Convention at Baghlingampally, Hyderabad.

CONVENTION organised by AILRSA SCR

Against

@ Inhuman working conditions in Indian Railways.

@ Injustice in allotment of “Grade Pay” to ALP and other Loco

Men in VIth CPC.

@ Disparity and reduction in running allowances rate.

@ Non filling up of vacancies.

@ Sky rocketing prices of essential commodities.


Venue: Sundarayya Vignana Kendram,

Baghlingampally, Hyderabad.

Date: 08-08-2009, Saturday. Time: 11.00 am.


CURB PRICE RISE OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

The people are already groaning under the effects of Economic Recession, growing loss of jobs and ever declining purchasing power. This situation has further been aggravated by the unabated sky-rocketing prices of Essential commodities. In particular, the rise in the prices of food items like Dal, Rice, Wheat, Edible oil, Vegetables and other such items, whose prices have been constantly shooting up, being unchecked. As a result, these essential food items have gone out of the reach for vast majority of people, as the rise in prices has led to steep depletion of purchasing capacity of Consumers.

The Government’s injudicious decision to increase the prices of Petrol and Diesel has added fuel to the price rise. Further, the deficient rain fall in many states, in this monsoon, is bound to reflect in price escalation of essential commodities in the uncontrolled markets. Therefore, the Government should come out immediately with firm steps to curb the price rise on war footing to rescue the people from severe crisis of food, for their survival.

The government should, as an imperative need, take hold of the stocks of essential commodities and supply them at subsidised rates, through Public Distribution System for both below and above Poverty line category of people with adequate allocation of supplies. Further withdraw the increased prices of Petrol and Diesel as it is, also, a factor contributor for price rise. Another vital issue to be tackled by Government is Prohibition of Future Trading in all food related items.

The government has a constitutional duty to care for the well being of people and so to ensure adequate supply of essential commodities to them, duly curbing the price rise, as the food is the source of energy for sustenance of life and the citizen’s have a fundamental right to life, guaranteed in the constitution of India.

The people, irrespective of their occupation and affiliations have to struggle, by coming together for their survival, demanding the Government to take immediate and effective measures to curb price rise in order to save the people from the miseries of spiraling prices in the market.

THOTA HANUMAIAH
Central Vice President
AILRSA

INHUMAN WORKING CONDITION IMPOSED UPON RUNNING STAFF OF INDIAN RAILWAYS

The running staff of Indian Railway is at the receiving end on the apathy shown by the Ministry of Railways, in redressing their grievances. They were put to work continuously for 18 to 20 hours at a stretch, especially in freight service.
On 14the August 1973, the Government announced in the parliament that Running Staff need not work more than 10 hours at a stretch from signing ON to OFF as an agreement made with the striking loco running staff under the banner of AILRSA. Formal orders, in line with this assurance, were released by Ministry of Railway on 31-12-1978. But in course of time the Ministry went back from this assurance and now orders were issued that the Running staff should work for 13 hours at a stretch. Many committees such as Wanchoo Committee, Kunzuru Committee, The Miaboy Tribunal etc. stressed the urgent need to reduce the duty hours at a stretch. Not only on the workers suffering but also on safety on train operations. Various studies conducted by many Railways in other countries also on the same line to reduce the duty hours at a stretch.
In the year 2002, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railway recommended to reduce the duty hours at a stretch to 8 hours. The Government did not take any step to reduce the duty hours, in spite of several committees recommended to reduce it to 8 hours. Now the Loco Running Staff are forced under the threat of disciplinary action to work for 18 to 20 hours continuously. This have a direct bearing on the safety of train operations thus becomes an issue of the traveling public.
On the wake of nation wide strike sponsored by the central Government employees, in 2006 the Government agreed with the JCM to appoint a judicial review committee to look in to the grievances on Hours of Employment Regulation of the Indian Railways. This assurance too is not fulfilled. This union now proposes for a nation wide agitation on this issue for which we request your full support on the cause.

ADEQUATE EMOLUMENT COMMENSURATE TO THE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY ATTACHED TO THE POST OF LOCO RUNNING STAFF

The grievance of loco running staff pertaining to recommendation of the sixth CPC is that the pay allotted to the entry grade of Assistant Loco Pilots was not commensurate to the skill required, the responsibility attached to the post, the entry qualification and the medical standard prescribed by the post. They are being allowed with a grade pay of Rs 1900 only Rs 100 more than the lowest in Government service.
Realizing this anomaly, the then Railway Minister Sri Lalu Prasad Yadav, in a farewell meeting directed the Chairman, Railway Board to redress the grievance of Assistant Loco Pilot. He has categorically said that their grade must be restored with commensurate pay as these personal are performing a vital job. The demand is to raise the grade pay from Rs 1900 to Rs 2800. In a meeting with Chairman Railway Board this Union was assured and agreed that the grievances are genuine and will be resolved soon.
But to our dismay nothing seems to be in motion to resolve the issue, though a priority committee was appointed to look into in the month of February 2009. The second grievance is that the principle enunciated by the 6th CPC that different and distinctive grade pay be allotted to posts which have functional difference from each other. In the case of Loco Pilot (Goods, Pass, and Mail), there are not only functional difference but also responsibility, that vary considerably. On this principle we demand different grade pay for each of this post against common grade of Rs 4200.

THE INTRIGUING ISSUE ON RUNNING ALLOWANCE

Over and above the pay 30 % of the pay of Running Staff also declared as pay by the President of India like the 25 % of pay treated as non-practicing allowance for Doctors under the Government of India.
For Doctors this 25% of pay is given directly along with their pay. But in the case of Running Staff the 30% of pay and the traveling allowance clubbed together and paying it through a scheme known as Running Allowance derived by the Railway Board.
The 30% of pay declared as special pay by the President is statutory in nature, and TA rules is also statutory in nature. Had there been no Running allowance scheme which was created by an executive order, the Running Staff ought to have been paid 30% of their pay as special pay, like the Doctors non practicing allowances, and Traveling Allowance in accordance with traveling allowance rule in force.
Thus they are entitled to get 30% of their pay as special pay and eligible TA as per rules, without any abrogation.
To abrogate these two components the emolument, which are statutory in nature, the Railway Board derived the Running Allowance scheme by an executive order. What is statutory in nature being abrogated by an executive order, which is bad in law.
In the course of implementation of the scheme, the Railway took Rs 210 as one day TA rate, whereas the TA rate recommended on account of 6th CPC stands at Rs 360 added to this to take the 30% of pay of individual worker as desired by the President of India, they calculated the 30% of the minimum of the pay band at 9300.
This is against justice and fair play. This is totally nullifying what is entitled as per statutory rules. We demand to pay the actual figure of 30% of pay as one of the component and Rs 360 as TA rate as the other component to derive the rate of Running Allowance

FILL UP THE SANCTIONED POSTS IN RUNNING CADRE

Extracting excess duty hours, denying weekly and daily rest, denial of eligible leave, the fundamental cause for this is non filling of the sanctioned posts among Loco Running Staff. You may know that the sanctioned posts itself is lesser than actual requirement of posts. Even the sanctioned posts not been filled in, the impact will be very bad. We suffer and the public also suffer. Approximately 28% of sanctioned are unfilled in whole Railway. The on line Loco Running Staff are under pressure and they work on strains and fatigue, which invariably affect the safety in train operations. We plead to fill vacancy.

L. MONY
Central President
AILRSA