‘JCM’ has sent a letter to the Cabinet Secretary on June 18. In this letter, JCM has demanded that the ‘Terms of Reference’ (TOR) prepared for the Eighth Pay Commission should be circulated.
The Joint Consultative Machinery for Central Government Employees (JCM) of the National Council (Staff Side) has sent a letter to the Cabinet Secretary on June 18. In this letter, JCM has demanded that the ‘Terms of Reference’ (TOR) prepared for the Eighth Pay Commission be circulated. DoPT had informed JCM that the government has decided to constitute the Eighth Pay Commission. For this, the ‘Terms of Reference’ are being finalized. DoPT had sought suggestions from JCM for the TOR. JCM had submitted all those suggestions to DoPT long ago. Despite submitting the suggestions for the TOR, there has been no communication from the government with the apex body of central employees ‘JCM’ in this matter. This is creating confusion among employees and pensioners.
How much importance was given to the suggestions of JCM…
According to JCM Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra, central employees and pensioners are confused about what the government has written in the ‘Terms of Reference’ of the Eighth Pay Commission, how much importance was given to the suggestions given by the employees. They are facing a situation of uncertainty. Not only this, due to the ‘TOR’ document not reaching JCM, there is a doubt among the employees about the government’s announcement and credibility.
Employees seem to be worried about the announcement of the Eighth Pay Commission. Apart from serving employees, pensioners are also not confident about the Eighth Pay Commission. The reason is that they do not know yet whether the Eighth Pay Commission will benefit the pensioners or harm them. Pensioners were also worried due to the Finance Bill. Will their pension increase in the Eighth Pay Commission or will it remain the same. What will happen to Dearness Relief ‘DR’, many such questions are troubling the pensioners. A feeling of insecurity has developed in them.
All doubts of employees/pensioners should be cleared…
Due to all this, JCM Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra has requested the Cabinet Secretary to clarify the ‘Terms of Reference’ finalized for the Eighth Pay Commission. The things written in the TOR should be conveyed to the employees and pensioners on a large scale. This will keep the enthusiasm of the employees intact. There will be no confusion among them regarding the Eighth Pay Commission. It is necessary to have clarity on how the salary will be decided in the Eighth Pay Commission, what will be the format of the revised salary, etc. All doubts of the employees and pensioners should be cleared. JCM has also requested the government to constitute the Eighth Pay Commission Committee as soon as possible. If the government makes the TOR public keeping the above things in mind, then the trust in the government will remain among the employees and pensioners. The employees of the Central Government will do their work with enthusiasm. A copy of this letter has been sent to the Secretary Finance Ministry, Secretary DoPT and the General Secretary of all the recognized unions.
JCM meeting was held on 10th February…
After the Central Government sought the terms of reference for the formation of the 8th Pay Commission, a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Council of Employees-JCM was held on 10th February. The meeting was chaired by the DoPT Secretary. The terms of reference for the formation of the Eighth Pay Commission were discussed in it. The employee side said that in the current circumstances, there is a need for a defined and non-contributory ‘old pension’ scheme. Along with other suggestions, this demand should also be prominently made a part of the terms of reference of the Eighth Pay Commission. The staff side was represented by Comrade Shiv Gopal Mishra (Secretary) in the meeting. From the employee side, M Raghavaiya (Leader), C. Srikumar, (Member Standing Committee), JR Bhosale, (Member Standing Committee), Guman Singh (Member Standing Committee), BC Sharma, (Member Standing Committee), Rupak Sarkar, (Member Standing Committee) and Tapas Bose (Member Standing Committee) were present in the meeting.
The representatives of JCM gave these suggestions…
The representatives of JCM stressed the need for a thorough review and improvement of the rules that determine salary allowances. In the present times, the requirements of life have increased. Employees and their family members are not even able to get treatment. Instead of three units in a family, there should now be a minimum of five units. For the terms of reference of the Eighth Pay Commission, the employee side said that the minimum salary should be fixed keeping in mind the requirements of life. The employee should be in such a position that he can live a respectable life. The employee side also demanded the restoration of the old pension scheme. There is a need to pay special attention to railway and defense civilian employees in the terms of reference. Apart from this, the issues of pensioners and the provisions related to CGHS were also demanded to be included in the terms of reference.
This draft was given for TOR…
Other demands of JCM included examining the existing structure of salary, allowances, other benefits/facilities of various categories of employees, retirement related issues such as pension/gratuity and other terminal benefits etc. The suggestions given to the government by JCM included employees of the Central Government, both industrial and non-industrial. Apart from these, personnel related to All India Services, personnel of defense forces and paramilitary forces, personnel related to the Department of Posts, personnel of Union Territories, officers and employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, officers and employees of the Supreme Court, members of regulatory bodies (except RBI) constituted under the Act of Parliament and employees of autonomous bodies and institutions of the Central Government are also included. On behalf of the employees, it was said that in the context of the recommendation of the 15th Indian Labor Conference, the salary structure, benefits, facilities, retirement benefits, welfare matters etc. should be determined to provide minimum wages as ‘decent and respectable living wages’.
Judgments of Supreme Court should also be considered
Considering the developments that have taken place in the last 65 years and the requirements of life, various judgments of Supreme Court on fixing minimum wages along with amendments in Dr. Aykroyd formula should also be considered, this suggestion was also given to the Government in the JCM meeting for the TOR of the 8th Pay Commission. Increasing the consumption units from 03 family units to 3.6 family units as recommended by an Expert Committee constituted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to determine the National Minimum Wage Policy in the year 2019 should also be considered. This should also be a part of the Terms of Reference. 8th CPC should consider merging non-viable pay scales such as Level-1 with Level-2 and Level-3 with Level-4 and Level-5 with Level-6.
Recommendation of minimum 5 promotions
Considering the existing anomalies in the MACP scheme and recommending a very defined hierarchical structure in the promotion hierarchy and a minimum of 5 promotions in service with MACP, this should also be included in the Terms of Reference. The interim relief to be granted to Central Government employees and pensioners may be determined immediately. The percentage of dearness allowance/dearness relief to be merged with pay and pension may be determined immediately. To settle various anomalies of 7th CPC, which were raised by the staff side in the anomaly committee meetings and JCM meetings.
