Railway Workers Demand Bonus Revision Under Seventh Pay Commission

Railway employees have urged Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to calculate their annual productivity-linked bonus based on the Seventh Pay Commission instead of the Sixth. The current bonus structure, based on a lower pay scale, is deemed unfair by the employees who point out their critical role during the pandemic and the rise in railway earnings.

Railway employees have appealed to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging that their productivity-linked bonus (PLB) be calculated according to the Seventh Pay Commission rather than the Sixth.

In a letter, Sarvjeet Singh, National General Secretary of the Indian Railways Employee Federation (IREF), stated that the current minimum salary for calculating PLB is Rs 7,000 per month as per the Sixth Pay Commission. However, under the Seventh Pay Commission, the minimum salary is Rs 18,000, a pay scale that has been in effect since January 1, 2016.

Singh called the existing bonus calculation "sheer injustice and exploitation" of railway employees. During the pandemic, railway workers continued to operate trains, contributing to increased railway earnings, noted in the quarterly bulletin. Despite this, the bonus—linked to a lower pay scale—does not reflect their hard work. Singh urged the minister to revise the bonus system to align with the Seventh Pay Commission, enabling employees to celebrate Dussehra with enthusiasm.

(With inputs from agencies.)