NASHIK, Dec 9: Resentment over the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission is brewing among technicians of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with over 1,200 technicians posted at the 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) at Ozar deciding to refuse their salaries in protest.The technicians at 11BRD, which is engaged in the overhaul and maintenance of the MIG 29 combat aircraft, are annoyed with their fixation of pay by the commission, which has recommended more pay to their equivalent ranks in the Indian Navy. About 40 technicians have already filed complaints with their seniors, pleading for the removal of the anomalies. The technicians have decided not to accept the revised salaries till the issue is solved.Incidentally, the technicians were paid salaries based on the old pay structure for November, which they accepted, deciding to refuse revised salaries expected to be paid for December.Aircraft Technicians of the ranks of Leading Aircraftman, Corporal Sergeant and Junior Warrant Officer have pointed out that their equivalent ranks in the Navy, ranging from Artificer I to V and Chief Artificer, would be getting much higher salaries as per the commission's recommendations. For instance, the revised basic pay of a Corporal has been fixed at Rs 4,150 as against Rs 4,550 for the equivalent rank of Artificer IV in the Navy. Similarly, an air force sergeant would be getting a revised basic pay of Rs 4,760 against Rs 5,120 of the Artificers I to III of the Navy.The technicians have pointed out that they are engaged in the vital job of maintaining the airworthiness of the combat aircraft of the IAF and their job is no less important than an equivalent one in other services. They have also stated that the equivalents in civil aviation and the private sector earn ten times more.Insisting that the importance of the work and risk involved were equal, the technicians have demanded parity in scales with equivalent ranks in the Navy. They have stated that they had been drawing more than the Army and the Navy under the old structure and the new pay structure has degraded them.The commission has clubbed the former four groups of technicians into three groups - X (of Diploma/degree holders), Y (of matric equivalent) and Z (non-matric). Incidentally, the commission has hiked the allowances of some ranks to gigantic proportions. For instance, the flying allowance of fighter pilots has been hiked from Rs 1,200 to Rs 9,000 per month, despite the fact that such pilots join the IAF after Class XII and are trained in the service, like the technicians.
