GOVT SHOULD NOT TAKE THE JCM(NC) STAFF SIDE FOR A RIDE CONFRONTATION WILL BECOME INEVITABLE IF UNILATERAL ORDERS ARE ISSUED
It
seems that Modi Govt. is not in favour of a negotiated settlement on
the 7th CPC related issues with the staff side. The Seventh CPC report
was submitted on 19th November 2015. Six months are almost over since
then. Till date the Govt. has not come forward for a negotiated
settlement. Instead, Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECoS) headed by
Cabinet Secretary conducted a meeting with the staff side on 1st March
2016. In the meeting Govt. did not disclose its mind on any of the
demands raised by the staf fside in the charter of demands submitted to
Govt. Staff side explained the justification for each demand but
official side didn’t make any comment, either positive or negative. The
concluding paragraph of the minutes of the meeting reads as follows:
“After
hearing the participants, Cabinet Secretary observed that the
deliberations have helped ECoS in understanding the major concerns of
the staff side and said that all issues have been taken note of. He
assured that fair consideration will be given to all points brought out
by JCM before taking final views. He further stated that the ECoS needs
to examine the Report of the Commission in entirety as well as the
issues raised by JCM in consultation with all other stake holders. As
such, it may take some time to take a final call on the recommendations
of the Commission.”
It may be seen that, neither did the Govt.
side made any commitment on any demands, nor did they indicate in the
minutes that further discussion will be held with the staff side to
arrive at a negotiated settlement on each demands. It seems that the
Modi Govt is moving ahead to issue unilateral orders taking the staff
side for a ride.
The JCM staff side Secretary, in his letter dated
2nd May 2016, addressed to Cabinet Secretary, has made the stand of the
staff side clear, without any ambiguity. The letter reads as follows:
“I
have been directed to draw your attention towards minutes of the
Standing Committee of National Council JCM held on 7th May 2008 and our
rejoinder submitted to Govt. in the matter of Report of 6th CPC.
You
will kindly find that it was not only a general discussion, but also
official side explained their views on each and every issue.
I
would therefore request your good self to kindly arrange for similar
type of meeting for bi-lateral settlement on each of the issues raised
by the staff side, NC/JCM before the Empowered Committee of
Secretaries.”
Thus the picture is clear now. The Govt, it seems,
has a hidden agenda to take the staff side for granted without giving
any further opportunity for a negotiated settlement. The staff side on
the other hand has taken a position that if unilateral orders are
issued, without taking the staff side into confidence, the NJCA shall go
ahead with the indefinite strike from 11th July 2016 as already
informed to the Govt. Employees have faith in the NJCA and they believe
that the NJCA leadership shall assert itself and shall not compromise on
major demands.
The coming days are crucial. If the Govt. adopts
delaying tactics or issue unilateral orders rejecting our demands, then
confrontation shall become inevitable. The stand taken by the then Nehru
Govt. that “Pay Commission report is an award and is not negotiable”
has resulted in the historic indefinite strike of 1960, which commenced
on July 11th midnight.
The NJCA leadership should be ready for a
showdown, if Modi Govt refuse to arrive at a negotiated settlement with
the staff side as demanded by Secretary, JCM(NC) staff side.
M KRISHNAN
Secretary General
Confederation
Source: confederationhq.blogspot.in
