Category - AIIEA Circular

To all the Zonal/Divisional/State/Regional units,

Dear Comrades,

LIC Board approves the scheme for Upgradation of RPT employees
AIIEA achieves a long pending demand

It was in 1986 that the process of employing Regular Part Time employees began as per the order of the tribunal which was going into the absorption of temporary employees at that time.  LIC issued its circular dated 25.02.1987 on the wages and other service conditions of Part Time Employees working at that time. The effective date was 1.1.1982 or the date of appointment if it were later. Prior to that, there were no defined emoluments and sweepers, cleaners and others were working with a minimal compensation which varied from centre to centre.

The Regular Part Time employees were initially provided with SR Nos. and proportionate pay scale depending on the number of hours, subject to a minimum of two hours. Subsequently, AIIEA took up the issues,  and the other benefits like PF,  leaves, uniform, washing allowance, medical benefit, mediclaim, gratuity, festival advance, flood advance, PLLI, Group Insurance (2004), compassionate appointments   etc. were secured one after another.  After the Pension Scheme was clinched for the permanent employees through a united struggle, AIIEA took up for the Pension Scheme to be extended to the Regular Part Time employees also and after considerable struggle, Pension Scheme 1995 was also extended to the RPT employees.

AIIEA has been continuously taking up the issue relating to increase of the hours to full time. After the Supreme Court Judgment on temporary employees in January 2011, AIIEA repeatedly pursued the matter with the Central Office for a scheme to be formulated to upgrade the number of working hours of RPT employees to full time. Though management of LIC agreed to discuss our demand for a scheme, the issue was being delayed. Secretariat of the AIIEA which met at Delhi on 25th November 2012 called for a one hour strike on 22nd January 2013 and the issue was powerfully focused through this successful strike.

Now, after all these efforts from AIIEA, LIC management finally formalized a draft scheme for upgradation of the RPT employees and the scheme was approved by the Board of LIC in its meeting on 22.06.2013.  Now this is being sent by LIC to the Finance Ministry for its approval.  LIC management assured to follow up with the government for an early approval. Thereafter the instructions on the implementation of the scheme will be released by LIC.

With this development AIIEA could achieve the long pending demand of the RPT employees.

We congratulate all the units of AIIEA on this significant victory.  

Comradely yours,

General Secretary.

•     circular102013.pdf

To all the Zonal/Divisional/State/Regional Units

Dear Comrades,

Reach out to the people in distress due to the devastating floods in Uttarakhand

Unprecedented floods in Uttarakhand have resulted in massive destruction of infrastructure and loss of human life on a large scale.  Thousands of pilgrims who were stranded in the state are being evacuated with the help of armed forces and the government organisations.  Whereabouts of many more pilgrims are yet to be established.  A large section of local population has lost their houses, belongings, and livelihood.  Many places are yet to be accessed. The scale of destruction is beyond imagination.

It is not the time now to discuss whether this is a man-made disaster or stricter regulations on ecology could have reduced the extent of the destruction. This is a situation of grave crisis and everybody should come together to meet the challenging situation.

In this hour of crisis it is the responsibility of the insurance employees to extend a helping hand to the victims and make a contribution to the relief work.  
Any immediate relief which is possible is being taken up by our Dehradun comrades under guidance from the North Central Zone Insurance Employees’ Federation.  But this can be on a limited scale in view of the difficult hilly terrain and inaccessibility to various places. The larger relief including the reconstruction of the whole infrastructure including the roads, bridges, houses and other aspects has to be taken up by the government and its agencies.

The LIC has issued an appeal to the employees to make generous contributions to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to help the flood victims and to reconstruct the infrastructure at the places ravaged by floods. Similar appeal has been issued by United India Insurance Company.  The other companies in general insurance sector are expected to come out with appeal.  The AIIEA appeals to all the insurance employees to enthusiastically respond to these calls and donate liberally for the relief work. We are confident of the overwhelming response from the insurance employees.

Comradely yours,

General Secretary.

•     circular92013.pdf

To
All the Zonal / Divisional /Regional Units,

Dear Comrades,

Interactive Session with Parliamentary Committee on Labour at Mumbai on  10th June 2013

The Parliamentary Committee on Labour visited Mumbai on 10th June 2013 for a session with the unions.  This meeting was organized by LIC of India and Union Bank of India. In this connection, LIC management invited AIIEA and the other Unions in LIC for an interactive session with the Committee on the subject of Safety, Health and Social Security of the workers.

On behalf of AIIEA, Com. V. Ramesh, Joint Secretary, participated in the meeting. The meeting under the Chairmanship of Shri Dara Singh Chauhan, commenced at 11.00 am. In this session we have brought some issues within our industry to the notice of the Committee. 

1. We have placed the issues of contract/casual employees like daily wage boys, watchmen, care-takers, lift-men, water men, gardeners, plumbers, electricians etc. working in LIC and requested the Committee to advice the LIC management for their absorption.

2. We have raised the issue of New Pension Scheme to the employees who joined LIC after 1.4.2010.  We appealed to the Committee that LIC should cover all the employees under the LIC Pension Scheme. 1995.  We have also suggested that the employees governed under New Pension Scheme should be given an opportunity to join Provident Fund Scheme of LIC.

3. We have also raised the issue of recognition of Trade Union in LIC.  We appealed to the Committee to give necessary directions to the LIC management to start the process of recognition of Trade Union in the LIC.

4. After the conclusion of the session, a detailed note was submitted to the Committee on behalf of AIIEA.

The meeting concluded at 11.45 am.

Immediately thereafter, a delegation of AIIEA consisting of Com. V. Ramesh, Joint Secretary, AIIEA and Com. H.I. Bhatt, Joint Secretary, AIIEA met the following LIC officials on the issues mentioned below:

1. Pension:  The delegation met ED (Personnel) and reiterated our demand for one more option to the employees for joining Pension Scheme, 1995. The ED (P) informed that the matter needs further persuasion with the government of India. The delegation also raised the demand of 100% DA neutralization to all the employees who retired before 1.8.1997 and the demand for upgradation of pension. The ED stated the matter is sub-judice. We requested for an early solution to this important issue.

2. Upgradation of RPT employees:  The ED (P) informed that the matter will be taken up in the next Board meeting of LIC.

3. Wage Revision: On the question of wage revision the ED (P) stated that the LIC management’s efforts on this issue are on and it may require a little more time.

4. Recruitment: On the demand of recruitment of Assistants and sub-staff, ED (P) replied that this process shall be taken up. We also reminded the ED (P) that the absorption process of temporary Class IV employees which was completed across all divisions as per Supreme Court judgment, could not take place in Asansol/Bardhaman divisions due to extraneous reasons.  We stressed the need for an immediate solution to this issue.

5. Recognition: The issue of recognition was also raised with ED (P) and informed him that this matter was also appraised to the Parliamentary Committee on Labour.

6. HFL issues: The issues pertaining to Housing Loans such as interest subsidy to joint-loan cases and single loan cases, correct bifurcation of cadre and extended cadre and multiple loan cases, purification of global masters etc., were raised before the Chief (Legal).  He assured that all these issues will be sorted out at the earliest.

The delegation also met the Chief (personnel) and followed up certain pending issues of Zones for immediate solution.

With greetings,
Comradely yours,

for General Secretary.

•     circular82013.pdf