|
Why There is a Need to
Remove Stagnation from All Pay Scales
by
Danendra Jain
Agartala
I would like to request
IBA and Bank unions to remove the stagnation from Pay scales likely to be
reconstructed afresh in line with new Bipartite Settlement signed last week.
Since the scale is too short in each scale from I to VII to accommodate
officers for long period and provide annual increment every year, there is a
provision of stagnation in each pay scale.
It means officers are not given annual increment for two or three years when
reach at last or penultimate stage of their scale. Obviously officers are
not given increment, as he grows senior only because management is unable to
promote him to higher scale because there are not enough vacancies.
I feel pity for those experienced officers who have all talent and who are
hard workers but could not get promotion due to many constraints beyond the
control of officer. I agree when number of vacancies is less in upper scale;
management is also constrained to give fewer promotions even though such
senior officers are good worker. But I am of the view that such senior
officers must get at least annual increment.
I feel pity for such senior officers because they are not getting annual
increment after they reach last stage of their scale even when they are
shouldering responsibility of large branches successfully.
I feel pity for such senior officers when other non-performing clerks as
well as officers get annual increment only because they are junior.
Obviously the word stagnation is deceptive and a curse for senior officers.
In olden days when officer was not found fit for promotion due to
inefficiency he was to face stagnation as mild dose of punishment. This used
to happen when promotion based on seniority used to take place and
management used to give promotion even if there were not adequate vacancies
in that scale.
In most of the central government department there is provision for time
bound promotion and hence question of stagnation in particular scale does
not arise. It is perhaps only in banks that even after completing twenty or
thirty years of service in a particular scale promotion is not given to an
employee. (Now-a-days Interview is a killer injection in the pocket of
management, which can be injected to any good or bad performer in promotion
process as per whims, and fancies of the interviewer).
When leaders and bank management can give relief to retired employees (refer
agreement signed between bank unions and IBA), why can’t they agree for
continuous annual income to those who have reached last stage of their
scale?
Here I would like to add that when management finds an officer guilty of
minor misconduct they penalize him by stopping his one annual increment for
one year with or without cumulative effect. It means disallowing an officer
for increment for two three years in the name of stagnation, or for the
reason that he has reached the last stage of his pay scale is tantamount to
penalizing him with more greater penalty for none of his fault. And this is
why I pity for senior officers
In brief there is no justification for stopping increment for two three
years to a senior officer in the name of stagnation. If management feels
that there is no scope for promoting officers in a particular scale to upper
scale in lack of adequate vacancy, they must keep the scale long enough to
accommodate senior officers and ensure that they continue to get increment
every year until there is report of any misconduct or inefficiency.
However if management finds an officer unfit for promotion and unfit for
release of annual increment in the name of increment they are not at least
justified in entrusting such stagnated senior officer with higher
responsibility such as Branch Manager of large branch, rather they should
prefer junior officer to should responsibility of bigger branch.
It is undeniably ridiculous that most of senior middle management officers
and most of the executives in Scale IV to scale VII in banks are not getting
annual increment even though they are holding important and responsible
post.
It is ironical that in banks, an officer is considered unfit for promotion
but fit for giving higher responsibilities. On the contrary juniors (who are
yes-men) are promoted but not found fit for placing them at sensitive and
important posts such as Branch Manager. Similarly seniors are not found fit
for annual increment whereas juniors and even clerks are allowed increment
every year even if they perform less and even if they are inefficient and
corrupt.
I hope signatories of wage revision agreement will take care of this anomaly
and remove the word ‘stagnation’ from pay scale for god and for ever.
Later on we have received
the following further views from our reader : .
I still reiterate stagnation must be removed from all scales of bank
employees including officers and there should be running pay bands for all
posts.
I have already enlightened on the existing stagnation increment in my
previous letters. With a view to substantiate my stand on stagnation in
increment and to justify removal of the same I now desire to mention here
that even sixth central pay commission has recommended for removing
stagnation in almost all scales. I enclose the full text of report of the
Sixth Central Pay Commission highlighting the salient feature in brief.
I now expect you will give exert your best efforts resolve point raised by
me so that bankers in general raise their voice before IBA and ensure that
stagnation is completely removed from pay scale likely to be restructured in
light of 9th Bipartite Settlement signed between IBA and Unions on 27th
November 2009. If my suggestion accepted and implemented it will prove to be
beneficial for thousands of bank employees.
In case bank management desires to extend extra incentive to best performers
they can provide additional 1% increment to such good performers as provided
for central government employees. As per recommendations of sixth pay
commission, there is provision of 3.5% of pay as annual increment for better
performer and 2.5% of pay as normal increment for other workers.
It is worthwhile to mention here that it is only banks where no bonus is
paid to employees other than sweepers and a few junior peons and I hope
after revision of pay scale none will be eligible for payment of Bonus. In
all other department there is payment of incentive or bonus to most of the
employees to create mobility and enthusiasm for good work. Unfortunately in
banks even good workers are deprived of even annual increment only because
they have reached last stage of their pay scale.
|
