Circular- 07/09

Comrades,

In our last circular we had mentioned that post 09.09.09 situation would be reviewed for chalking out the further course of action.

.In view of the fact that the low profile agitations done till date has not yielded the desired result and the members are demanding a more vigorous action, we informed the Chairman, CBEC that we are now constrained to plan for a strike. On receipt of the letter the Association was given appointment.

The Secretary General & Vice President (East) reached Delhi on 13^th September and the President joined them on 14^th. During this trip visits were made to various sections and met several officers including Joint Secretary (Admn) and Member (P&V).

During this visit, the President in pursuance of an RTI appeal, inspected 24 files from 17 ministries pertaining to the up gradation of grade pay from 4200 to 4600/4800 in the chambers of Director (IC), Dept. of Expenditure.

During our last update, we had informed regarding our visit to IFU in connection with the letter issued by the Deputy Controller of Accounts in the matter of ACP granted to Inspectors between 01.01.2006 and 30.08.2008. The IFU has returned the file to the Board office with a noting that the issue is clear and there was no necessity to make the reference to IFU. He advised the Board to take up the matter with Dy. C.A for withdrawing the same.

As Chairman was not in New Delhi, the meeting took place with Member (P&V) on 17.09.2008 at 4 PM. The Member had invited Deputy/Under Secretaries of all the concerned section for the meeting and this facilitated on the spot issuance of directions to the concerned sections.

We submitted before him that despite two meetings, one chaired by the Revenue Secretary and the other by JS (Per), Dept. of Expenditure the issue of grade pay of Inspectors still remain unresolved and we are under tremendous pressure from our own cadre and sister organizations to launch strike action. The Member requested us to desist from such an action at present since he has been informed that the Dept. of Expenditure would be convening another meeting in a short while.

We represented before the Member that the rejection of our demand with regard to notional fixation of pay in the scale 6500-10500 with effect from 01.01.1996 is unjustified since the pay scale has been granted in recognition of historical parity and without saddling us with any additional responsibility. The Member agreed to make a further reference to Dept. of Expenditure at the Chairman’s level.

In our earlier visit to Member (P7V) We brought to the notice of the Member the imbroglio caused by the letter of Dy. Controller of Accounts regarding post 01.01.2006 ACP recipients and highlighted the illegality of the order. This time in addition to that We submitted even though the matter is free from doubt necessary clarification has not been issued even after a lapse of 5 months and recovery has already started. We submitted that if another reference is made to Dy. C.A. the matter would be delayed further and requested him to issue the clarification. The Member asked the section to put it up to the Board for giving clarification. In the course of discussion, Member asked us to give copies of the order directing recoveries. Secretaries of Circles facing the issue may please forward scanned copies of relevant documents to us by e mail.

We submitted that the denial of grade pay of Rs. 5400/- to Inspectors who received ACP as per the 99 Scheme is illegal and that the issue is all the more clear after the issuance of MACP order. The Member directed to make a reference to DOPT in this regard.

We raised our objections to the Board’s order permitting ICT on without loss of seniority in the Inspector’s grade and the ICT itself in the Superintendents cadre since it is against the instructions on the subject and the Recruitment Rules, we further requested Board to open the ICT in general for the interested Inspectors as a whole. The Member agreed to have a re-look of the matter.

We made reference to our earlier representations on enhancing the uniform allowance. The Member informed that they have already sent a proposal to the Dept. of Expenditure and they have raised a few queries, which would be answered shortly.

Regarding the on going restructuring exercise, we requested that we might be consulted before finalizing the proposals. The Member informed that one more committee has yet to give their report and after that we would be called for discussions.

The Income Tax organization is asking us to go for a joint strike to achieve the demand on grade pay. We have informed them regarding our commitment given to our Board and we can think about the strike only after the salted meeting with DOE is over. We are planning to call a meeting of the office bearers in New Delhi on the date succeeding the proposed meeting with the DOE, which would probably in the 2^nd week of October. Officer bearers are requested to be ready to travel.

In the meantime All the Circle and Branch committees are further requested to organize massive campaign in anticipation of a probable strike action in the second week of November jointly in the revenue Department.

