RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN TEH ALL INDIA CONVENTION OF DAE EMPLOYEES HELD ON 31ST JULY 2010

RESOLUTION

The All India Convention of DAE Employees held on 31st July 2010 at the Multi purpose Hall BARC Training School Hostel Anushakthinagar Mumbai unanimously resolved to urge the Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission to solve the problems of DAE Employees.

The Convention took serious note on the anti labor approach of the Department by adopting various method. Systematic down sizing of the work force, outsourcing of the departmental activities, curtailment of the facilities including social security benefits extended to the employees, denial and delaying of the promotional avenues, cadre restructuring etc of all section of employees such as technical, administration, auxiliary, purchase & stores and violation of safety norms, etc are some of the examples of the adversely affecting the employees of our department.

Though the Department completed glorious SIXTY years of our existence and the activities of Department divided the working as Research & Development, Industrial, Services & Support, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and Aided Institutions, the problems facing by the work force in the Department generally are common.

Considering the strategical importance of the Department, the Government has exempted DAE from the application of various general guidelines issued to other conventional departments, in matters of financial power, recruitment and promotion policies, exemption from CPWD for construction etc. But to ensure better utilizing such exemption, it is seen that DAE is competing with other Departments for implementing recommendations of various guidelines of the government to curtail the facilities available to its employees.

The convention noted with concern that in DAE the tendencies to deviate from all democratic norms are increasing. These occur in the day to day functions of the department in various areas such as the interviews for promotions, ensuring working atmosphere for employees, approach in various redressal forums including JCM fora, victimization of association activists, extending facilities to the recognized unions and associations etc. The JCM functioning has become artificial. It is pertinent to note that Department took more than 5 years to accord recognition to NFAEE under CCS (RSA) Rules 1993, though it fulfilled the required norms stipulated in the said Rule framed by DoPT. Even after recognition, the Department is least bothered to take note of “NFAEE is recognized”. The Department is initiating dialogue with the Federation only after serving the notice for strike or any other industrial action. The last meeting held with NFAEE was on 18th February 2009, exactly 18 months before, that too after – effect of a strike notice. NFAEE’s repeated plea to meet the highest authorities for discussion has been treated as disdain.

The convention places its indignation that Department had constituted committees after committees for the sake of upgradation of pay structure, then for cadre review of the administrative, auxiliary and Purchase & Store staff etc. At last the Cadre Review Committee report has been implemented with effect from 01.01.2006, but the benefit of the Cadre review for administrative as well as auxiliary staff has been nullified as the merger of the scale and upgradtion of the feeder grade snatched the promotional fixation and non consideration of cascading effect.

This convention also noted that while recommending Pay scales for various categories, Pay Commission stipulated various situations to select the proper pay structure based on the responsibility, experience, area of the work, etc. But such stipulations are never followed for selecting the pay scales and instead just adopted the corresponding pay scales recommended in lieu of the existing pay scales. This results in great injustice to the serving/existing employees.

Though the Technical Staff of this Department is covered under the merit promotion scheme, it never appears to be really on merit. The frequent alterations by the Trombay Council in the Scheme, question the merit of the Scheme itself. Such alterations to curtail the promotional avenues resulted in desperation among the senior employees as the Departments approach always cut the opportunities of the existing employees.

After the implementation of SCPC recommendation Department has been revised the norms for promotion of Technical Staff, Supervisory, Auxiliary staff, etc and taken away the facilities extended to the employees such as residency period has been enhanced, number of promotional avenues reduced, fixation benefit has been curtailed, track change facility is withdrawn, etc are some of the adverse impact of modified career progression for DAE employees. Merger of the feeder and promotion posts has taken away the promotional benefits and its meaning.

This convention of DAE Employees further noted with serious concern that the Department never consider seriously to enhance the allowances extended to the employees periodically. The Overtime Allowance was continuing in the R&D establishments and other service organisations at the rate of the pay based on the 4th Central Pay Commission. Though the father of the nuclear programme, Dr. Homi Bhabha using his position could convince the Government the special status of the Department and approve the proposal for Over Time Allowance on par with the industrial units. But in the last 20 years who ever swearing in the name of Dr Bhabha failed to protect the interest of the employees

The employees of all DAE units irrespective of the Sector they belong are at risk of being exposed to various hazards such as radiation exposure, chemical hazards, high temperature, and so on. To compensate such risks to the employees, no special package has been considered by the Department, either in the name of attractive pay packet, allowances or extending other facilities such as protein diet, subsidized canteen facilities, etc

Reduction in man power, introduction of contractorisation/outsourcing and privatization at various levels, compromise in safety norms, etc becomes routine. Various guidelines from International agencies, AERB norms, BARC Safety Councils’ guidelines, other statutory directives, etc are being violated by entrusting the radioactive related activities to casual labourers or workers on contract. The reduction of staff results in non-completion of the projects in time, compromise in quality, threat to security, etc.

Department has been intensifying the downsizing, privatization and out sourcing of all activities. Though Government lifted the ban on recruitment Department continues abolition of posts and out sourcing the activities. Even the core activities such as medical system, operational activities, etc also outsourced by engaging para medical staff, plant operators, scientific assistants, engineers, etc on contract. Department already initiated action to out source various activities such as transportation, canteen, security service etc by handing over the same to private contractors. The repeated warning of the Home Ministry and other intelligence agency on every occasion of imminent threat and need of beefing up of security measures does not bother the departments’ approach on handing over the security, transport, canteen facilities, etc in the private hand.

