AIRF raised issues of ALPs GrPay, 20-80% ALP ratio, High Power Committee for 6Hrs Duty, Mileage Rate as per TA with Arrears from 1.1.2006, Running Room, Ist Class Pass, LI Anomaly etc in GM Conference dt 17.03.2010

No.AIRF/General Managers’ Conference         Dtd: March 30, 2010

The General Secretaries,
All Affiliated Unions,

Dear Coms.,

Sub: General Managers’ Conference held on 17.3.2010

Conference of the General Managers’ of the Indian Railways was held on 17th March, 2010, in Rail Bhawan, New Delhi.
Brief of the deliberations made in the Conference is as under:-
In the Conference, apart from the Members, Addl. Members of the Railway Board, General Managers of the Zonal Railways as well as Production Units along with Director General, Staff College Vadodara, Railway Health Services, Railway Protection Force, General Secretaries/Secretary Generals of all the Federations/Associations were present. Hon’ble Minister for Railways, along with the MoSRs(A) & (M), was also present in the Conference.
In the Conference, I raised the following issues:-
I appreciated the Hon’ble Minister for Railways for giving appreciation to the Unions/ Federations in her Budget Speech as well as for opening of Kendriya/Navodya Vidyalayas, Technical Institutes, Hostels, Creches, enhancement of SBF by Rs.150(from Rs.350 to Rs.500), announcement of Safety Related Retirement Scheme for all the staff working in Grade Pay Rs.1800 in safety categories, Mobile Medical Van for health check-up of the Railwaymen and their families at their respective residence/work place.
I once again raised the issue of filling-up of vacancies and reminded Hon’ble M.R. that about 128 number of trains have been either introduced or their trips have been enhanced but not a single staff has been sanctioned or recruited. Apart from this, more than two lakh vacancies are lying unfilled, out of which, 80% vacancies belonging to safety categories like Trackman, ASM, Technician, J.E., S.S.E., Station Superintendent, Asstt. Loco Pilot, Motorman, Ticket Checking Staff, Enquiry & Reservation Clerk, etc. The above is increasing workload on the existing staff.

