As a part of the Silver Jubilee
Celebrations RSP Retired Employees’ Association (RSP-REA) organised a Seminar and
a Group Discussion on ‘Social Securities of Senior Citizens & Retired SAIL
Employees’ in their office premises at Koelnagar, Rourkela immediately after
the Inaugural Function of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations was over on 11th
afternoon and the forenoon of 12th January 2014.
2)
The participants
were visiting delegates representing the Unit Associations of SAIL Ex-Employees
of Bhilai, Kolkatta, Ranchi and Rourkela and the members of the RSP-REA.
3)
Both the Sessions
were chaired by Dr. V.N.Sharma, President, SAIL Ex-Employees Association,
Ranchi (Ex-SEFI Chairman)
4)
The anger and
anguish of the Ex-Employees were clearly visible when in both the sessions -Seminar
and Group Discussion - the delegates and members presented the issues arising
out of the short and long term policies adopted by SAIL and its Units towards
their Ex-Employees in various policy matters as well as their implementation,
as also the treatment meted out to the Ex-Employees as senior citizens of this
country.
5)
The discussion,
by and large, converged to
(i)
SAIL ignoring the
advice given by DPE in their various letters and clarifications for the benefit
of Ex-Employees,
(ii)
Formulation of One-sided
Mediclaim scheme without the participation of the representatives of
Ex-Employees and putting so much capping that the scheme becomes literally
redundant
(iii)
Large number of issues
at the Unit level arising out of actions of the Plant/ Unit Management as also
the State Govt. authorities. Large number of court cases as well as
non-implementation of the court orders in favour of the Ex-Employees by the
Plants/ Units were cited as examples.
(iv)
Plants / Units
not caring for/ bothering about the social and financial needs of the Senior
citizens nor about the notifications issued by the Govt in this regard was also
discussed. Standing in general ‘Q’ for long time by sick Ex-Employees in the
hospital and other offices were cited as examples.
(v)
Several
discriminatory actions of the Plant/ Unit Management are listed below:
a)
Exorbitant charges
for booking of the SAIL guest house, the treatment of the ex-employees’
dependent blood relatives in SAIL owned hospitals, booking of the community
halls, clubs etc. for social functions and membership of the co-operatives,
clubs etc. by the Ex-Employees at market
rates were cited where as they should be at par with the regular employees.
b)
The interest of
the Ex-Employees residing in the SAIL Townships in the houses leased on long
term basis are harmed and damaged by SAIL/Unit managements by not associating
the representatives of the Ex-Employees and further creating obnoxious and
unfriendly and unhealthy environmental conditions in the Townships were also
discussed.
6)
Based on the
views expressed by the delegates and Rourkela Members the Session Chairman
presented the following recommendations for adoption by the house
A.
An Apex Body/
Federation of the Associations of Ex-Employees of SAIL actively working in
different Plants/ Units needs to be formed as early as possible to take up the
issues concerning the Ex-Employees on urgent basis.
B. A meeting of all the Unit Associations of Ex-Employees
of SAIL needs to be organised within 4-6 weeks from now to discuss the
formation of the Apex Body and finalisation of various formal requirements for
the same.
C. President of RSP-REA was requested to take up the
follow-up action for organising the proposed meeting at Rourkela, to prepare a
draft Bye-laws of the Apex Body/ Federation and circulate the same to all the
invited Units for suggestions etc. so that it can be formally adopted by the
meeting.
D. The House voted for the above recommendations by
clapping.
E.
On behalf of the
RSP-REA, Sri Abhay Kumar Das, President RSP-REA assured the House and accepted
the responsibility of organising the meeting at Rourkela and doing all that is required, if need be, in consultation
with the members of other Unit Associations.
