NLC workers among the highest paid in PSUs’

Neyveli Lignite Corporation has termed as “misleading” the way the ongoing workers strike and wage revision issues has emerged in the public domain, saying the additional amount offered by the company makes the workmen in NLC among the highest paid.

Coming out with it side of the story about the issues regarding the strike, the company rejected the report that “Unions have been demanding 24% hike whereas the Management has offered only 10% hike.” It said that “over and above that already NLC Management has offered an additional amount of Rs 3,852 (against Rs 3,023 absolute increase given in the last wage revision- 2007 to 2011) per month to workmen at IW Gr.I level and Rs.11,477( against Rs 6726 absolute increase given in the last wage revision- 2007 to 2011) per month at SG 4 level on weighted average basis which will take their total monthly salary to around Rs 40,512 at IW Gr.I level and around Rs 1.20 lakhs per month at SG 4 level.

Further clarifying it said that the demand of Unions for 24% hike is not with reference to the increase over what they were getting as on beginning of the wage revision period (January 1, 1012). “In fact what they have been demanding for is 24% fitment benefit on Basic + DA on 01/01/2012 at the beginning of the wage period with percentage linked hike in benefits and allowances which compounds to almost 72% as on date,” an official said.

Under the percentage linkage system in the pre revised pattern there is already an inbuilt automatic escalation of salary and benefits on Year on Year basis which has been around 24.3 % on an average for the last 3 years. As against the above, Management has already offered 10% fitment benefit on Basic + DA with other benefits drawn on percentage linkage system as on date and also two increments at the rate of 3% each as lumpsum, which totally amounts to 16%. Besides, 13.84% contribution on Basic plus DA has already been given to NLC workmen towards Pension and Post Retirement Medical Assistance, which no other comparable PSU in India gave it in their last wage revision on five year pattern.