Effigy of “degradation” to be set on fire
ITI qualified workmen extend support
Bhilai, Jan 02: The issues of Respectful Designation and degradation of entry level have become the prime cause of growing resentment among the young batch of workmen in Bhilai Steel Plant. The technically qualified and skilled workmen like the Diploma Engineers and ITIs are not only aggrieved with the SAIL management but are also pained due to the negligent attitude of the central trade unions. The trade unions had been giving excuse that the SAIL management did not take their consent over the degradation issue. But recently the SAIL management has constituted a joint committee for finalizing the issue of respectful designation. Now when the SAIL management is asking the trade unions, the union leaders must utilize this opportunity and get the issues of Respectful Designation and Degradation resolved amicably.
In a latest development, pressing the demand of respectful designation, the Diploma Engineers working in various units of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) are going to stage demonstration on January 04. The demand of respectful designation, i.e. ‘Junior Engineer’ is pending since long. Recently, a joint committee has been constituted for finalizing this issue. Leaders of central trade unions and representatives of SAIL management have been included in the committee. The first meeting of this joint committee is likely to be conducted soon. The Diploma Engineers had been struggling for this demand since last three years.
Diploma Engineers Federation of India (DEFI) Organizational Secretary Akhil Mishra informed that here in Bhilai, the demonstration will be staged at Equipment Square at around 16:30 hrs. Thereafter, a rally will be taken out which will conclude at Pioneer Monument in Civic Centre. Here, an effigy of ‘degradation’ will be set on fire. It needs to be mentioned here that the diploma engineers and ITI qualified employees are highly aggrieved with the de-gradation. Earlier the Diploma Engineers were appointed in the S-6 grade but later their entry level was de-graded to S-3. In the same way, the entry level of ITIs was degraded from S-3 to S-1. The employees those who suffered degradation are highly aggrieved with the attitude of the management as well as the trade unions, which are not taking any positive action for resolution of the dispute.
Mohammad Rafi of Diploma Engineer Federation said that respectful designation is the right of every employee. Today, the employees of even the small establishments have the designations of executive, section officer, junior engineer, etc. On the other hand, the qualified and most skilled workmen of SAIL are working on the designations like Manipulator, Codger, Shipper, Technician, Operator, etc. Such designations make direct impact on the social status of the Diploma Engineers. Most of them hesitate in disclosing their designation in the family and society.
For getting the demands of respectful designation and resolution of the degradation issue, the Diploma Engineers have sought support from the elected representatives. Recently they paid visit to Cabinet Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, MLA Devendra Yadav and others. Tamradhwaj Sahu had raised the issue in the SAIL Committee as well as in the Parliament. Devendra Yadav expressed support for the demand of Diploma Engineers and stated that respectful designation is the rights of every workman. Akhil Mishra, Santosh Parasar, Sudarshan Kumar, Pupul Nayak, Pawan Sahu, Mohammad Rafi, Rohit Pandey and others were present.
The ITI qualified employees have also come forward in support of Diploma Engineers. The ACTs (Assistant cum Technicians) believe that they were benefitted with the struggle of Diploma Engineers. Consequent to the struggle of diploma engineers only, the management had to take the decision of considering the training period for reckoning of eligibility criterion for promotion. If the diploma engineers get the designation of Junior Engineer, the ACTs are anticipating to get the designation of Technician.