Press release by Sri Baijnath Rai, General Secretary, BMS. On 11-7-2012
Pension has become the prime problem for all categories of workers/employees. Government has been discussing this issue of Pension Scheme-1995 since 2006. Committees were constituted but nothing could materialize till date. It is to be noted that not a single paisa has been increased since the year 2000 in spite of continuous increase in prices of all commodities. Presently, some pensioners are getting only Rs. 12/- per month as pension due to the faulty formula. Therefore BMS and other Central Trade Unions demanded for a minimum pension of Rs. 3000/- p.m. linked with consumer price index. The Government’s Committee recommended for Interim Pension as Rs. 1000/-p.m. Even this too has not been considered. So, there is strong resentment among pensioners under EPS-1995 and the prospective pensions.
Similarly, Government Employees recruited after 2004 are barred from the usual pension scheme benefits as available to the Government employees. The pension schemes for Banking and LIC Employees are also in the same fate. It is astonishing to note that MLAs, MPs and several others are drawing a minimum pension of Rs. 15,000/- pm without contribution, but the workers are denied and deprived of legitimate pension even though contributing to pension fund.
As such, resentment and discontentment is prevailing in the minds of all categories of employees. Therefore, BMS has decided to observe PENSION DAY on 1st August, 2012. Dharna and demonstrations would be held on the DAY before all PF Offices and other working places of the employees.
CALL FOR NATION WIDE AGITATION.
A meeting of all Central Trade Unions was held today, i.e., 11th July, 2012 at BMS Central Office. It was felt by all Unions that in spite of all trade Union-united- industrial strike on 28th February, 2012 the Government did not resolve any of the basic issues of workers, i.e., providing Minimum Wages of Rs. 10,000/- pm for all categories of workers, Social Security for all unorganized sector workers, regularizations of workmen working as contract workers and workers of Anganwadi, Mid-day Meal, Asha Karmi etc. and enhancing their payment at par with regular employees, abolition of contract and casual, and outsourcing systems, strict implementation of labour laws etc. Therefore the Central Trade Unions resolved to launch Nationwide several agitational programmes during 2012-13, covering the employees from Panhcayat level to Parliament level. A National Convention on 4 September 2012 at New Delhi would mark the beginning the year long agitation.
Jagdish Joshi
Office Secretary
