Resolutions which are adopted in CWC Meeting held at Jodhpur on 11th & 12th Feb 2016

Resolutions which are adopted in CWC Meeting held at Jodhpur on 11th & 12th Feb 2016

This All India Loco Running Staff Association held its working committee meeting at Gandhi Santi Pratisthan Kendra, Jodhpur on 11th & 12 of Feb 2016. The meeting witnessed representation from all Zones and was presided by a Presidium consisting of Central President Com. L. Mony and Working President Com. N. B. Dutta, and unanimously adopted the following resolutions after thread bare discussion and forwarded to the concerned authorities for necessary action on it. 

The two days hunger fast organized by AILRSA on 14th and 15th December 2015 was a notable action by Loco Running Staff which highlighted the grievances of Loco Running Staff and persuaded the Railway to act. This CWC being the first meeting after the agitation, we sincerely thank Com. P. Karunakaran MP and Parliamentary party leader of CPI (M) who forwarded our memorandum to the petitions committee of Parliament and facilitated meeting with CRB and Member Staff, Com. Tapan Sen MP and General Secretary of CITU who led our delegation to Minister for Railways, Sri. Santosh Kumar Gangwar the Hon’ble Minister for State, Sri Brahmdutt Private Secretary, Sri Pon. Radhakrishnan Hon’ble Minister of State for Surface Transport and Shipping and a number of Hon’ble Members of Parliament who wrote on our cause to the Minister for Railways. We also thank the Central Leadership of AIRF and NFIR, for extending support to the cause of Loco Running Staff. We appreciate and thank Sri. Shiva Gopal Mishra of AIRF and Sri. B. C. Sharma of NFIR specially for addressing the agitating Loco Running Staff before Rail Bhavan on 14th & 15th Dec 2015. We hope and also appeal to resolve to move united for the betterment of working class. This CWC congratulate and thank the thousands of Loco Running Staff assembled at Delhi to demonstrate their protest and urge for a dignified life.

1. The Central Working Committee meeting of AILRSA held at Jodhpur on 11th & 12th Feb 2016 appreciate the welcome move of giving call for an indefinite strike from 11th April 2016 in protest against the Government policies adversely affecting the working class and general public such as:-

i) Weakening of public sector by way of privatization, disinvestment, outsourcing and even closing down of units. 

ii) Amending the Labour rules to wipe out vast majority of Labourers from the protection of various Acts and rules framed earlier and to weaken the Trade Union movement as a whole.

iii) Denial of just and fair play to the workers and employees of Central government through the inadequate and unjust pay scales recommended by the 7th CPC by; 

i) Wrongly fixing the minimum pay at Rs. 18000/- instead of Rs. 26000

ii) A low fixation formula of 2.57 times against 3.71,

iii) Keeping low rate of annual increment of 3% instead of 5%, 

iv) Maintaining minimum number of financial up gradation to 3 instead of 5 (MACP), etc. 

This CWC decide to join the proposed indefinite strike from 11th April 2016, We also plead the NJCA to convene a National Convention to amalgamate and consolidate the various agitating forces and also bringing together all the supporting forces to form a common platform similar to NCCRS with which the 1974 Railway strike could happen. The final charter of demands may be evolved through such a convention and the joint propaganda for strike to be undertaken from grass root level for creating confidence to the workers, which is most essential for Railway men as there is not even a single employee in Railway service who had an experience of a general strike. 

2. The object of Bibek Debroy Committee was to make Indian Railway worth to attract investment for the most urged new Railway lines, new trains, new coaches and more facilities at station. The proposal of the committee is to convert Railways to a profit oriented business will lead to closing of loss making branch lines, passenger services and even cancellation of express trains during off seasons. So the report is opposed by Railway Officers, workers, and many other sections of people. They apprehend the proposals will lead to disintegration of mighty Indian Railways and the services will become limited to the upper class and hence registered their protest. The Government is proceeding further in spite of mass protest, which is evident from the notification of draft of Railway Regulatory Authority of India, which is the key recommendation of the disputed committee without any discussion in the Parliament; a similar course took by the Government to introduce New Pension Scheme.

3. Foreign Direct Investment in Railways and Defense against the interest of sovereignty of India. We also protest against the sectorial guidelines issued by Government of India by which the Railway lines, workshops, training centers and stations are proposed to hand over to private on payment. 

4. This CWC protests against the retro grade recommendations of 7th CPC. The CPC’s data’s to arrive at the minimum pay is unrealistic and need review. The pay of all Central Government Employees are fixed on par with increase proposed in minimum pay and entire workforce in Government service is in disadvantage. The recommendation to abolish 51allowances and to deny annual increment after 20 years on the plea of efficiency bar is highly objectionable. The rate of annual increment need to be increased to 5% and minimum financial up-gradation (Promotion) need to be fixed as 5 in service. The fate of Loco Running Staff will become worse with 7th CPC. The CPC did neither evaluate the work load, working environment, responsibility and accountability of the Loco Running duty nor maintained the historical relativity. As a result, the pay of ALP is kept too low and 4 promotional posts i.e. LP (Shunting) grade I, LP(Goods), LP(Passenger) and L (Mail) in Loco Running Cadre lie in a same level 6 in pay matrix. This has distorted the historical relativities with all other categories too. Now the starting pay of SMs and maximum pay of Loco Pilots in the same level 6, though both are termed as one of the Big three of Railways.

The CPC left the entire matter of running allowance at the mercy of the employer the Railways itself. This CWC demands the Government to reconsider the 7th CPC recommendations to render justice. 

5. On behalf of the entire Loco Running Staff this Association expresses its appreciation and hail the decision of the Railway Board in accepting some of the recommendations of High Power Committee on HOER, 2013. 

At the same time we express our apprehension that many of the recommendations on working hours at a stretch, periodical rest, limit on outstation stay and consecutive night duties, which are supposed to be implemented fully in 2020 fall short of our expectation. A gradual reduction in year by year should have been proposed to reach to the target, to instill confidence in the minds of the staff that the issues will be settled time bound. Our memorandum on this subject is attached herewith for detail information on our grievances on HPC. 

6. Aptitude test for Motorman is found cumbersome and many candidates could not qualify over Indian Railways due to0 change in mode and method involved in evaluation. Moreover, the English language used could not be easily comprehended by the candidates and hence they could not answer well. The one day training imparted prior to the Aptitude test is also insufficient and does not match the Aptitude test module.

It is pertinent to point out that the HPC has rightly recommended to modify the level of Aptitude considering the entry level qualification of ITI which clearly demonstrates that Aptitude test is of higher standard. The decision of Railway Board to refer the matter to executive Director Committee which shall kindly look into these issues and to issue suitable orders so as to ensure correct progression of Loco Running Staff and ameliorate the difficulties of candidates while appearing for Aptitude test. 

7. This CWC takes note of large scale officiating in higher grade that too prolonged for many years in Loco Running cadre. The reasons for such a situation is inordinate delay in sanctioning of post on introduction of new Mail / Express / Passenger trains, improper cadre review and delay in ordering of promotions. Whatever be the reason it mounts excess work pressure on the employees as they have to shoulder the excess work load and hence demands to sanction additional post immediately on introduction of new trains and to speed up the promotions. 

Thanking you, 

                                                                                                                     With regards

                                                                                                                   (M. N. Prasad)

                                                                                                         Secretary General  AILRSA