All the Branch and circle committees are once again requested to submit the D.D.O. certificates by 15^th of October, 2009.

With greetings

Yours fraternally,

Kousik Roy

To The President

All Office Bearers of AICEIA

(for wide circulation of inputs to

the Members of all Circles/Branches)

Confederation News:

The National Executive of the Confederation met on 13^th September, 2009 as notified. The meeting commenced after observing two minutes silence in memory and to pay homage to Shri Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh who died in the Helicopter accident and to all those comrades who passed away during the interregnum period. From our Association Secretary General and Vice President (east) attended the meeting. The decisions taken at the meeting agenda-wise are as under.

(a) National Council meeting and related issues.

The Secretary General of C0nfederation had reported that the tenure was to end by September, 2009 and the next Conference must be held within the next three months as per the provisions of the Constitution. The meeting considering the report of the Secretariat decided to extend the tenure of office by three months.

The triennial National Council meeting will be held on 4^th,5^th and 6^th December, 2009 at New Delhi. The inaugural session will commence at 2.30 PM on 4^th (Friday) and shall be concluded by 6.30 PM. Business session will commence on 5^th at 10.30AM and the conference will be concluding its deliberations on 6^th by 5.30PM. The inaugural session will be participated and addressed by all the Central T.U. representatives, all affiliates of the TUI-PAE in Indian Sub-continent, Sri Lanka, Japan and Vietnam. The TUI General Secretary will also be invited to address the inaugural session. The Secretariat will interact with the COC Delhi to form a Reception Committee and work out other details.

Composition of the National Conference.

The National Conference shall consist of:

(a) the Office bearers and National Executive Committee members (i.e. the Secretariat)

(b) National Council members

(c) Delegates elected and nominated by the affiliates on the basis of the strength of membership as specified hereunder:-

Strength of membership No. of delegates:

Upto 250 1

From 251 to 500 2

From 501 to 1000 3

From 1001 to 5000 4

From 5001 to 10000 6

From 10001 to 20000 8

From 20001 to 50000 12

For every 10000 members exceeding 50,000 one additional delegate for every 10,000 members subject to a maximum of 20.

As stated above our association shall get 6 (six) delegates.

Financial position and subscription dues:

It was decided that the Secretariat should once again circulate the details of membership of each affiliated Association/Union (as declared earlier) and permit them to correct the declared membership and pay the arrear dues. Payment of subscription dues will be received by the CHQ up to 30^th October, 2009. The number of delegates on the basis of the paid up membership to be assigned to each affiliate will be notified by 10^th November, 2009. Our All India Association already have a due of Rs. 15,000/- apart from the membership due confederation requested to donate Rs. 20/- par member and that amounta to nearly2,00,000/- (approx).

Resolution adopted at the National Executive Committee meeting of the Confederation held at New Delhi on 13^th September, 2009.

The National Executive of the Confederation which met today on 13^th September, 2009 unanimously adopted the following resolution.

(i) It regretfully notes that the 2^nd tier of JCM fora i.e. the Departmental Council in most of the Ministries/Departments have either not been set up after 1995 and if in existence are as good as defunct. As per the scheme, Departmental Councils are to meet once in four months. This requirement is not being implemented wantonly with the result that the Staff grievances have remained unsettled for long time giving room to discontent and agitation;

ii) While issuing orders to pay 60% of arrears on account of revision of pay it has been stipulated that in the case of those employees recruited after 1.1.2004 that the same should be paid only after obtaining the application for registration to NPS. This is not only uncalled for, but also an illegal condition, which should be withdrawn.

iii) There has been unprecedented rise in price of all essential commodities which has severely reduced the purchasing power of the workers/employees income. It has affected the common people to the brink of extreme poverty. The meeting noted that the incessant rise in inflation of food articles is due to the following policies of the government and demand reversal thereof immediately.

