NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION GROUP-‘C’
KORAPUT DIVISIONAL BRANCH
12th&13th Feb, 2014 Two Days Strike
Dear Comrades,
STRIKE TO SURVIVE
The extended meeting of the National Executive of Confederation of Central
Government employees and workers held at New Delhi on 10th January, 2014 had
deliberated upon the course of negotiation the Staff Side of the JCM National
Council had with the Government on the terms of reference of the proposed 7th
Central Pay Commission and noted that despite assurance, the Government had not
convened the meeting to finalise the same. The meeting recalled the discussions
at the 24th National Conference of the Confederation held at Kolkata in May
2013 and the consequent resolution on Policy and Programme adopted at the
Conference. Through the said resolution which was adopted after analysing and
evaluating the political and economic situation in the country and various
other factors, the Conference had directed the National Executive for the 48
hours nationwide strike and on the basis of resolution adopted at the extended
meeting of the national executive of confederation of central government
employees & workers held at new delhi on 10th jan. 2014, joint strike
notice was served to the Department from both NFPE and FNPO.
1. Accept the terms of reference of 7th
CPC, submitted by the staff side, National Council JCM.
(a) To examine the existing structure of
pay, allowances and other benefits/facilities, retirement benefits like
Pension, Gratuity & other terminal benefits of various categories of
Central Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) of Postal
Department.
(b) To work out the comprehensive
revised pay packet for the categories of Central Government employees including
GDS as on 1.1.2014.
(c) The Commission shall determine the
pay structure, benefits, facilities, retirement benefits etc. taking into
account the need to provide minimum wage with reference to the recommendation
of the 15th Indian Labour Conference (1957) and the subsequent judicial
pronouncement of the honorable Supreme Court there-on, as on 1.1.2014.
(d) To determine the Interim Relief
needed to be sanctioned immediately to the Central Government employees including
GDS.
(e) To determine the percentage of DA/DR
immediately to be merged with Pay and pension including GDS.
(f) To settle the anomalies raised in
various fora of JCM.
(g) To work out the improvements needed
to the existing retirement benefits, like pension, death cum retirement
gratuity, family pension and other terminal or recurring benefits
maintaining parity amongst past, present and future pensioners and family
pensioners including those who entered service on or after 1.1.2004.
(h) To recommend methods for providing
cashless/hassle-free Medicare facilities to the employees and Pensioners
including Postal pensioners.
2. Ensure every five year revision of
wages of Central Government Employees in future.
3. (a) Regularisation of Gramin Dak
Sevaks of the Postal Department and grant of Civil Servant status, statutory
pension and all other benefits at par with regular employees.
(b) Regularisation and revision of wages of casual and
contract workers.
4. Compassionate appointment – removal
of restrictions imposed by Government.
5. JCM and Anomaly Committee
Functioning.
6. Fill up all vacant posts and
creation of new posts wherever justified.
7. Stop downsizing, outsourcing,
contractorisation and privatization of Government functions.
8. Stop the move to introduce
performance related Pay (PRP) system, Extend PLB Bonus for all, removing bonus
ceiling.
9. Revise OTA and Night Duty Allowance
rates and clothing rates.
10. Implement arbitration awards.
11. Five promotions to all.
12. Rescind the PFRDA Act. Ensure
statutory Pension for all.
13. Stop price rise. Revive and extend
public distribution system for all.
14. Stop trade Union victimization.
15. Ensure Right to strike.
Remember UNITY IN ACTION is our watch
word.
The Indian ruling class continued with their obsession and pursuance of the
neo-liberal policy of Globalisation, despite the crisis. The phasing out of all
welfare measures, divestment of PSUs; the systematic withdrawal from large
areas of governance, privatisation of Government organisations; closure of
Industrial establishments; outsourcing; Contractorisation; curtailment of Trade
Union rights, allowing unbridled entry of foreign capital; the ruination of
indigenous industries, consolidation of land and wealth in a few people’s hand;
privatisation of health care and education, unfettered permission to exploit
the water sources of the country to the soft-drink giants were a few of the
things, the Government did during this period to pauperise the Indian people.
