HIGHLIGHTS OF GDS MEMORANDUM BY NFPE

Dear Comrades - The Highlights of the Memorandum on GDS issues submitted by the NFPE to the Chairman 6th CPC is reproduced below:

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF GDS MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY THE NFPE TO 6^TH CPC

 

The Highlights of the NFPE Memorandum submitted to the 6^th Central Pay Commission on 6^th December 2007 are given below. Though the Department of Posts had unilaterally constituted Nataraja Murti Committee instead of referring the GDS issues to a Judicial Committee, the NFPE as guided by its Federal Executive has submitted the Memorandum covering all issues of more than 2.75 lakhs of Gramin Dak Sevaks with special emphasis on Departmentalisation of GDS as well on Social Security and other issues.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

I.                    SCRAP THE ED SYSTEM:

 

1.      The GDS or ED System is an anachronism in the present day situation and therefore this system should be scrapped;  

2.      GDS are to be declared as Civil Servants.

3.      Provisos 309 and 311 of the Constitution should be applied to GDS.

4.      'Rural Postal Employees' should replace the misnomer "Sevak" and they should be declared as a separate category.

5.      GDS Service should be regularized by extending various innovative schemes under human resource development, which have been championed by the Planning Commission.

 

 

II.                 DEPARTMENTALISE THE GDS:

 

1.      No more expansion of GDS System; All existing GDS should be departmentalized within a stipulated time frame. GDS Posts with 5 Hours workload shall be immediately departmentalized. The existing and future vacancies of GDS posts should be merged with nearby posts of GDS to departmentalize those posts.

2.      The Posts of ED SPM/BPM should be departmentalized based on supervision of other GDS and RPLI and Marketing activities for which no norms available at present. For other GDS Posts the workload shall be calculated as per DG Posts Order No.14-6/87-PAP dated 15.07.87.

3.      Work Standards for the work of RPLI, Election Commission work, Census, Rural Employment Guarantee Act Work, Telephone and Electricity etc should be fixed and the GDS posts then to be upgraded into departmental posts.

4.      ED Offices should be authorized to effect Pension Payment, Sale of Savings Certificate, Direct Money Order booking, other Savings Bank work etc that are necessary to serve the public immediately and based on work standard all these GDS posts shall be departmentalized.

5.      In Departmental Offices the work of sweepers, water carriers, gardening etc shall be merged with the GDS work and upgrade such posts as departmentalized posts. In future vacant posts of part time employees should not be filled up but should be merged with GDS for upgrading the GDS post into a departmentalized post.

6.      Instead of going for PSSK type of schemes to hand over postal work to Panchayat, many work carried out by the Panchayat can be merged with the work of the GDS to create more departmental posts on the basis of work standards.

7.      In place of Franchisee schemes, the GDS can be utilized for more work and those GDS posts can be departmentalized.

8.      The GDS can perform many works for the BSNL in villages, which will help departmentalize those GDS posts.

9.      All Such departmentalized posts created by all the above-mentioned suggestions should be filled up by the GDS on training based on their divisional seniority and not on merit. The departmentalized GDS will thereafter reside in the same village where the departmental office is situated. By payment of reasonable rent by the department the responsibility of housing such departmental post office may rest with the incumbent. Any GDS replaced because of this operation should be accommodated in any one of the vacancies.

 

III.               WAGES AND ALLOWANCES:

 

1.      On Departmentalisation, if it is a one-man office, then the departmentalized GDS should be given the pay scale of the Postman.

2.      Pending Departmentalisation, the wages of the GDS SPM/BPM should be compared with the Postal Assistant; GDS MD / Stamp Vendors with the Postman and other GDS posts with that of the Group D. The wage structure shall be improved as and when the wages are improved for the above comparative regular employees as recommended by Justice Talwar.

3.      The present system of TRCA should be removed and the system of Scale of Pay should be introduced for the GDS. These scales should be strictly proportionate with the PA, PM and Group D scales of pay.

