Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) officers Saturday called for implementation of ad hoc relief allowances and revision in pay scales announced in annual budgets. On behalf of all officers of Pakistan Steel Mills, Mirza Maqsood Ahmed Secretary Pakistan Steel Officers Ittehad - an alliance of officers' association, has written a letter to the secretary Ministry of Industries & Production for implementation on the budget announcements.
According to the letter, the officers of PSM have been deprived of ad hoc relief allowances announced in the budgets of last seven years from 2009-10 to 2015-16. The also urged the govt to implement revision of pay scales announced in budget 2015 due to financial crisis in the mills. While during the same period, the salaries (basic pay & allowances) of workers were considerably increased twice. Due to which, the officers are facing severe mental agony and financial hardships, it added.
It added that officers & workers; both are the members of same Gratuity Fund Trust, which is being run under a joint policy but there are two different criteria for payment of gratuity to officers and workers of Pakistan Steel. Workers and officers are entitled for gratuity equivalent to gross pay and basic pay respectively. There is no such example in any other organization/corporation/company/department of Pakistan, Maqsood said.
"On behalf of all officers of PSM, we humbly request you to resolve the outstanding issues on a priority basis and order payment of ad hoc relief allowances approved and notified by present and previous federal governments in the budgets during 2009 to 2015," the letter maintained.
It said that PSM employees are deprived of cumulatively 125 percent ad hoc relief allowances announced in last seven years. In addition, payment of 15 percent ad hoc relief allowance of 2009 notified by the Finance Division vide Office Memorandum No F-1(7)Imp/2009-I was made to the officers of Pakistan Steel from July 2010 instead of July 2009. The arrears from July 2009 to June 2010 may be paid accordingly, it added.