On the other hand, Railways is promoting outsourcing and offloading regular works to private companies/firms as well as contractors, leading to failures and becoming a safety hazard.
I also mentioned that the above is the main cause for run over of Gangmen as well as staff are dying on duty. Though some good steps have been taken for the recruitment of ALP, ASM, Technician, etc., where mega employment notices have been issued but these staff after recruitment and training will be available only after 2-3 years if everything is going well.
I once again demanded that the recruitment of group `D’ staff should be reverted back to in-house as was done in the past at the Divisional and Workshop levels. I also requested for the engagement of Substitutes. I pointed out to Hon’ble M.R. that in spite of her clear instructions during Safety Review Meeting, held on 26.10.2009 in Rail Bhawan, as well as in the last GMs’ Conference, engagement of the Course Completed Act Apprentices as group `D’ has not been complied with.(MR was surprised and again asked all the GMs to immediately engage Course Completed Act Apprentices as well as to fill these posts by June 2010).
For the mode of recruitment of group `D’ staff, she said that the Member Staff, Railway Board, would discuss the issue with the Federation and would resolve the issue at the earliest.
I pointed out that in the last GMs’ Conference, I had requested for some package to the category of Trackman, Keyman, Gateman, Mate, etc. You had asked to form a Joint Committee to resolve the problem but it is unfortunate that no such Committee has been formed nor any consultation has been made. The M.R. advised the Railway Board(CRB and MS) to form Joint Committee and expedite the issue immediately.
I also requested the M.R. for in-house recruitment of the handicapped staff to meet their special necessities of their recruitment nearest to their place and reminded her that these were her instructions in her last tenure as MR.
Anomalies
I again reminded the Hon’ble M.R. that there is lot of discontentment amongst the Railwaymen because of anomalies and these need immediate attention, particularly in the GP of Rs.1900, 2800 and 4600 which need improvement and requested for taking-up the issue with the Finance Minister.
I thanked the Board for the approval of 20:80 for ALP GP Rs.1900 and 2400.
I also requested her that the problems faced by the Federation for the payment of VI CPC arrears from 1.1.2006, Mileage, improvement of Running Rooms, Allowance to Goods Driver and Guard and their Career Progression as well as problems of Loco Inspector should also be resolved.
In 2006, while negotiating on strike notice, it was promised by the Railway Board that a High Powered Committee would be established to review the duty hours of safety categories of Railway employees, particularly Running Staff. Unfortunately, it has also not been established up till now. I requested that it should immediately be established to avoid safety hazard.
I also requested to upgrade apex grade Sr. Supervisors/SSEs into group `B’.
On my mentioning to stop Annual Review, it was told by the Member Staff that the Annual Review has already been dispensed/deferred in the wake of CRC.
I told the Hon’ble M.R. that in the normal AVC, a Technician from GP Rs.1900 would be promoted to GP Rs.2400. But it is unfortunate that in the MACP Scheme, a new GP of Rs.2000 has been introduced, which has created loss to the Technicians as well as some other categories and requested for its immediate review.(MR immediately asked the Member Staff, who stated that this is the creation of the DoP&T. The MR asked the MS to pursue the DoP&T, and in case her help is required, she is ready to talk at appropriate level).
On my mentioning that after Herculean efforts, VI CPC agreed to give GP Rs1800 to group `D’ staff and classified them as group `C’. But some of the GMs are not giving them benefit of group `C’, particularly allotment of Type II quarters, deduction of Rs.30 as GIS as well as issue of Complementary Pass. The MR asked to implement it immediately.
On my request that women employees in the Railways still require lots of facilities/ concession and complained that Child Care Leaves, Common Room Facilities, Crèches, etc. are still not provided to them. I also requested that looking special circumstances and conditions, Railways being model employer should introduce flexi-duty hours for them and lot is still needs to be done for women empowerment. The MR stated that the suggestions in this regard should be given to her in writing. These would be considered sympathetically.
I also mentioned that due to shortage of staff, HOER is being flouted without Factual Job Analysis, classification of workers are being changed from “Continuous” to “Intermittent”, which is highly irregular and demanded that such practice should be stopped immediately.
I told the MR that the security of the Railwaymen is creating problem day-to-day and the Railwaymen are being assaulted by the irate mob, travelling passengers, Paradhies and terrorists. Now the condition has come that in some sections of NFR, ECoRs, ECR(CIC Section) the staff is being forced to give extortion money of Rs.1000-2000 every month. In such a condition how Railwaymen can deliver stress free service and therefore requested her for immediate relief.(The MR asked the DG/RPF to provide special security cover to the Railwaymen of the particular sections where they are under the threat of extortion).
While thanking the MR for her determination and statement that the Railways would not be privatized, I requested her that PPP projects must not snatch the jobs of the Railwaymen. Our activities should not be outsourced as well as safety of the Railways should also not be endangered.

Giving complement to the MM about the performance of Kurla Automatic Washing Plant, I asked to replicate the same throughout the Indian Railways by the Railways itself instead of going for PPP.
I requested the Member Staff, Railway Board, to compulsorily introduce 5-day Computer Awareness Programme, in each module, with that the problem of the MT for computerization of the lobbies will also get resolved.
I requested the MR that the issue of Privilege Pass is being delayed badly, causing lots of frustration amongst the Railway employees and requested her that orders for 2 AC Pass to the employees working in GP Rs.4200 and 3 AC Pass to the employees working in GP Rs.2800 should be issued immediately.
I also requested the MR that Duronto Trains are far away from the Railway employees, should be given privilege of rail travel to the Railwaymen at par with Rajdhani Express trains. The MR asked the MS to consider it sympathetically.
I requested the Railway Board that since Railwaymen are working under great stress, they should take help from Art of Living, who has its own special course and special modules on Yoga that will help Railway employees as well as to improve our Railway System.
While concluding, I requested the MR for having a joint meeting bi-monthly.
                                                                       Yours fraternally,
                                                                    (Shiva Gopal Mishra)
                                                                      General Secretary