NEW DELHI, October 1, 2026:
A crucial bilateral meeting regarding the Annual Performance-Linked Incentive Scheme (ASPLIS) bonus for Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) employees was held today in New Delhi. The Steel Workers’ Federation of India (CITU) was represented at the meeting by Comrade Lalitmohan Misra and Comrade DVS Reddy.
Production Growth vs. Management's Proposal
At the commencement of the meeting, the SAIL Management presented the production and productivity performance report for the previous year, alongside the performance report for the first quarter of financial year 2026–27. The Management highlighted that the organization has been continuously progressing in terms of both production output and profitability. A target of achieving a profit of ₹10,000 crore during 2026–27 was placed before the meeting, a goal welcomed by all participating trade unions.
However, friction arose during the bonus calculation phase. Applying the existing bonus formula, the Management calculated the bonus amount at ₹31,109 per employee and proposed rounding it off to pay ₹31,200. For trainees, the proposed amount was ₹24,960. All trade unions present strongly opposed this proposal.
CITU’s Demands and Principled Position
CITU representatives categorically rejected the Management’s offer and firmly placed a demand for a bonus of ₹40,500 per employee. CITU reiterated its key demands:
- Rectification of Deceptive Formula: The flawed bonus formula introduced in 2023 must be rectified immediately, as it fails to adequately reflect the workers' crucial contributions toward sustaining and enhancing production levels.
- Pending Issues & Arrears: Unconditional payment of the 39 months' arrears must be released, and all long-pending issues under the National Joint Committee for Steel (NJCS) must be settled without delay.
Final Outcome
Following multiple rounds of extensive consultations—including direct discussions with the SAIL Chairman—the Management offered a revised settlement figure of ₹32,000 and drafted the official settlement papers accordingly.
Maintaining its principled stand, CITU refused to sign the settlement agreement for ₹32,000. The union declared that it will not compromise on worker rights or accept an amount that does not match the substantial production, productivity, and profitability achieved through the hard labor of the workforce.
