NEWS ARCHIVES
Income Tax, Customs Staff Go on Strike
CHANDIGARH, Nov 10 — The working in the Departments of the Income Tax, the Central Excise and Customs was severely hit today following a three-day nationwide strike by the staff in support of their demands.
Employees under the banner of the Coordination Committee of Federations in the Department of Revenue organised a rally and sat in dharna on the premises of the central revenue building in Sector 17 here.
Mr Rajesh Rai, president of the Customs and Central Excise Executive Officers Association, and Mr D.R. Sharma, joint convener of the local unit of the committee, claimed that the strike was total in the region.
The customs clearances were badly affected at dry ports at Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar and the land customs stations and airport at Amritsar.
The employees are on strike to protest against the Central Government's continued reluctance to remove anomalies in the Fifth Pay Commission's recommendations. The anomalies had not been removed despite assurances by the Finance Minister, a press note alleged today.
AMRITSAR: All officers (Group B) and employees of the Income Tax (Group B, C and D) and Central Excise and Customs Department (Group B and C) executives stationed at Amritsar observed a total strike today on a call from the coordinating committee of federations of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. The officers (Group B) and employees (Group C and D) of the Revenue Department claim to have been unjustifiably discriminated against by the fifth pay commission which created various anomalies in their scales.
PATIALA: Income Tax employees observed a strike here as well as at Sirhind, Mandi Gobindgarh, Sangrur, Nabha and Barnala on a call given by the coordination committee of its federation.
The Revenue Tax Gazetted Officers Federation and Income Tax Employees Federation Group C and Group D which observed strike are demanding parity of scales with central government employees for those who have been assigned lower pay scales than their central counterparts.
Employee leaders N K Saini and A P Rajput said they were also demanding at least three functional promotions as had been recommended for group A services. They said the strike would continue till November 12.
LUDHIANA: Employees of Income Tax, Central Excise and Customs Departments at Ludhiana observed a strike against disparity in pay scales.
In a joint rally the employees demanded the implementation of the recommendations of the high-powered committee that had recommended revision of the scales of these departments to the Ministry of Finance.
JALANDHAR: Employees of the Income Tax Central Excise and Customs Departments observed a strike here today on the call of the coordination committee.
Mr O D Sharma, general secretary CCEEO's federation, said that an indefinite strike was earlier proposed in July but on the assurance of the Finance Minister to solve their problems within a period of three weeks, the strike was postponed. But since the government has not taken any steps to remove the genuine grievance of the employees, a three-day strike is being observed.
Mr S K Bhargava, general secretary, ITEF (NWR), Mr B P Aggarwal additional general secretary, ITGSA (NWR), Mr O P Sharma, joint secretary, CCEEO's federation, Mr Basant Kumar, joint secretary, IT Gr.D. Federation, Mr Ram Parkash, branch secretary, AIFCECEO's addressed the employees here. They demanded a replacement scale of Rs 2200-4000 for group B officers, Rs 2000-3500 to all inspectors in CBEC/CBDT and replacement scale of Rs 1640-2900 to DOS level II and head clerks in the CBEC and CBDT respectively by upgrading the DOS level II in CBEC and head clerks in CBDT to the grade of office superintendent.
The Tribune - 11-11-1998