A threat now has now arisen to closure of certain units of Heavy Water Plants and the employees demand of diversification of activities in these plants have not been considered with attention and serious note in particular to Tuticorin Plant.

The all India Convention of Atomic Energy Employees therefore demands the Central Government and the Department of Atomic Energy:

 To initiate bilateral discussion with NFAEE to settle the long pending issues at the earliest

 

 To stop outsourcing, privatization, downsizing, contractorization, casualisation of the activities of various sectors of DAE.

 

 Revisit the Modified Merit Promotion Scheme to hold the merit change over and the beneficial previous promotional avenues.

 

 To retain the facilities of Track Changing, and advantageous promotion benefits existed earlier in DAE

 

 To exploit the beneficial requisites recommended by the Pay Commission while selecting Pay scales for all section of employees.

 To revise the Over time Allowance in all R& D establishments and other units based on the revised pay.

 To revise all other allowances such as NRPSA, NDA, QIS etc

 To withdraw the 5% cap and other restrictions on compassionate ground appointments.

 To introduce Special pay structure, Radiation/Hazardous/Risk allowance to the employees who are exposed to radiation, hazardous chemicals, excessive heat etc and provide protein diet, subsidized diet, etc to the employees.

 To cover the all employees of DAE and their families in the Nuclear Liability Bill

 To ensure the application of scientific temperament in the day to day activities and ensure democratic approach on all issues.

 To start diversified activities and restart the stalled production of Heavy water Plants viz. Tuticorin etc and take appropriate action in time to avoid such situation in other DAE units

 To continue the special status in all respects to DAE which had been considered as a scientific department and given a special status in comparison with other conventional departments

This convention of DAE employees unanimously adopted the Charter of Demands based on the wider consultations done by holding category wise meetings on 29th July 2010 and the inputs received from the employees which is annexed along with this Resolution.

The Convention of DAE employees once again urge the Chairman Atomic Energy Commission to intervene and initiate bilateral discussion with the National Federation of Atomic Energy Employees and find solution to the issues pertaining to the employees in order to deter the resentment

(G.Maniachari)

President

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

01. Permanent arrangement to have bilateral discussion with NFAEE on various issue

a. Meeting with Secretary DAE – at least once in six months

b. Meeting with Additional Secretary – at least Once in four months

c. Meeting with the Joint Secretaries – At least every Alternate Months

02. Remove Discrepancies in the Pay Scales and other facilities after the implementation of SCPC recommendations:

a. Pay parity with DOS, as the pay scale of DAE is inferior to DOS pay scales.

b. Protection of fixation benefit on promotion in the merged pay scales in the cases of Scientific Assistant B, Tradesman F, and other equivalent post.

c. Protection of fixation benefit on consequent upon on the upgradation of the pay scale of Mali D/Helper D from the pay scale of Rs2750 – 4400 to Rs3050 -4590

d. Protection of fixation benefit on promotion in the merged pay scales in the cases of Senior Clerk and Assistant and other equivalent post

e. Revise the revised promotional norms issued by DAE/TC which are detrimental to the career and benefits of the Scientific Assistants, Technicians, Attendants, etc.

f. Re-establish the benefit of track change during promotion for Scientific Assistants, Technicians, and Attendants

g. Cadre restructuring of auxiliary staff to ensure the promotion benefit.

h. Revise the changes made in the nomenclature of auxiliary staff by converting them as “Multi skilling Staff” and retain the grades of Tradesman personnel to them. Conversion of Attendant to Technician (without any condition) for those who are working in radioactive areas as well as technical/workshop field.

i. Over and above speedy rectification of the discrepancies raised out of the selection of pay structure, revision of norms, etc.

03. Entry level pay for the Technical Staff in the pre revised pay of Rs4000 – 100 – 6000.

04. Uphold the Solomon affidavit given by DAE in the Supreme Court to maintain status, pay & allowances of Scientific Assistants on par with the Scientific Officers in the corresponding grades and mitigate the financial losses

05. OTA revision for R&D and other non industrial unit.

06. Revision of other allowances such as NRPSA, Qualification Incentive, NDA, etc

07. Formulate Promotional norms for Canteen Staff Security Staff,

etc. taking into consideration of the existing employees’ long innings.

08. One more option to switch over from CPF to GPF for Technical Staff.

09. Mitigate the loss in pay due to the merger of pay scales S2 &

S3 as S2A (elongated pay scale) being done in the year 2002.

10. Continuation of Transport Facility.

11. Initiate steps to change the allotment rules based on the basic pay (Pay in Pay band + Grade Pay) corresponding to the pre revised pay to ensure allotment on seniority iin place of Garde Pay

12. Withdraw the clarification Order issued by DAE to deduct the

PRIS in proportion to the Earned Leave availed in the year 2009 - 2010. Initiate steps to ensure the Bonus to employees who are not getting PRIS

13. Stop the contractorisation/outsourcing

14. Fill all vacant posts

15. Lift the 5% ceiling on compassionate ground appointment