8th Pay Commission: Railway engineers raise a strong voice, demanding major changes to the salary structure before the final report

8th Pay Commission: Meetings for the 8th Pay Commission began in Kolkata on July 9; amidst this, railway engineers have placed a new demand before the commission, calling for revisions to the salary structure.

8th Pay Commission News: Meetings regarding the 8th Pay Commission have been ongoing since its formation was approved. A two-day meeting commenced in Kolkata yesterday and is scheduled to conclude tonight, July 10. Meanwhile, railway employees have presented their new demands to the commission even before the meeting's outcome is announced.

New demands from railway engineers

According to a report by *The Indian Express*, the All India Railway Engineers Federation (AIREF) and the East Coast Railway Engineers Association (ECoREA) recently held a meeting in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. During this meeting, a memorandum outlining their demands was submitted to Pankaj Jain, the Member Secretary of the 8th Pay Commission. In the memorandum, railway engineers urged the commission to address long-standing issues regarding salaries, promotions, and career progression, stating that their pay structure had deteriorated following the 6th Pay Commission.

What did the association's secretary say?

Speaking on the matter, AIREF General Secretary B.P. Das stated, "Railway engineers play a crucial role in railway operations, yet they receive inferior pay and facilities compared to employees in non-technical and non-safety departments." He demanded the restoration of the pay structure that existed prior to the 6th Pay Commission and called for railway engineers to be granted 'Group-B' status, similar to their counterparts in other central government departments.

Focus on Group-B posts and promotions.

During the meeting, the federation also proposed increasing the number of Group-B posts in the railways from the current 0.29% to 7.5% to align with the national average. Furthermore, association office-bearers highlighted that railway engineers often go years without receiving a promotion, which stifles their career growth. It is worth noting that this meeting was part of the ongoing nationwide consultation process for the 8th Pay Commission. The Commission will formulate its final recommendations regarding salaries, pensions, and allowances after gathering suggestions from employee unions, pensioners, and other stakeholders. The Commission is set to prepare its report following the final round of meetings in Kolkata on July 10.