7th Central Pay Commission: Govt employees demand minimum salary of Rs 26,000

New Delhi: Government employees have demanded a minimum salary of Rs 26,000 as against Rs 18,000 recommended by the 7th Central Pay Commission while threatening to go on strike if demands not met.

"Minimum Pay needs to be revised to Rs 26,000 per month and the minimum pay of Rs 18,000 as recommended by 7th CPC is not acceptable," said Minutes of the meeting of Joint Secretary (IC) with the members of the Staff-side of the Standing Committee (National Council-JCM).

Secretary, Staff-side, Standing Committee (National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery) said Staff-side is "not at all happy" with the recommendations of the CPC and, in fact, "no section of the employees is satisfied", as the Commission has recommended a minimal pay increase as compared to the previous Pay Commissions.

The Secretary further stated that an amicable and mutually negotiated settlement of these demands is necessary as "non-acceptance would further cause resentment in the employees".

The Secretary "informed that Staff-Side has already made their stand clear to go on strike from April 11, 2016 if their demands are not considered and no amicable settlement happens", the Minutes said.

The meeting was held to discuss the issues raised by the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) in their letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary, regarding their Charter of Demands on the recommendations of the Pay Commission.

The Staff-side also said the central government employees need to be excluded from the National Pension Scheme (NPS), a long pending demand

The fixed monthly medical allowance for pensioners who are not covered by CGHS and REHS needs to be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 is another major demand.

The Joint Secretary (Implementation Cell) assured the Staff-Side that the concerns and demands made by them would be placed before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries for consideration after examining the same in the light of the recommendations of the Commission.

The scheme of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) is a platform for constructive dialogue between the representatives of the staff side and the official side for peaceful resolution of all disputes between the Government as employer and the employees.

Demands are submitted to the Implementation Cell, created in the Finance Ministry, to work as Secretariat for the Empowered Committee of Secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha.

The Pay Commission recommendations when implemented would have bearing on remuneration of 47 lakh central government employees and 52 lakh pensioners. Subject to acceptance by the government, the recommendations will take effect from January 1, 2016.