Affiliated to: ALL INDIA RAILWAY ENGINEERS FEDERATION
WELCOMES ITS
RAIL ENGINEERS
Dear Rail Engineers!
Let us put a few questions and answer ourselves sincerely. No hypocrisy. 1. What made all of us to gather here on this auspicious day? 2. What harm is done to Rail Engineers economically and socially? 3. What is the solution to get rid of this suppression? 4. Is it required to form an Engineers Association at this juncture and at
our South Central Railway Level?
5. How SCREA can resolve issues to be dealt at Rly.Bd & Rly.Ministry? 6. Hitherto organizations such as DEAR, EAIR, TEAR etc., were formed
but could not help much to Rail Engineers and what happened to those
associations? 7. What are SCREAs structure and its activities?
Need of this Gathering:
To have a glance on the journey in our profession as a Rail Engineer and to confer the difficulties that we are facing socially, financially, physically and psychologically. After this small meeting, we would like to enlighten the feelings of all Engineers of South Central Railway to the Railway Board and Ministry of Railways through our Heads of Departments for justified treatment of the cadre.
II.
What harm is done to Rail Engineers Economically and Socially?
From day-1 of entering into Railway service, most of us have forgotten our family relations and became enemies to our own uncles, aunties, cousins etc., by not attending even to a very important function in our family. This is the very first slice of detachment of our social life. As we tied our knot to Railway service and dedicating our entire energies to our mother organization, we are unable to spare even few hours to our spouse and kids and thus failing as a good life partner or a good parent. This is the second slice of detachment to our family life.
a.
b.
What harm is done to Rail Engineers Economically and Socially (contd..)
c.
How many of us could able to avail all the Ten days casual leave per year, all the 03 sets of passes and 04 sets of PTOs given by the administration? To my knowledge, 95% of Engineers are unable to utilize their Casual leaves. Set aside the LAP. Question does not arise. Not able to cross the boundaries of our jurisdiction though we are entitled for passes valid over Indian Railways. This is the third slice of detachment to the Global life. Forfeiting all these, we are sincerely working with the hope that, though I am suffering, at least my family should be happy and comfortable socially and economically. But, what is reality? Our hopes and desires are thumped into mud and administration made us a laughing stock of the Railways.
d.
What harm is done to Rail Engineers Economically and Socially (contd..)
e.
In fact, no railway engineer is less than any business manager with an MBA. Every railway engineer is undertaking several managerial tasks in his daily duties. He is a material manager, manpower manager, and an interface manager apart from good event planner and executor for safe running of trains. In other professions, employee will undertake one job at a time. But, a Rail Engineer will handle multidisciplinary tasks at a time under intense stress and successfully completes the mission without any anticipation.
f.
No Rail engineer is envious of any other cadre of the Railways. We welcome the growth of our brothers and sisters of organization. Meanwhile our only plea is let Rail Engineers cadre also be elevated along with other cadres and give proper justification for the work squeezed from our sweat and blood.
What harm is done to Rail Engineers Economically and Socially (contd..)
g.
All of us are aware what the stature and respect our cadre of engineers are having prior to IV, V and VI pay commissions compared to other non-technical and non-safety related cadres who are working under comfortable and tension free conditions with limited & fixed working hours. During each Pay commission the cadre was downtrodden step by step and drilled the engineers to core. As per the Hours of Employment Regulations, for all cadres of Railways, periodical work study shall be done and as per the Work study, a roster to be made and duty hours to be fixed. But, all Rail Engineers are classified as Excluded Category and there is no work study, no roster, no duty hours and no rest hours. With this also, all Rail Engineers are shouldering the responsibility with utmost dedication. Ill fate is, this term Excluded is being applied every where including Pay revision, Cadre elevation etc.
INJUSTICE IN A NUT SHELL:
What harm is done to Rail Engineers Economically and Socially (contd..)
h.
Similarly, in other Central Government Organizations and PSUs, the cadre of engineers is given time bound promotions and from a certain point, is treated as Gazetted cadre. The equivalent cadre of Rail Engineers is not being treated on par with the other engineers of CPWD or BSNL etc. For name sake, Indian Railway organization is a para-military organization. In fact, every Rail Engineer is working with military discipline, round the clock through out the year in his entire service without any notice and appraise and even loosing petty pleasures. These are only a few general points from an eagles eye, apart from the huge humiliation Rail Engineers are facing at every point. Most of the times, Rail Engineers are becoming the outlets to discharge the frustration of higher ups and source for whims and fancies of the superior cadres.
Can I now say, injustice is being done to our cadre of Rail Engineers?
III.
Then, What is the solution?
Here all of us should remember the story of a Lion and four bulls. If all the four bulls are united, even a lion cannot touch them. Once parted, it is very easy to become once feast. Unfortunately, till now, the four bulls of Indian Railways are staying apart. Here, it is not the single lion but several lions in the form of Rail Ministry, Pay Commissions, Railway administration etc., are trying to take hold of the opportunity. Unless all the bulls comes close, we can not face these lions. In future, Rail Engineers ll be treated as Technical Khalasis.
Solution what we found is, formation of an association that brings all Rail Engineers on one platform to fight for a genuine cause.
IV.
How Association helps and Why at SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY ZONE Level?
Some of engineers are having bitter experience of rejection of our pleas by Pay Commissions. Our Senior Engineers from various divisions and Zones have sent several e-mails to pay commissioners duly explaining the conditions of working of Rail Engineers, constraints facing in working, justification for improvement of pay element, identical status and promotion bridge vis--vis other central govt., organizations etc. But, they were kept deaf ear with the only reason that the representation shall be through an association but not through individuals. We cannot blame any one for this lapse, but our own selves. The existing trade unions are having membership from all the cadres of Railway and hence their priorities are deferent. When they submit demand for elevation of 10 cadres even 2 to 3 are accepted by the committees, they compromise and boast that success. Though cadre of Rail Engineers is formally represented, when ignored by Pay commissions, they could not pressurize.
