expressed disappointment that though the Federation has been writing letters to the Railway Board on various staff grievances there has been no satisfactory response and no replies sent, consequently the references remain pending. He cited NFIR’s letter dated 31/01/2019 wherein list of 33 pending cases and letter dated 13/02/2019 (16 Pending cases) was sent to Railway Board. He urged for speedy resolution of the grievances in favour of staff.
• Incorrect revision of pension in case of pre-2016 Railway pensioners: Mr. M. Raghavaiah stated that the revision in pension has not been taking place correctly in favour of retired Railway employees particularly those who retired prior to 2016. He cited the example of a case of retired Technician Gr-I whose pension revision has been done incorrectly. He further stated that the Federation has also sent a communication to the Railway Board vide No.II/35/2018 dated 22/02/2019 together with copy of incorrect PPO. [A copy of Federation’s letter with enclosure was handed over to DG (Personnel) in the meeting].
• DNB Trainee Doctors S. Railway and other Zones – Stipend according to 7th CPC not paid at Pay Level-11 despite representations: GS/NFIR brought to the notice of the Member (Staff) that DNB Training Doctors on Southern Railway and also on other Zones are not being paid stipend at 7th CPC Pay Scale despite representations by the staff. Federation understands that instructions have already been issued to pay arrears to the DNB Trainee Doctors on 7th CPC Pay Scale. He urged the Railway Board to take action to remedy the situation in order to settle the justified demand of DNB Trainee Doctors working in Railway Hospitals/Health Units.

While concluding, the NFIR General Secretary expressed confidence that the healthy industrial relations on Railways would continue in the coming days also and the issues raised by the Federation will be redressed with speed and positive mindset.

Source: NFIR