While this being one side of the picture, we are witness to the surging
protest actions by the common people against the capitalist exploitation and
imperialism. The political upheaval in Latin America, in West European Nations,
in the Middle East, North African countries provides us not only courage and
enthusiasm but also a sense of confidence that we are not alone.
In this scenario, we must strive our best to forge unity with the broadest
mass of the working people as we must know that we cannot fight against this
menace single handedly. We must realise that unless we remain united and build
joint struggles along with the suffering millions of our countrymen, the
situation is bound to be worse. We have taken the resolve that we shall stand
firm against the Neo-liberal policies; against the divisive forces; against the
forces of religious fundamentalism; against the caste and communal
organizations and we have lived up to that solemn pledge. The 24th conference
asserts that the Confederation and all its affiliates will be in the forefront
of all struggles against the neo-liberal economic policies of Globalization.
We had been proud partners in the struggles of the working class against
these policies. In all the Strike actions, rallies demonstrations and other
trade union actions, the central Government employees have taken part and we
are proud of our commitment and involvement. Along with the State Government
employees, Defence workers, School and University Teachers, we fought against
the PFRDA Bill and pension fund privatisation.
We made independent initiative and organized series of agitational actions,
including one day strike on 12th December 2012. The large scale participation
of our members in these struggles must embolden us to pursue the 15 point
charter of demands with much more intensity.
The Government in its press statement issued in September, 2013, had
indicated that the 7th CPC recommendations would be effective only from
1.1.2016, which had been in direct contravention of the demand for a five year
wage revision in the Government sector, as is the case of Public Sector workers
and the employees in Banking and Insurance Industry and in most of the private
Sector firms. The Government has been silent on the demand of the employees for
merger of Dearness allowance and interim relief, a practice normally follows
the setting up of the Pay Commissions. No indication has been given by the
official side during the first round of discussion as to its stand on the
demand of the Staff Side to bring the Gramin Dak Sewaks of Postal Departments
within the ambit of the 7th CPC treating them as Civil Servants as per the
observation of the Supreme Court. The Government has also not responded so far
to the demand for inclusion of a labour representative in the Commission, a
practice followed upto the setting up of the 4th Central Pay Commission, but
discarded from the 5th CPC onwards. The non-inclusion of a labour
representative, the meeting noted, resulted in suppression of wages of the low
paid employees whereas hefty pay packets were awarded to the personnel in Group
A cadres both by the 5th and 6th CPCs.
No Pain No Gain,
No Strike No Pay
Commission
We
are not cowards, Let’s Fight Brave
We will no longer remain silent
The meeting noted that the very announcement of the intention of the
Government to effect wage revision of Central Government employees was to
obtain political mileage in the scenario of the five States going for election
in November/December, 2013 The Central Government employees and their suffering
family members have however emphatically registered their anger and protest
over the gimmicks as was evidenced from the election results, especially of
Delhi where large number of Central Government employees are located. The
meeting took note of the fact that the Indian Parliament has passed the PFRDA
Bill, which the ruling class could not do for the past ten years due to the
stiff opposition of the Left Parties inside the Parliament and the workers
outside. The UPA II Government could get it passed in the Parliament by
soliciting the support of the main opposition party in the country, the BJP.
The PFRDA Act now contains the provision empowering the Government/Authority to
extend the ambit of the contributory pension scheme to those who are presently
stand exempted i.e. the Government employees recruited prior to 1.1.2004 and
the defence personnel.
Inspite of the recommendation of the Standing Committee of the Parliament,
the Government has refused to guarantee a minimum pensionary benefit to the
contributors. This apart, the Government has gone ahead and allowed 49% FDI in
Pension fund permitting not only the Indian business men but also the foreign
monopoly companies to access the huge pension fund created through the savings
of Indian working Class.