(a) the pre budget hike in the prices of petrol and diesel;

(b) the refusal to ban futures trade in essential commodities;

(c) weakening the public distribution system making cut up to 73% in the allocation of food grains to the States;

(d) granting permission to export to sugar lobbies and causing shortages and high prices;

(e) failing to ensure self sufficiency in the production of a range of crops, including cereals, sugarcane, pulses and oil seeds, thus causing shortages, high prices and dependence on imports.

(f) the unwillingness on the part of the Govt. to deal with hoarders severly;

(iv) despite the lifting of the ban on recruitment, no action has been initiated in the direction of filling up vacancies; in the case of vacancies in Group D Cadre, casual/contingent employees are being recruited/ the functions are contractorised; despite the Supreme Court directive and the orders issued by the Government, the casual workers who have completed ten years of service in many of the Government departments are not regularized; the employees with temporary status are not given the revised pay on 6^th CPC rates and the virtual freezing of regular employment in Group D posts continues unabated;

(v) While all allowances were revised with effect from 1.9.2008, the medical allowance for pensioners continue to be the paltry amount of Rs. 100/p.m. on the plea of the introduction of the so called the Medical insurance Scheme. The scheme is being introduced without causing any discussion with the staff side and inspite of the repeated opposition from all concerned only to help the foreign Multinational Insurance Companies to have business at the cost of poor employees and pensioners;

In the light of the above, the National Executive has decided to call upon all affiliates and their members to organize the following programme of action. It also direct the Secretariat to convey to the Cabinet Secretary, the discontent and agitation of the employees and demand settlement of the issues immediately.

(i) to organize meetings in front of all offices and other campaign programmes like issuance of leaflets etc. to popularize the following demands and adopt the resolution demanding the convening of the Departmental Council of the respective Ministries/Department. This should be carried out by all affiliates and its units and branches during September and October, 2009. The resolution adopted in this regard to be sent to the concerned Secretary of the respective Ministries/Department with a copy to the Confederation CHQ.

(ii) To organize a human chain on 25^th November, 2009 in all Cities/Towns by eliciting massive participation of the members. The human chain should preferably connect two Central Govt. offices as is chosen by the concerned COCs. The human chain is to be organized to project the following demands as detailed in the annexed resolution.

. Demands:

(a) To reduce the price of all essential commodities.

(b) To rescind the orders on outsourcing of Governmental functions and closure of offices

(c) To fill up all vacancies of Group D posts by regular recruitment and stop contracting out the Group D functions and employing daily rated/casual workers to carry out the Group D functions;

(d) Remove the condition imposed on employees who are recruited after 1.1.2004 to draw the 60% arrears (viz. the compulsory filing of application for registration to NPS)

(e) To rescind the decision to replace the CGHS and Medical facilities by Medical Insurance scheme without causing any discussion in this regard with the Staff Side.

(f) To restore the Departmental Council functioning in all Ministries/Departments and ensure that the meetings of the Councils are held once in every four months. Convene the meeting of the Anomaly committees to discuss and settle the issues

Comradely Yours,

( Kousik Roy)

To The President &

All Office Bearers of AICEIA

(for wide circulation of inputs to

the Members of all Circles/Branches)

Copy of Confederation's letter dated 25^th August, 2009 addressed to the Secretary, Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India.

D/16/2009,.

Dear Madam,

Sub: Implementation of New Pension Scheme. Pre condition for release of 2^nd instalment of arrears of 6^th CPC recommendations.

We solicit your kind reference to the O.M.No. 1(2) E.V/2008 dated 17^thAugust, 2009 on the above subject.

It has been stipulated in the said order that the release of 2^nd instalment of 6^thCPC related arrears (60%) in the case of employees who are covered by the new contributory pension scheme would be subject to their filing application for registration to NPS. We feel that the payment of arrears being mandatory to all Central Government employees as and when the Government takes decision to release funds, the condition stipulated in the above cited order is not only uncalled for but also untenable. Irrespective of the fact whether they would like to subscribe to the new scheme of pension or not, the amount of contribution is being deducted from their salary every month, even though the PFRDA bill is still awaiting assent of the Parliament. We, therefore, request that the above cited order may kindly be caused to be withdrawn.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

K.K. N. Kutty

Secretary General