A Letter from General Secretary calling off strike

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Dear Comrades,

The leaders of the 4 organizations on behalf of which we submitted the Strike Notice on 5^th November 2009, intimating the Government that the employees and officers of the Revenue department would be on strike on 26/11/2009 met ton 17th of November 2009 at Rajouri Garden New Delhi. In view of the decision taken by the Govt., to grant higher Grade Pay of Rs. 4600/- to all those who were in the pre-revised scale of 6500-10500. The meeting decided to withdraw the Strike Action slated for 26/11/2009. We send herewith the copy of communication intimating the withdrawal of the proposed strike action. It is quite heartening to note that ultimately the Government took the decision to concede the demands for revised Grade Pay for Inspectors and other similarly placed officials even before the commencement of the Strike.

We take this opportunity to convey our sincere gratitude and congratulations to every one of you for the strenuous efforts you had undertaken in mobilizing the members for the strike action. The two month long agitation and campaign programme undertaken by our All India Association starting from 15^th of July to 9^th of September in the wake of our decision to go for sustained struggle in the Chandigarh C.E.C had created an electrifying atmosphere and determination in the minds of our members to fight out the unjust denial of higher grade pay for Inspectors, Notional fixation of the pre revised pay scale from 01.01.1996, grade pay of Rs. 5400/- for the Inspectors working in the grade pay of 4800/- for four (4) years and removal of stagnation in the cadre of Inspector and Superintendent. As you are aware, our All India Association had been making serious efforts to settle this issue without resorting to an industrial action. In the initial stages we were under the natural impression that the Government having notified that it would revise the Grade Pay of all those who were in the erstwhile pay scale 6500 - 10500 and whose functions were distinct from that of the cadres carrying the pay scale of 5000 - 8000 and 5500 - 9000, the demand for higher Grade Pay for Inspectors, Administrative Officers and Private Secretaries would become a reality without much loss of time.

We came to the inescapable conclusion after the last rounds of discussion with the Official Side of the Dept. of Expenditure held on 7^thOctober 2009 that this simple issue had been complicated in order to delay the grant of legitimate benefit to the employees of the department of revenue. We are extremely thankful to the leaders of the Income-Tax employees Federation, Income-Tax Gazetted officers’ Association and the All India Customs Preventive Services Federation for having expressed their readiness to go along with AICEIA for an eventual Strike Action. But for the serving of the Strike Notice and the mobilization unleashed by us this demand would not have been possible to be achieved. We are also happy to note that our decision to go on strike has not only benefited our members but all those employees and officers in the departments of Govt. of India who had been on the pay scale of 6500 - 10500 prior to the 6^th CPC recommendations came into existence.

It indeed confirms that the struggles are the precursor for achievements and building up a militant Trade Union movement and retaining it vibrant at all times is the pre-requisite. We have taken the firm resolution in Chandigarh CEC that we shall fight against all injustices and will tread the path of struggle in pursuance of our demands.

We once again congratulate all of you for demonstrating this firm commitment in no uncertain terms which has emboldened us to take the decision to go on strike action. We hope that it would not be inappropriate on our part to call upon the comrades who are in the cadre of Inspectors and who are the beneficiaries of the decision presently taken by the Government to contribute for sustaining the financial health of our organization. Accordingly, we request Circle/ Branch General Secretaries to approach every Inspector of their charge to contribute towards the working fund of our All India Association.

The other Issues Government had already instructed our Board to find solution and our Board took a meeting of our All India Association in the Chamber of Member (P&V) on 16^th of September. As decided in the meeting with the Board

1. The issue of Rs. 5400/- grade pay for all those inspectors who are in the grade pay of 4800/- for four (4) years has been sent to DOP&T as par our demand, we argued that expenditure is not the competent authority to clarify any dispute on ACP matter and DOP&T is the only authority to elucidate the dispute. Side by side the CAT case in Kerala is going on, for derth of fund sometimes we are unable to fight the case, hope situation will improve with your help.
2. The Issue pertaining to the notional fixation from 01.01.1996 has been sent to Expenditure once again as chairman’s reference, it is wothy to mention that this issue already got several VIP’s recommendation.
3. In its letter dated 12^th October 2009 Board intimated us that the stagnation related issue is of great concern for CBEC, it is underway in HRD and under the care of AD-IVA secxtion of CBEC and we have come to know that the separate service as we have demanded shall be taken care of at the time of restructuring.

For the above three issues and the issue recently solved we sent several letters inclusive of an SOS letter to the Gazetted Officers Association depicting that 75% of the demands undertaken by our Association relates to the demands of Central Excise Superintendents but a reply is still awaited. Hope in coming days we will be able to shorten the gap between the two Associations.

Sooner or later we will be confronting the CBEC and the Govt., over these issues. These anomalies presently are the subject matter of discussion at various levels. The next course of action will be decided in our next CEC which is likely to be held in Rajasthan in December 2009. Assuring you of our continued efforts in finding resolutions to these issues and with greetings.

Comradely Yours

KOUSIK ROY