Memorandum to MR

To 

Sri. Piyush Goyal, 

Hon’ble Minister for Railways 

Government of India 

Rail Bhavan, New Delhi 

Dear Sir, 

We, on behalf of the All India loco running Staff association, welcome you as a cabinet minister to the department of Indian Railways consecutively for the second term and extend our support for smooth, safe and punctual running of the train services. 

Further, we wish to draw your kind attention to the following grievances and demands of Loco Pilots category of Railway men for your early action of resolving them favourably to their satisfaction which will promote healthy Industrial relations in Indian Railways. 

Sir, the loco running staff is being made the victim of injustice and discrimination since long, in the matter of pay and allowances besides parity in pension & other matters. In short, I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that the kilometer allowance (running allowance) consists of pay and travelling allowance. All the Central Government employees including the railway men are enjoying the benefits of revised pay from 01.01.16 and the revised rates of travelling allowances with effect from 01-07-2017 except the running staff due to the inordinate delay caused in taking the decision on kilometer allowance rates, in spite of having a well settled & undisputed RAC 1980 Formula, in vogue for computation of rates of kilometer allowances. 

Alas, like a bolt from the blue, the RBE No.85/2019 dated 28-05-2019 has come from Railway Board notifying the revised rates of running allowances on an irrational basis in a blatant violation of RAC 1980 FORMULA, THE PROVISIONS OF RAILWAY ESTABLISHMENT CODES, MANUALS & THE RUNNING ALLOWANCE RULES 1981, resulting in heavy reduction in the prescription of running allowances rates and consequently affecting the quantum of amount of pay and allowances, adversely. This notification is arbitrarily issued discriminating against a section of railway men i.e. the Running staff. This act of railway administration is virtually amounts to unlawful wage cut against the statutory and constitutional provisions. The railway administration being a government department is bound to act as a model employer and ought not to have resorted to these sort of unfair labour practices targeting against the interests of running staff who toil day and night facing severe vagaries of weather conditions, sacrificing their family life and risking their own life against all odds of work calamity and discharging their duties with complete involvement and utmost devotional dedication thereby, generating the output and productivity of railway revenues, thus playing an important & Vitol role in Nation building and economy.

*Correct Rates to be prescribed As per the RAC 1980 FORMULA: 30% mean pay of pass. Loco pilot+ 20 days T.A/5100 national average KMs x 100=Rate in Rupees per 100 KMs. Accordingly:

*much lower Rates prescribed as per the Arbitrarily Notified RBE No.85/2019, without indicating any formula/methodology Rs.525

Pass. Loco pilot mean pay= 

Mean of Pay matrix L.6 = 

35400+112400/2= Rs. 73900 

30% of mean pay= Rs.22170 

20 days TA@Rs.800=Rs.16000 

National average kilometers per 

Month=5100 kms. Rate as per RAC 1980 formula= 

22170+16000=38170/5100x100=Rs.748/-per 100 kms 

*THE LOSS PER 100 KMs=748-525=Rs. 223/-

*Thus, the monthly loss of emoluments is very huge & highly unjust. All the categories of running staff are deprived of their legitimate and rightful emoluments to the extent of several thousand every month, while all other central government and railway employees are enjoying the full benefits of 7th CPC pay and allowances. 

*Further, the date of effect of implementation of these running allowances orders is indicated as effective from 01-07-2017 instead of giving effect from 01-01-2016 since, these allowances contain a portion of pay to the extent of 30% of basic pay. 

*Strangely, it is mentioned vide para 2 of RBE No.85/2019 that, “for the purpose of computation of retirement benefits of running staff, an additional quantum of 55% of basic pay under Railway Services (Revised Pay) rules, 2019 would be reckoned”. The year of RS(RP)RULES,2019 may be corrected as 2016. 

*In addition to this, the RBE N0.85/2019 has also adversely affected the rates of other related allowances to the detriment of Running staff. 

These orders on the rates of KM allowance has instantly caused severe anger and dissatisfaction amongst the Running Staff and they have expressed their sserious resentment protesting against these orders, at all the Crew Lobbies all over Indian Railways. 

Therefore, the AILRSA demands revision of rates of running allowances in accordance with RAC 1980 FORMULA rectifying the RBE No.85/2019, immediately. 

Similarly, all the pre 01-01-2016 central government pensioners/family pensioners are enjoying parity in pension on par with the post 01-01-2016 pensioners/family pensioners except, the Railway Running staff pensioners since, the notification of corrected & revised order of defective R.B.E 13/2018 dated 24-01-2018 has not been done yet, despite our continuous representations through meeting with Hon’ble MR and CRB and also through different peaceful Trade Union programs in the last about 40 months for these demands. Thus, the Running staff & the pensioners of Running staff categories are made victims of the injustice and discrimination which has created strong resentment amongst them and forced us to take a decision to go for a strike. 

This association has observed all forms of democratic norms & steps besides, conducting various peaceful T.U programs apprising the ministry of Railways & the government of India for the negotiated settlement of the following genuine grievances/justified demands but, to no avail. 

1. Rate of Kilometer allowance should be finalized as per RAC 1980 formula, duly revising the defective RBE No. 85/2019, in line with the RAC 1980 Formula. 

2. Remove pension disparity in case of pre 2016 retired running staff pensioners by granting parity in pension on par with post 01-01-2016 running staff pensioners since, parity in pension is sanctioned as a matter of policy decision by the government of India for all central government employees without any exception. 

3. Scrap New Pension Scheme and grant Old pension scheme. So that, the loco running staff will get the, appropriate, pensionary benefits. 

4. Fill up all the vacancies in the interest of safety of trains. 

5. All the locomotives to be provided with AC cabin and with toilet. 

This association is expecting your honour’s immediate intervention into the matter without any further delay and also expecting a favourable decision to resolve the grievances of loco running staff in order to maintain the healthy & cordial Labour relations. This association is demanding immediate justice to avoid strike action, which is the compulsive option for us. 

With regards.                                                                                     Yours faithfully 

                                                                                                               (M. N. Prasad) 

                                                                                                     Secretary General.AILRSA.