RRB Employees Revision of Pay and Allowances Latest News on 3rd April 2021
Revision of Pay and Allowances of RRB Employees
BANK EMPLOYEES FEDERATION OF INDIA
NARESH PAUL CENTRE
53 Radha Bazar Lane (1st Floor), Kolkata – 700 001
(Ph): 033- 22254414 / 22365108 (M) 94331 44271
Circular No.24/ 2021
3rd April 2021
To all Units, Affiliates, Office Bearers, CC & GC Members
Dear Comrade,
Revision of Pay & Allowances of RRB Employees
The Department of Financial Services has issued orders on the subject matter on 1st April 2021 with grave distortions and deficiencies.
The exploitation of RRB employees in the name of low cost banking was partially put to an end after prolonged agitations and legal battle by RRB employees under the banner of All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association led by legendary leaders like Com. Ashis Sen and Com. Dilip Mukherjee. The National Industrial Tribunal constituted as per Supreme Court verdict, categorically allowed parity in pay, allowances and other benefits. Attempt was made by the Central Government to dilute the spirit of this Award and thereby deny many legitimate benefits to RRB employees. RRB employees were on the war path against this injustice since then, but the issue still remains unresolved.
Subsequently, at the time of Sixth Bipartite settlement there was attempt to deny the hard earned parity and the fight by the employees. The fight by AIRRBEA continued till the historic verdict of Hon. Supreme Court of India emphasising the right for parity. Thereafter, as per instructions of Central Government, many monetary benefits were allowed at reduced rates which are totally against the spirit of NIT Award. The Apex Court had again reiterated the right for parity in the judgement in the Pension Case.
The latest communication of DFS is bound to create serious grievances among the employees and officers of RRBs. We addressed a letter to the Secretary, DFS, Ministry of Finance on 2nd April 2021, text of which is appended.
With greetings,
Yours comradely,
(Debasish Basu Chaudhury)
General Secretary
Text Of The Letter To The Secretary, DFS
QUOTE
We came across communication issued by Department of Financial Services on 1st April 2021 bearing F. No. 8/1/2021-RRB regarding Revision of Pay and Allowances of Regional Rural Banks’ employees consequent upon the 11th Bipartite Settlement and 8th Joint Note signed on 11th Nov. 2020. We found a number of deviations/ departures in the said communication from existing practice as well as the decisions of the NIT and the apex court of the country, which are narrated herein below:
1. In Clause No 3, it has been mentioned that, “Part-II allowances may be decided by Sponsor Banks in consultation with RRBs”. We feel that implementation of any part of a settlement should not be rest with any of the sponsor banks or RRB specific as this may result into inequality in emoluments which is least warranted.
2. As per Clause 4, “The ‘other allowances benefits’ introduced in the 11th BPS for the first time, will be examined once a decision is taken on restructuring of RRBs …”. We strongly feel that all new allowances as agreed in 11th BPS/8th Joint Note to be extended simultaneously without exception.
3. In Clause 5 it has been suggested that, “The payment on account of arrears of the wage revision will be made in two equal instalments at six months interval, the first instalment to be released in the last quarter of FY 2021-22”. The proposed deferment of arrear payment is unprecedented and will almost coincide with completion of 5-year tenure of the settlement. The arrears should be paid without any further delay.
It will not be out of context to place on record that the Settlement was signed after protracted negotiation of long 39 months and after the expiry of 3 years of 5-year tenure. We like to reiterate that given the adversities in which the common bank employees/ officers are discharging their duties, the IBA-Govt. combine did not come up with a reasonable settlement as they deserved. Any departure/ deviation in implementation will give rise to further deprivation to the RRB employees which the DFS should refrain from.
Your needful action is solicited.
UNQUOTE
Source: https://www.befi.in/