Power men reject pay panel report
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 5
The State Electricity Board Employees Union has rejected the report of the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission as the pay scales recommended for various categories were lower as compared with those given by the central pay commission.

The union maintained that the recommendations of the commission were disadvantageous compared to the last four pay revisions.

There was an average increase of 40 per cent in the last pay revision effected in 1996, whereas the latest commission has recommended an increase of only 27 per cent.

Further, the commission had adopted the pay structures of the central pay commission, but a majority of allowances that were higher in the central pay commission report had not been recommended by the Punjab panel.

The union also pointed out that the average increase was inconsistent in five running pay bands.

In first four pay bands, it ranged between 17 to 32 per cent and in the 5th pay band from 45 to 73 per cent, which was more than double.

Hence, the increase of 27 per cent was not uniform. It was only around 21 per cent for the first pay band in which a majority of employees fell, the union maintained.

As the pay revisions would be applicable for the next 10 years, the increase given was insufficient.

The government had already granted 20 per cent interim relief and the pay revision would not meet even that increase. Moreover, inclusion of 10 per cent dearness allowance in the basic pay from January 1, 2009, would actually lead to recoveries from employees, the union said.