Issues raised by AIRF before Hon’ble MR, MS and DG(P), Railway Board, in the meeting held on 07.02.2018

Issues raised by AIRF before Hon’ble MR, MS and DG(P), Railway Board, in the meeting held on 07.02.2018

Sub: Issues raised by AIRF before Hon’ble MR, MS and DG(P), Railway Board, in the meeting held on 07.02.2018

On our advice, on 28th December, 2017, during meeting with Hon’ble MR, he has directed that meeting should be held on every alternate month on first Wednesday, and if that is holiday, next day. Accordingly, meeting held today, wherein AIRF has raised the following points:-

The meeting has been attended by the Presidents and General Secretaries of both the federations.

According to Dr. Anil Kakodkar Committee’s recommendation; no new trains and assets should be introduced without creation of posts and infrastructure…..

No.AIRF/24(C) Dated: February 7, 2018

The General Secretaries,
All Affiliated Unions,

Dear Comrades!

Sub: Issues raised by AIRF before Hon’ble MR, MS and DG(P), Railway Board, in the meeting held today

On our advice, on 28th December, 2017, during meeting with Hon’ble MR, he has directed that meeting should be held on every alternate month on first Wednesday, and if that is holiday, next day. Accordingly, meeting held today, wherein AIRF has raised the following points:-

The meeting has been attended by the Presidents and General Secretaries of both the federations.

According to Dr. Anil Kakodkar Committee’s recommendation; no new trains and assets should be introduced without creation of posts and infrastructure.

Filling up of safety categories vacancies- Almost there are 1.5 lakh vacancies in safety category and about 46,000 employees retiring every year.

HPC Report has been diluted to a great extent and has not been implemented in true sense. Moreover, dilution and rejection of many recommendations had defeated a very purpose of constitution of the HPC under the Chairmanshp of D.P. Tripathi. It was agreed earlier that, this committee’s report will be deliberated with the federations, which has not been done.

Previously there have been meetings with the Hon’ble MR, MoSR, CRB and MS and after that two meetings were also held under the Chairmanship of MS, but after that meetings have been stopped. Many important issues, as follows, have been discussed in those meetings, but there had been no fruitful outcome of the meetings and many cases are still stand unresolved

(i) NPS should be abolished and Defined Pension Scheme should be introduced for the railway employees as has been done in the case of Armed Forces and has been recommended by two consecutive Minister for Railways, S/Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Suresh Prabhu. It was informed, during the meeting, by the DG(P), that Hon’ble Finance Minister has rejected the proposal of the Railways. GS/AIRF proposed that, in such cases Hon’ble MR should be apprised and the PM should be persuaded to intervene and give relief to the railwaymen joined on or after 01.01.2004.

(ii) The issue of improvement in Minimum Wage and Fitment Formula is also creating lot of mental agony to the railwaymen. AIRF had requested that this issue needs to be resolved at an earliest. AIRF further requested that Hon’ble MR should be instrumental for organizing a meeting between Hon’ble FM and the Staff Side as negotiations held on 30th June, 2016, where initiated by the Hon’ble MR at the residence of Hon’ble Home Minister where Hon’ble Finance Minister and MoSR were also present.

(iii) AIRF also raised the issue of improvement in medical services, for that Hon’ble MR has already issued certain instructions. AIRF further mentioned that, our hospitals, even PHC’s, have lot of potential, need to be strengthened. He also mentioned that, as has been promised, at least one Mobile Medical Van must be provided in each Division.

(iv) Most of the contracts are being awarded to the contractors having no technical knowhow as well as skilled manpower, resulting in frequent accidents and violation of safety norms. Moreover, they are exploiting contractual/outsourced workers to greater extent. Some of the contractors are holding their ATM Cards and the staff, so recruited by the contractors, are not getting Minimum Wage, Social Security, working for more hours etc. Many of the contractors have taken their ATM Cards and exploiting the workforce to a great extent.

(v) AIRF also raised the issue of closure of Printing Presses and requested that a meeting should be held on this particular subject and Printing Presses should be allowed to continue because a large sum has been spent for modernization of these Printing Presses.

(vi) AIRF also raised the issue of KMA and other allowances related to Running Staff, awaiting sanction of the Railway Board.

(vii) AIRF also raised the issue of further liberalization of GDCE Scheme and requested for reduction in DR Quota to the extent of 10% to be filled by LDCE.

(viii) AIRF also requested for recruitment of Substitutes to the extent of 10% from amongst the wards of the railwaymen.

(ix) AIRF also raised the issue of allotment of proper fund for staff amenities, particularly for improvement in railway quarters, colonies, roads, sewer etc. and suggested that age-old quarters should be demolished and multi-storey towers should be constructed with 10/15 years contract by leasing the land.

(x) AIRF also suggested that the residents of the railway quarters should be allowed for reimbursement of petty repairs, whitewash and paintings etc.

(xi) AIRF also requested for party in the pay structure for Stenographers at par with CSS and RBSSS.

(xii) AIRF also demanded for better percentage of promotions through restructuring of Signal Staff and making their rosters.

(xiii) AIRF also demanded for upgradation of apex level Group `C’ as Group `B’ in Gazetted Cadre.

(xiv) AIRF also demanded for removal of anomalies for creating new benchmark of “Very Good” for the purpose of MACPS and it should be kept the same as has been implemented for Selection/Promotion in Railways.

(xv) AIRF further demanded that Course Completed Act Apprentices should be recruited in the Railways without any examination because they are already qualified.

(xvi) AIRF also demanded for stepping-up of the LIs appointed prior to 01.01.2006 as was agreed by earlier CRB.

(xvii) AIRF further demanded for absorption of the Quasi-Administrative Staff in the Railways against vacancies.

(xviii) AIRF also shown its anguish regarding functioning of the IRWO, which has become an asylum for the retired railway officers, where almost 04 Directors, 08 GMs, 06 Financial Managers are working. Nowhere such a top heavy management is in the existence and they are unable to deliver any result, and that is the reason that, dream of the railwaymen, for having a railway dwelling unit, has not been fulfilled. AIRF also demanded that, Railways should provide land to the IRWO for residential units for the railwaymen.

Hon’ble MR said that, he will definitely put all his efforts and would like that Railway Ministry should function as a catalyst/facilitator, so that, every railwaymen should have his own house before his retirement.

On the issue raised by the AIRF, that, people willingly take loan and would like to have their own house, are being deprived because they are being pressurized to live in the inhabitable railway quarters, and if they want to vacate the quarter, they are being threatened that they will not get HRA, Hon’ble MR asked the MS to change such rules.

AIRF also raised the issue of LARSGESS, where Hon’ble MR given directives to the DG(P) for resolving the issue of LARSGESS and also absorption of Course Completed Act Apprentices. Hon’ble MR directed the DG(P) to discuss the issues with the federation and come to some negotiated settlement

This is for your information.

Source : AIRF