EDITORIAL - BHARTIYA POST - DECEMBER 2013 : NFPE IS 60 YEARS YOUNG

Dear Comrades,

NFPE is 60 years young

                National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) is a class-oriented militant organisation of above five lakhs postal employees. NFPTE was formed on 24.11.1954

                   The P&T trade union movement in India has inherited a history of struggles and sacrifices right from the days of British Raj.  During 1905 when there was no freedom to form unions, Babu Tarapada Mukherjee started this organisation in the name of a Postal Club at Kolkata GPO.  Tarapada was dismissed from service by the British Government for delivering a speech against the British Government in the year 1921 at Lahore All India Conference.  During the last more than one hundred years many leaders and workers of this organisation has been tortured, arrested and put under jail both by the British and Indian Governments.  Com. Dada Ghosh, founder Secretary General of NFPTE was arrested and placed under prolonged suspension. Com.N.J.Iyer, former All India President of NFPE was arrested for delivering a speech against “Emergency” in 1975 and imprisoned in Bikanir Jail for 18 months.  Com.K.Adinarayana, Former Secretary General of NFPE was in jail for three years for participating in the Telangara struggle against Nizam. Com. K. G. Bose, who electrified the P&T Trade Union movement with his class-oriented approach was dismissed from service. Many legendary leaders like Coms. O. P. Gupta, Henry Barton, V. G. Dalvi, K. L. Moza, A. S. Rajan, Piramanathan, N. C. Ambalavanan have lead this organization in the past.

                   25 days historic 1946 P&T strike is marked in the history of India’s freedom movement as one of the most militant struggle launched by P&T employees against the British Raj.  1960 five days strike of Central Government Employees, 1968 September 19^th one day strike for Need Based Minimum wage in which 17 employees have been brutally murdered by the Government by resorting to firing and lathicharge. 1974 Bonus Strike, 1984 September 19th Strike for the emancipation of three lakhs Extra-Departmental employees, 1993 five day’s Postal Strike, 1996 eight days strike for bonus ceiling removal,  1998 eight days Postal strike, 2000 fourteen days Postal Strike were all lead by the National Federation of Postal Employees.  The one day strike by Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers conducted last year on 12-12-2012 is another milestone in the history of Postal Trade Union movement.

                   NFPE has been participating in all the nationwide General strikes including the 2013 February 20,21 two days strike conducted by the Central Trade Unions, right from 1991 onwards against the Neo-liberal imperialist globalisation policies pursued by the Central Government.

                   NFPE has conducted innumerable struggles for realisation of the legitimate demands of the Postal employees especially the most down-trodden section of Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual, Part-time, Contingent employees.

                   NFPE is an affiliate of the Confederation of Central Govt. employees and Workers and is playing leading role in mobilising the Central Government employees and organising struggles including nation wide strikes.

                   Due to neo-liberal policies implemented by the Central Government during the last more than two decades, the Central Services including Postal department is facing great threat against its existence.  Ban on recruitment, outsourcing, downsizing, contractorisation, contributory pension scheme, non-regularisation of the services of Gramin Dak Sevaks, restrictions on compassionate appointments, Bonus discrimination are all the off shoots of this policy.  Due to unprecedented price rise the real wages of the employees and workers have eroded like anything.  The Central Govt. employees are on continuous struggle demanding appointment of Seventh Pay Commission with effect from 01.01.2011, 50% DA merger, regularisation of Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual labourers etc.

                   NFPE Federal council held at Hyderabad in June 2013 has decided to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of NFPE in a befitting manner. Inaugural ceremony of one year long celebrations will be held at New Delhi on 24.11.2013 and final celebrations will be organized at Jam Nagar (Gujarath) in a grand manner on 24^th November 2014.

                   One year long Diamond Jubilee celebrations of NFPE shall definitely discuss all the issues confronting the working class in general and the Postal employees in particular and formulate programmes for future course of action.

                   AIPEU Group C (CHQ) calls upon the entire postal employees to conduct seminars, general body meetings, trade union workshops, honouring former leaders, exhibitions, classes on the history of the postal trade union movement etc. during the period from 24^th November 2013 to 24^th November 2014 as part of Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

                   Let us be proud of being a part of this great and glorious organization and let us carry forward our uncompromising fight against all injustices.