LATEST ON PASS ISSUE: Updated on 29/04/10

LATEST ON PASS ISSUE: Updated on 29/04/10

General Secretary/AIRF Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra has again taken a tough stand on the pass issue, after Railway Board took a complete U-turn from earlier negotiations. Railway Board wants to put barrier on entry grade for the entitlement of 2AC and 3AC passes, new proposal has outrightly been rejected by AIRF.

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No.AIRF/82                                               Dated: April 28, 2010

The General Secretaries,
All Affiliated Unions,
Dear Coms.,

Sub: Entitlement of Privilege Pass and other burning issue

Yesterday, i.e. on 27th April, 2010, while meeting the Member Staff, Railway Board, I again raised the issue of Asstt. Loco Pilot, for whom orders of 20:80(GP Rs.1900: 2400) have not yet been issued by the Railway Board in spite of our continuous persuasions with the Railway Board. The Member Staff promised that orders to this effect would be issued in a couple of days.
I also shown our anguish over the inordinate delay in finalizing the issues of entitlement of Privilege Pass, Classification of posts as “Selection/Non-Selection”, revision of designations, MACP Scheme, Anomalies, Income Tax, recruitment of wards of Railway employees, non-issuance of orders for Liberalized Safety Related Retirement Scheme, filling of vacancies, creation of additional posts for additional workload, stopping of surrendering posts, reduction in duty hours by appointing High Powered Committee as was agreed, arrears of Running Allowance, etc.
The Member Staff directed the Adviser(IR), Railway Board, to immediately hold dialogue with the Federation on the issue of entitlement of Privilege Pass.
Today, 28th April, a meeting was organized by Shri Amitabh Khare, Member, Human Resource Reforms Committee, Railway Board, to brief us about the status of issue of entitlement of Privilege Pass, which was also attended by Shri Rakhal Das Gupta, Working President AIRF along with me.

It is most shocking that the Railway Board want to take U-Turn from the earlier negotiation and now want to put a barrier of entry grade for the entitlement of 2 AC and 3 AC passes, e.g. they have suggested that the staff who have joined Railways between 1.2.1999 and 1.9.2008 will be made eligible to avail the facility of 2 AC Pass after reaching pay in Pay Band at Rs.14140 in GP Rs.4200. No doubt, Railway Board have proposed 3 AC Pass to all the staff with Grade Pay of Rs.4200, right from their entry in Grade Pay of Rs.4200, they have also proposed 3 AC Pass to those employees who are in GP of Rs.2800 after 22 increments, i.e. pay in PB at Rs.13490.
As all of you aware, during earlier meetings with the Adviser(IR), Railway Board, on the issue of entitlement of Privilege Pass, Railway Board had agreed that all the employees working in GP of Rs.4200 will be entitled for 2 AC Pass and those who are in GP of Rs.2800, they will be considered for 3 AC Pass. It is, however, agreed by the Railway Board that the privilege already availed by the Railwaymen will continue.
The above is a breach of trust and, therefore, we have categorically rejected the proposal of the Railway Board.
Hope, a formal meeting will be held shortly when we will represent our case at the highest level.
In view of above-mentioned circumstances, the issue of Pass should also be included as an item for “All India Protest Day - 26th May”, for which, I hope, you have started brisk preparations.

Yours fraternally,

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary