Arbitration Awards and JCM Coverage: Agenda Item 47th NC(JCM) Meeting

Stoppage of Direct Recruitment in Group-D Posts in Central Govt. Offices: Agenda Item 47th NC(JCM) Meeting

[Part of the Minutes of the 47th Meeting of National Council (JCM) held on 13th April, 2019 issued by DoPT vide OM No. 3/1/2019-JCA dated 13.06.2019]

Staff Side stated that 16 awards from the Board of Arbitration, pending for number of years, were discussed conclusively in the past. These awards may be discussed afresh and methods may be devised to implement them.

Reply of the Official Side:

The concerned departments, including DoPT, are of the view that the Awards are fairly old and the issues covered have lost relevance after the successive Pay Commissions. The Awards are at various stages of rejection and as such, the demand cannot be accepted. The Chairman advised that Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, may review the issue in a separate meeting with the Staff Side.

Staff Side stated that the JCM Scheme has been introduced on the pattern of Whitley Council but covers only Group “C” and erstwhile Group “D”. Central Secretariat Group B Gazetted/ Non-gazetted are also covered. After the 6th CPC, many posts earlier classified as Group C have now been classified as Group B Gazetted, and have been taken out from JCM. If this continues, a time would come when none of the employees shall be in Group C, and therefore they too would be out of coverage of JCM.

All the posts which were Group C or Group D at the inception of JCM Scheme should be continued to be covered under JCM. The demand is that all posts covered by PB-1 and PB-2 may be deemed to be Group C posts for the purposes of JCM coverage .

The Staff side reiterated that their demand was to continue the eligible cadres to represent at the JCM as was conceived when the scheme was launched. They added that their demand was not for inclusion of any new cadre or grade in the JCM. The present order of the DOPT shuts out many non gazetted cadres and grades from the purview of JCM artd conseqnently put them in a very disadvantageous position of not having able to seek redressal of their grievances. They requested for an expeditious decision in the matter.

Reply of the Official Side:

This item was discussed in the JCM Standing Committee under Secretary, DoPT. The stakeholder Departments with large number of employees, such as Railways, Defence, Posts, etc. are being consulted in this regard and a suitable decision shall be taken soon.

Next Agenda Item of 47th NC(JCM) Meeting

Item No.6/19/NC-47: Washing Allowance

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DoPT Order: Minutes of the 47th Meeting of National Council (JCM) held on 13th April, 2019