Permanent Negotiating Machinery (PNM) , Fort-Nightly meetings (FNM), JCM & CA

• PNM was set up in the year 1952 and came into force from 1.1.52.
• It aims to maintain contact with labour and to resolve disputes and differences, which may arise between Railway Labour and Administration.
• Collective bargaining, across the table negotiations and give and take policy are the main principles behind PNM.

Level of Meetings

• Railway level : The recognised Union having access to the Divisional Officers and Officers at Zonal Head quarters including GMs.
• Railway Board level : the Federations with the Railway Board take up Matters not settled at Railway level.
• Tribunal level : Where agreement is not reached between  the Federation and Railway Board in matters of importance, it is referred to an adhoc Railway tribunal comprising of representatives of Railway Labour and administration presided over by a neutral Chairman.

Periodicity of Meetings

Subjects for Discussion

• Disciplinary matters, individual cases of promotionsm transfers etc. cannot be included for discussions.
• Questions relating to pay scales, allowances etc., will only be discussed between Federations and Railway Board and not at lower levels.
• Subjects which are within the powers of Officers, are only to be included.
• Matters not settled at any level may be raised at the next level.
• 30 new subject are allowed for discussion in a meeting.
• It would be open to the Government to accept or to reject or to modify the decision of the adhoc tribunal.
• The Federations should not raise the same issue for two years where the Government has accepted the Tribunal's decision.
• But in case in which the Government has rejected of modified the decision of the Tribunal the issue can be raised at the end of one year.

FNM

• Fort-Nightly meetings are conducted at Headquarers by SPO/Labour and by DPO and APO at Division and Extra Division.
• Issues affecting employees seniority, fixation of pay etc. are discussed and settled in these meeting.
• Union representatives not exceeding 6 can attend the meeting.
• SCL is granted to the Unon representatives to attend FNM.

Joint Consultative Machinery & Compulsory Arbitration (JCM & CA)

• On the recommendation of II pay Commission, the Central Government established a machinery for joint consultation and compulsory arbitration.
• JCM & CA came into force from October 1968.
• The objective of the machinery is to promote harmonious relation and for securing cooperation between the  common concern for further increasing  the efficiency in public service.
• The machinery functions in three tiers.
• National Council deals with matters affecting Central Government Employees.
• National Council deals with matters affecting the staff of a particular Ministry. The scope of the council will include all the matters relating to the condition of the service, work and welfare of employees and improvement of efficiency and standards of work. 
• The scheme provides compulsory arbitration on three subjects viz. pay and allowances, Weekly hours of work or Leave. 
• Regional Council is not functioning in Railway.
• Generally outsiders are not permitted to participate in departmental Council. But in Railways not more than two outsiders for each federation are allowed.
• Number of JCM meetings has been reduced in Railways since the PNM scheme continues side by side. The subjects discussed in the PNM Meetings are not to be discussed in JCM departmental council meetings and vice versa.

National Council

The Head of the respective Ministry will act as Chairman. CRB acts as Chairman in Railways.