Letter demanding Bonus Through Bank

From                                                                              Bangalore.

G.Rajan,                                                                        04.09.2011

No.90, II Main, II Cross, Ramakrishnanagar,

Railwaymen Layout, Nandini Layout IV Block,

Bangalore – 560 096.

(M) 9448293295; e mail: rajan.iyer@ymail.com.

Legal Adviser,Nairuthya Railway Employees Union(NREU)

Aff.to CITU,South Western Railway, Hubli.

To

1)     GM/SWR,

2)     FAO&CAO/SWR.

Sirs,

Sub:  Payment of the emoluments of Railway employees through bank-Loss to the exchequer arising out of payment through Cashiers-Accountability on the part of         CEOs-Reg.

Ref:   1)GM/UBL/SWR DO No.SWR/p.401 dated 14.7.2004.

        2)DPO/SBC Lr.No.B/P.483/CP/SBC dated 13.12.2005.

******

The Divisional Personal Officer states as under in his letter cited as Ref.No.2.

“As per RB instructions communicated by GM vide DO No.AAD/SWR/62/Vol.I dated 6.12.2004, payment of salary through cheque should be implemented for all staff by 1.1.2005 positively. If any of the employees fail to open bank account inspite of persuasion, payment of salary will be arranged through ‘bearer cheque.’

In the light of the above, it is urged that the Bonus of the employees for the current year-2011 shall be effected through bank only for the following reasons amongst others.

1.     Apparently 99% of the employees of SWR are drawing their salary through bank payment. Therefore absolutely there can be no hassles in arranging Bonus-2011 through banks as bonus can be arranged through bearer cheque for those who do not draw their through Banks.

2.     The PF-advance, DA arrears and NDA arrears are presently made through bank. Hence Bonus also shall be arranged through Banks.

3.     The payment of Bonus through Cashiers involves avoidable exchequers’ loss in the form of honorarium to the cashiers, payment of TA for the cashiers and the RPF staff who accompany them.

4.     Wastage of man power arising out of grant of SCL to the recognized organization members during bonus payment also can be avoided.

5.     The transaction arising out of drawing huge sum of money from RB to Railway Cash Office to effect the bonus payment can be avoided. Likewise the quantum of financial loss caused in drawing the cash from RB and securing the same in Railway Cash Office also can be avoided. Further the man power lost in the wasteful man oeuvre also can be curbed.

6.     Payment through cashiers is most unwanted and mindless. It involves so many manoeuvres like sending cashiers to Reserve Bank along with RPF personnel to draw the money and bringing it to Railway Cash Office. Then handing over the cash to dozens of Cashiers to distribute among the staff who will be working at stations and work spots hundreds of miles away from the head quarters like UBL, MYS and SBC. The cashiers are required to be provided RPF personnel as security. If the cashiers travel by Passenger trains the trains need extra stopping at all the stations causing inconvenience to the passengers. If the cash is handed over to the SMs then the Pay clerks have to travel to the stations to collect the pay sheets.

ALL THE ABOVE REDICULOUS MONEUVRES CAN BE NIPPED IF PAYMENT IS MADE THROUGH BANK PAYMENT.  

7.     STAFF SIDE: SAFETY AT STAKE.

7.1.  Coming to the staff side, let us look at the pathetic condition of SAFETY CATEGORY STAFF.

Let me first look at the open line safety category staff like SMs, Points Men, Gate Men, Cabin Men etc.

a)     The staff who are not on duty have to come to station or gate or depot foregoing their rest. Especially for those staff who have done night duty or due for night duty it is nothing but harassment. They have to wait indefinitely to take the Bonus. And to make things worse they will not be able to avail rest to perform the night duty, thereby the safety in train operation is jeopardized.

b)     It is equally bad for the most important Loco Running staff. The Loco Pilots have to forego their most precious Head Quarters Rest hours or PR to take their Bonus. This is ridiculous when the Bonus can be arranged through banks.

c)     Shri. M.C.SRIVATSAVA-(MT/RB)  in his D.O. bearing NO. 2002/Safety (A&R)/26/5 dated 11.2.2003 addressed to all COMs & CSOs wonders whether it is humanly possible for the Station Masters to handle all assigned duties, faithfully, according to the spirit of the prescribed procedure due to ever increasing work load on SMs. Therefore it is highly unwise to ask them to disburse the Bonus handed over to them by Cashiers.

8.     A stage has come where it is prudent to disburse the Bonus payment through Banks and the precedence is every much there as all payments including PF Advance, DA arrears and NDA arrears are effected only through Bank.  Perhaps there is every chance that Recognized Organizations may request for payment through cashiers so that they can force the employees to pay donations or subscriptions. But it cannot be accepted as Bank payment has become the mode of disbursement of the dues to the employees. In such an event the authorities can concede their demand if the federations produce specific individual representation from the employees who opt for payment of bonus through cashiers as the stipulated procedure for payment of the employees’ dues is through banks and not through cashiers.

Wherefore for the above reasons it is urged that the Bonus-2011 shall be effected ONLY THROUGH BANKS. On the contrary if loss is caused to the exchequer arising out of payment of Bouns-2011 the authorities shall be made accountable for the loss to the exchequer.

Thanking you,

With regards,

G.Rajan

(Legal Adviser/NREU)