Delhi metro staffers' protest for pay hike likely to escalate on Monday

The Delhi Metro’s non-executive staff today threatened to bring train services to a halt from Monday if their demands, including a pay hike, were not met. [caption id=“attachment_1725845” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational Image. AFP[/caption] The non-executive staff, including train operators, maintenance staff, station controllers and customer relation assistants, have been protesting since yesterday against the management’s alleged failure in implementing a two-year-old decision to upgrade their pay scales. “We will gather at the Yamuna Bank station on Sunday evening. Thereafter, from 0000 hours of 24 July, the protesting staff of around 9,000 will enforce a total shutdown,” secretary of staff council Anil Kumar Mahato said. Delhi Metro had in 2015 agreed, “in principle”, to upgrade pay scale of maintainers from Rs 8,000-14,410 to Rs 10,170-Rs 18,700 from July of that year. It was also decided to merge the pay scales Rs 13,500-Rs 25,520 and Rs 14,000-Rs 26,950. A new pay scale of Rs 20,600-Rs 46,500 was to be introduced, according to the agreement, which was decided upon following a similar employee stir, Mahato said. “Since the recommendations of the 3rd pay commission have been accepted by the government and orders are to be issued any time, it is not an opportune moment to press for their demand for revision of pay scales at this juncture. All pay related issues shall be dealt shortly after issue of orders by the government,” the DMRC management responded. The other demands of the agitating staffers include the right to form an union, suspension of disciplinary proceedings against three staff members, including Mahato and a CBI probe into alleged financial irregularities in the organisation. Delhi Metro, in a statement, said that issues are purely incidental to the individuals and the attempt on their part to push their personal agenda, and invoke others to cause disruption is uncalled for. “The employees have been misled by these individuals and an appeal has been issued for all employees to stay calm and we hope that employees are not misguided by such elements. Staff council members are also called for discussion on these issues,” it added. Since Friday, the protesting staff, wearing black bands, are gathering at metro stations across Delhi-NCR and sloganeering against the management in between their shifts. As of now, there has been no disruption in metro services.