April 9 Meeting May Finalize New Salary Structure for Tata Steel Employees

Jamshedpur: The long-awaited wage revision for thousands of Tata Steel employees has entered its final stage. Following the return of Tata Workers’ Union (TWU) President Sanjeev Kumar Choudhary to Jamshedpur, a fresh round of formal discussions between the management and the union commenced on Wednesday.

To finalize the agreement, the management has summoned representatives from the Kalinganagar unit to Jamshedpur for a high-level meeting on April 9. The joint session aims to create a balanced and equitable pay structure for both the Jamshedpur and Kalinganagar plants, ensuring uniform benefits across the workforce.

Agreement Likely for 7 Years

Inside sources suggest that if the parties reach a consensus during the upcoming meetings, the official signing could take place by the first week of May. The agreement is expected to span a seven-year tenure, mirroring the previous settlement.

The current focus remains on the Minimum Guaranteed Benefit (MGB) percentages. The union is pushing for:

• Old Grade (S-1): At least 23% MGB.
• New Series (NS-Series): A demand for 27% MGB.

The union argues that these figures are necessary to offset incremental values and align with the 2018 salary benchmarks.

Focus on DA and Increments

Beyond basic pay, the union is negotiating for improvements in the per-point value of the Dearness Allowance (DA) and an expansion of the pay-scale slabs for New Series employees. Committee members are advocating for a model that not only boosts current take-home pay but also enhances retirement benefits and long-term career growth.