7th Pay Commission: 3 demands which Central Govt employees want NJCA to raise at meeting with Committee of Secretaries on Sept 1

New Delhi, Aug 28: To discuss the anomalies related to the implementation of 7th Pay Commission, the high-powered Committee of Secretaries formed by Centre has invited leading employee union National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) for a meeting on September 1. NJCA would be represented at the meet by it’s current convenor Shiv Gopal Mishra. Aggrieved Central Government employees pin their final hope in the outcome of the Sept 1 meeting. If the Government constituted body fails to incorporate their demand, a large section of the organized workforce would call a strike. Although, it has not been revealed whether the Committee of Secretaries would attempt to negotiate the demands at the upcoming meet, it has been assured that grievances of the employees, as raised by the Unions, would be noted down in a detailed manner by the Secretaries. Representing NJCA, Shiv Gopal Mishra is expected to show an uncompromising stand on at least the following three demands: 1) Hike in Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA),  2) Revision in the hike of minimum salary, 3) Availability of ‘Option 1′ for pensioners. 

Hike in Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA): Central Government employees had demanded the 7th Pay panel led by Justice (retd) AK Mathur to raise FMA from current Rs 500 per month to Rs 2,000 per month. The demand appears legit to the employee unions as even many of the private sector companies are paying Rs 1200 to Rs 1800 per month as medical allowance to lower-middle level employees.

Revision of hike in minimum salary: NJCA, along with other employee unions have raised the demand to restructure the hike in minimum salary using 3.68 fitment factor. The entry-level pay as per 6th Pay Commission was Rs 7,000. The AK Mathur-led panel increased the minimum salary by multiplying with 2.57 fitment factor. This increased the salary to Rs 18,000. If the 3.68 fitment factor would be used, the minimum salary would be restructured to Rs 26,000. 

Availability of ‘Option 1′: The All India Postal & RMS Pensioners Association (AIPRPA) has demanded the Government to enable Option 1 for hiking their pensions. According to Option 1, the hiked pensions would be fixed in the pay matrix on basis of the grade and and pay band in which they were enrolled at the time of retirement. According to the second option, the pay panel has recommended the pension hike by using 2.57 fitment factor. The second option would multiply their existing pensions by 2.57.

Despite Shiv Gopal Mishra appearing as the leading voice among those who are articulating the cause of aggrieved employees, a number of central government employees have raised doubts against him. His decision to roll back the July 11 mass strike, which was expected to evoke the participation of 33 lakh central government employees, has not gone down well with those among the dissidents. Several employees have straightaway asserted that if the government fails to pay heed to at least the above three demands, a rejuvenated call for strike should be made.