As we are aware, Pay Parity of Technicians with Lighting Assistants from
1983 to 1995 is restored by the Order of Hon’ble Supreme Court on Notional
Basis in Pay Scale Rs. 4500-7000 (Pre Revised).
Lighting Assistants have granted the Pay Scale of Rs. 5000-8000 w.e.f
01.01.1996 and the Pay Parity is again disturbed. It is pertinent to
mention that the above issue was discussed in ARTEE’s meeting with the
CEO,Prasar Bharati on 22.04.2014 and later approved by the Prasar Bharati
Board in its 122nd Meeting. As per the Proposal prepared in DG (AIR),
there is financial implications of 90 Crores as One time and around 6
Crores as Annual. This proposal was for all Tech/ Sr.Tech and was not only
for ARTEE Members. We were optimistic that, Department of Legal Affairs
and Department of Expenditure would have given approval for this issue,
since it is already established by the apex court that Technicians of AIR
& DD have historic Pay Parity with Lighting Assistants of Doordarshan who
have parity with Assistant Cameramen of Films Division.
When we were pursuing the case Organizationally,
Some Individuals filed the OA 1861/2014 and it made the issue subjudice.
It was mentioned in the proposal also. In this scenario, ARTEE filed OA
4424/2014 for grant of pre revised scale of Rs. 5000- 8000 to Technicians
in Pay Parity with Lighting Assistants w.e.f. 01/01/1996 and the Court
given a favorable Order. After this Department issued a speaking Order in
our case informing that that our case will be considered as per outcome of
OA 1861/2014.
The verdict of OA 1861/2014 was favorable, but
the Court granted the scale on Notional Basis only. After the verdict in
OA 1861/2014, ARTEE filed MA 2096/2015 for extending the benefit to all
similarly placed employees
The file of OA 1861/2014 filed by some Individuals was
sent to the Department of Legal Affairs (DOLA) by Hon’ble Ministry of I &
B for their opinion. The Department of Legal Affairs (DOLA) recommended to
grant it not only for the applicant of 1861/2014 but also to the
applicants of OA 4424/2014 filed by ARTEE for all our Technicians and Sr.
Technician Members.
Accordingly a proposal was being
prepared to be sent to the Department of Expenditure, but the applicants
of OA 1861/2014 filed a Review Application RA 148/2015 in CAT Delhi for
grant of the scale with Arrears. Hence the process of sending the file to
the Department of Expenditure was stopped and as per information MIB is
waiting for the outcome of this RA.
Meanwhile, in the last
hearing (held on 15.12.2015) of MA 2056/2015 filed by ARTEE in OA
4424/2014, Hon’ble CAT clubbed both the Cases. Next date of hearing is on
22.01.2016.
Again some people are
questioning this clubbing also. We want to make it ample clear that ARTEE
Central Office is for ARTEE Members and not for few Individuals. It
is pertinent to mention that the process of implementation is stopped for
want of outcome of RA 148/2015.
Should we wait for Individuals to get the benefit and then
start functioning for our Members? It will be like betraying the trust of
our Members. How a responsible Association can do like that?
While some are working for few Individuals in this issue,
ARTEE Central Office is working for ARTEE Members and we shall
continue our work for our members
Central Office
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