PROTEST BLACK DAYS on 14, 15 & 16 MAY 2018.

Loco Running Staff of Indian railways observing protest black days 

Demands: 

1. Revise Running Allowance as per RAC 1980 Formula immediately 

2. Rectify anomalous order (RBE 13/2018) on revision of pension, and ensure parity in pension between pre and post 2016 retired running staff. 

BRIEF HISTORY: 

7th Central Pay Commission: 

7th Central Pay Commission has submitted its retrograde Report to Government of India on 19.11.2015.Govt Approved recommendations on 29th June, 2016 and Gazette notification came on 28.07.2016, effecting from 01.01.2016. But entire central Govt employees were fighting against the adverse recommendations. Due to the pressure from the Trade unions the Cabinet had decided to set up the Committee on Allowances (CoA) in view of substantial changes in the existing provisions and a number of representations received. The modifications are based on suggestions made by the CoA in its Report submitted to Finance Minister on 27th April, 2017 and the Empowered Committee of Secretaries set up to screen the recommendations of 7th CPC. The revised rates of the allowances shall come into effect from 1st July, 2017. (Revised Travel Allowance (TA) is also declared.) 

But the running allowance is left for Ministry of Railways to finalise after bilateral discussions between Railway Board and Federations. 

7th CPC implemented from: 01.01.2016 

New allowances effected from: 01.07.2017 

New running allowance rate ? 

Running Allowance 

By the nature of duty of Running staff, they have to stay out of their head quarters most of their service. They are therefore entitled to receive travel allowances. In order to induce them to work more the Ministry of Railways traditionally gave a portion of pay and travelling allowance through running allowance way back from 1919 when the Company Railways were existed. 

Though the system of running allowance was in vogue from 1919 and was considered by 1, 2 & 3rd Central Pay Commissions and two Running allowance committees, none quantified the portion of pay in running allowance. Due to continuous demand from running staff to give clarity on the components in the running allowance for proper fixation of running allowance and running allowance committee (RAC) 1980 was appointed. It quantified the portion of pay as 30% to be given through running allowance to motivate the running staff. Further 4th and 5th CPC recommended to continue this and Running Allowance Committee constituted after 6th CPC (2008) also endorsed it. At present this element of incentive stands at 30% of their Basic pay. 

According to the scheme, a formula has been derived by the running allowance committee of 1980 to arrive at the rate for 100 km, is as follows. 

30% of mean of the scale of pay of Loco Pilot Pass + 20 Days TA X 100 

Monthly average kilometre of Loco Pilot Passenger 

Even after a lapse of 10 months still the issue is pending before railway board. The Bilateral meetings between two federations could not finalise the rate of Running Allowance. Presently both the federations and AILRSA are demanding to finalise running allowance as per RAC 1980 formula. 

Further, in the matter of revision of pension, the government of India has taken a policy decision conferring parity in pension between the pre and post 7th CPC, pensioners/family pensioners, which were communicated by the Ministry of Personnel, PG& Pensions, Department of pension & pensioners Welfare vide OM No.38/37/2016-P&PW (A) dated12-05-2017 and the same was endorsed by the railway board vide RBENo.49/2017 dated 22.05.2017 and forwarded to all concerned for compliance. The policy decision has been implemented in favour of all the central civil pensioners /family pensioners including railway pensioners, excepting the running staff pensioners /family pensioners. 

The railway board have issued discriminatory orders vide RBE No.13/2018 dated 24.01.2018 in the matter of revision of pension of pre 01.01.2016 running staff pensioners /family pensioners by putting forth a dubious method of pension calculation which is totally in contrast and diagonally opposed to the one circulated by the Government of India, resulting in heavy loss, ranging anywhere between 16 % to 38 % of revised pension benefit, to the pre 7th CPC running staff pensioners / family pensioners. Thus, it is clear that the railway board letter dated 24.01.2018, is not only goes, squarely, against the intent and purport of the government’ s policy decision of conferring parity in pension, but also aimed at defeating the objectives sought to be achieved by the Government through its policy decision. It has to be viewed as a deliberate attempt on the part of the railway board, because it has implemented the decision of parity in pension in the case of medical practitioners by notionally fixing their pay in 7th CPC pay matrix and then adding to it 25% non practicing allowance for computing the parity in pension, whereas in the case of running staff instead of following this prescribed procedure and method, a deceptive method and procedure was put forth to deprive the running staff pensioners /family pensioners of their benefit of parity in pension, though, both the running staff pensioners and railway medical practitioners are situated ,similarly, the running staff Pensioners / family pensioners are discriminated. Therefore, this injustice, also, have to be fought out along with other burning issues. 

Taking a serious note on these two vital issues, this association calls up on all the running staff to observe 14, 15 & 16th May, 2018 as Black Days wearing badges and by holding Massive Demonstration before the DRMs office on 16.05.2018 in all divisions.