It was pointed out by most of the speakers at the meeting that the JCM
conceived as an instrument for negotiation and ongoing consultation with the
employees have been made totally non functional by the official side. The
National Council has not met for several years. No different is the situation
at the Departmental level. The 6th CPC anomalies despite several rounds of
discussions spanning a period of more than 5 years have remained unsettled.
No demand of the employees, be it the compassionate appointment,
regularisation of GDS/daily rated workers or even trivial issues like fixation
of pay etc. was addressed by the Government during the 9 years it was in
office, whereas various functions of the Government were outsourced, contract
labour system was introduced to replace the jobs carried out by the lower
strata of employees, pruned the size of the Government machinery by resorting
to abolition of posts, ban on recruitment, winding up, privatisation etc.
The meeting also noted that no intervention was made by the political
authority despite repeated pleadings in the matter of unprecedented vindictive
measures and actions initiated by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India
against the employees and leaders of the Association for legitimate trade union
actions.
The meeting recorded its appreciation and gratitude to lakhs of Central
Government employees who took part in the various struggles organised by the
Confederation during the period, especially on 12th December, 2012 one day
strike which alone was instrumental in compelling the Government to announce
the 7th CPC.
It also took note of the yeomen efforts on the part of the State Committees
and affiliates in educating and mobilising the rank and file of the membership
to tread the path of struggle. The meeting after listening to the leaders of
the efforts undertaken by them to forge unity of all Central Government
employees and taking into account the futility in waiting indefinitely for the
unity to emerge decided that the ongoing phase of struggle must be intensified.
WORKERS ARE NOT BEGGARS
TOGETHER WE CONQUER
The meeting decided to caution the Central Government employees that both
the UPA with Indian National Congress as the leading partner and the NDA which
is led by the BJP, if voted to power will certainly pursue the neo-liberal
policies, which will further pauperise the working people in the country. The
meeting taking into account the above stated facts and with a clear
understanding that incessant struggles alone can bring a revolutionary change
calls upon the Central Government employees to organise 48 hour strike (two
days) on 12th and 13th February, 2014, when the present Parliament is expected
to be in its last session.
Comrades, in
the wake of the unprecedented unity of the working class of our country, as per
the direction of CHQ it has been decided to ensure that every member do take
part in this historic strike on 12th & 13th Feb,
2014. Let us again prove our strength in form of our unity by making the said
strike a grand success. All are requested to participate in the strike
whole-heartedly.
Let us unite together with determination
and make the strike a tremendous success. Let the five lakhs Postal and RMS
employees all over the India stand-up and declare in one voice – we shall fight
untidily, come what may.
We are confident that success will be
ours.
History will remember only those
who fight for the cause of our fellow comrades.
There is no other way left for us
except the strike.
Remember the words of our great founder leader Com.
Tarapada Mukherjee
Take it from me, comrades, that petitions
and memorandums and supplications will count for nothing so long as we do not
organize ourselves in a manner to convince the Government ………… The ground is
ready, only some daring spirits are wanted to sow the seed and reap abundant
harvest.
DA Merger, Interim
Relief, Statutory Pension for all,
Civil Servant status for GDS (Postal) Employees,
Regularisation of Casual Labourers,
Removal of conditions for Compassionate appointment, Settlement of VI-CPC Anomalies, Proper
Functioning of JCM, Implementation of Arbitration Awards, Contain price rise,
Stop Privatisation, contracturisation, Revise OTA, NDA etc., Five promotions for all, Trade Union rights
to CG Employees, Vacate all
victimisation etc.
Com. Rajesh
Ku Raypalli
Asst. Circle Secretary
Com. Purna Chandra Maharana
Divisional
Secretary
Com. P Suresh Kumar
Org. Circle Secretary
MAKE THE NATIONWIDE TWO
DAYS STRIKE 12th FEB, 2014 & 13th FEB, 2014 GRAND
SUCCESS
NFPE ZINDABAD
AIPEU
ZINDABAD
CONFEDERATION ZINDABAD