Some of us may aware of the recommendations by Justice Khanna Committee. Wherein it is recommended that the Supervisors shall be barred from joining existing trade unions. Like other issues, administration kept a blind eye over those recommendations. When it wants to further weaken the cadre or Rail Engineers, it may comfortably implement Khanna committee recommendations and even trade union leaders may also accept because of meager number of Rail Engineers or Supervisors in trade unions. That day, the cadre of Rail engineers will be the worst effected.being.a.scattered.cadre.
You are all aware that other categories of Railway are already having their cadre organizations such as All India Station Masters Association, All India Guards Council, All India Loco Running Staff Association, All India Ministerial Staff Association etc. Even if the supervisors are dropped from the existing trade unions, these Associations will fight for their cadre. Unfortunately, the only cadre in Indian Railways un-amalgamated is Rail Engineers
Hence, it is essentially required to form an association to unite all Rail Engineers to fight for our own betterment and uplift.
For better interaction with the cadre to root level and to negotiate categorical grievances of divisions/zone, it is essential to have an Association at Zonal Level having its representation from all fronts of Rail Engineers. At the same time, to represent cadre at Railway Board and Railway Ministry a mechanism should be available at National Level. Already Engineers Associations were formed by all other Zonal Railways and Production Units at respective Zones and all these associations are brought under the umbrella of All India Railway Engineers Federation at Nation level. This is the cause of birth to South Central Railway Engineers Association.
V. Why organizations like DEAR, TEAR, EAIR etc., failed? (views are purely to my personal analysis) Yes. Hitherto organizations were formed to unite cadre of Rail Engineers and fought for the betterment of cadre. But unfortunately they could not succeed to the full extent. Let me analyze to my knowledge, why these organizations could not succeed. But, they did their best in elevating cadre.
The basic cause for failure of these organizations is, failure of communication. These organizations were established with their headquarters at remote place (at least to other zones). Representatives were not easily approachable and activities were centralized. The communication between Central Body and Zone/Division bodies were not correlated and individual Zone representations and priorities were not taken into cognizance. Further to this, the associations failed to communicate the fund raising and utilization details to their members that raised suspicion among the members.
VI. Structure and activities of SCREA: i) SCREA will be having different Committees comprising of Rail Engineers from all branches at Zonal and Division levels to monitor the activities of SCREA. Any policy decisions shall be taken with the approval of these committees and Office bearers are answerable to these committees.
(a) Committees at Zonal Level:
General Body General Council Zonal Advisory Committee Zonal Executive Committee Zonal Working Committee
(b)
Committees at Division Level: Divisional General Body Divisional General Council Division Advisory Committee (General) Division Advisory Committee (Technical) Division Executive Committee Division Working Committee
(c)
Branch Level:
Branch Working Committee will be functioning under the guide lines from ZEC through DWC.
All these committees will function under the guidance of All India Railway Engineers Federation on Policy issues to be taken at Railway Board and Rail Ministry levels and on Zone/Division issues as per decisions of Zonal Advisory Committee.
CONSTITUTION OF ZONAL WORKING COMMITTEE: President 01 Working President 01 Sr.Vice President 01 Vice President 08 (01 post each for Divisional president by default, One post for Construction organization & One post shall be nominated as per discretion of Zonal President) General Secretary 01 Joint General Secretary 01 Organizing Secretary 01 Additional Organizing Secretary 08 (01 post each for Divisional Secretary by default, one post for Construction organization & One post shall be nominated as per discretion of General Secretary) Finance Secretary 01 Additional Finance Secretary 01 Zonal Working committee Members 15 Auditor 01
DIVISION WORKING COMMITTEE:
Divisional President Divisional Working President Divisional Vice President (one for each dept.) Divisional Secretary Divisional Joint General Secretary Divisional Organisation Secretary Divisional Finance Secretary Divisional Auditor Divisional Advisor Addl Divisional Finance Secretary Executive Members 01.
01. 05.
01. 01. 01. 01. 01. 01. 01 08.
ii)
ACTIVITIES BEING UNDERTAKEN BY SCREA: 1. Appraise about the injustice done to the cadre of rail Engineers during various pay commissions in pay fixation as well in proper recognition vis--vis engineers of other central government and PSUs through AIREF before Railway Board and Railway Ministry. 2. Promoting technology transfer among Rail Engineers in various departments of SCR duly utilizing the fast growing technology. 3. Represent difficulties faced by Rail Engineers in execution of duties and grievances of Rail Engineers before competent authority and get it redressed in a harmonious way at Division and Zone levels and to represent through AIREF at Nation level.
4. Deriving innovative practices with optimum utilization of available resources and to keep SCR as best Railway among the Indian Railways. 5. Inculcation of brotherhood among all Rail Engineers so that the cadre stands united and strong.
6. Taking up social responsibilities as humans during distress occasions. 7. Making administration to organize periodical development training programs for Rail Engineers to up grade their technical skills and knowledge with progressing technology by innovative methods.
Let us see few Anomalies during 6th CPC to Rail Engineers:
Grade of XEN on time bound Scheme:
Up gradation of non-technical cadres above JEs:
We can view updates of the activities being under taken by
SCREA and AIREF at
AIREFs website:
airef.in
SCREAs Blog:
engineers-screa.blogspot.com
you can post your suggestions and comments to
[email protected]