4.      The Date of Effect of new pay scales should be from 1.1.2006.

5.      The payment of Dearness Allowance shall be strictly on par with the regular employees. The denial of merger of 50% DA has resulted in loss of full neutralization to the GDS w.e.f. 1.4.2004 and a monthly loss of around 200/-, which is being incurred by the GDS, should be compensated by merging the 50% DA w.e.f the same date of 1.4.2004.

6.      HRA and CCA shall be paid to the GDS as in the case of regular.

7.      All Allowances like OTA, TA/DA, Split Duty, Education, Boat and Special Duty should be extended to GDS also and Fixed Medical Allowance and in-patient facility should be introduced.

 

 

IV.              LEAVE:

 

1.      As recommended by Justice Talwar, EL 1 Day per every Month; Half Pay Leave 8 Days per year; Commuted Leave on Medical Certificate @ half of the HPL; Leave without Pay 60 Days per year; CL 5 Days per year; Maternity Leave for Women GDS on par with other Government employees; and Special Disability Leave on par with regular should be granted.

2.      The retrograde clause of removal from service on remaining in leave of absence for more than 180 Days should be cancelled.

 

V.                 SOCIAL SECURITY:

 

1.      Pension, DCRG, Family Pension, Commutation of Pension facilities as recommended by Justice Talwar shall be granted to GDS instead of Severance Amount and Ex-gratia Gratuity.

2.      Group Insurance should be enhanced to rupees two lakhs.

3.      The period of GDS / ED service should be counted for pension and gratuity.

 

 

VI.              PROMOTION:

 

1.Three Promotions to all GDS on completion of 10^th, 20^th and 25^th year of

   their service shall be granted.

 

 

VII.            CONDUCT AND SERVICE RULES:

 

1.      No separate Conduct Rules for GDS is required since they function under

      Constitutional Provisos 309, 310 and 311.

2.      Non-statutory GDS Conduct & Employment Rules 2001 shall be scrapped.

3.      As per the Judgments of the Honourable Supreme Court and the CAT of Ernakulam, the GDS also should be covered by the CCS [Conduct] Rules, 1964 like other Government employees.

4.      Subject to the above changes, the ex-gratia payment during Put Off Duty shall be changed as 'Put Off Duty Allowance' and at least 50% of emoluments should be paid for the first 90 days and thereafter the enhancement or decrease as per the FR 53 should be accepted.

5.      The retrograde provision in the GDS Conduct Rules for withholding the appeal is to be scrapped.

6.      Under any circumstances the GDS Conduct Rules shall be made statutory since the GDS are civil servants within the purview of Article 309.

7.      The penalties should be classified into minor and major by bringing necessary changes in the type of punishments to avoid awarding of major penalty for minor lapses.

8.      The present prohibition imposed against transfer to the vacant posts under Rule 2, Note II of GDS Rules should be removed and transfer entitlement as pronounced by the Judgment of Ernakulam CAT should be implemented.

 

VIII.         MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS:

 

1.      Measurement of work by Cycle Beat Formula should be scraped.

2.      Idle Wait should be included in the time factor and or some financial compensation in the shape of OTA shall be paid to EDMCs for the idle wait.

3.      Appropriate payment of financial compensation or fixing of work standards shall compensate all kinds of excess work performed by the GDS duly. The emoluments of GDS should also enhance immediately as and when their workload increased without waiting for triennial review.

4.      All out-door GDS officials shall be supplied with uniforms.

5.      No GDS posts should be in urban areas and all such posts should be converted into postmen posts.        

6.      Strict implementation of the Department orders for non-engagement of ED Mailmen in large railway platforms and regularizing the services of such ED Mailmen as Group D immediately. All posts of GDS Mailmen should be regularized as Group D by clubbing of duties to avoid employing them in large platforms.

7.      FSC to be enhanced on par with regular employees.

8.      LTC facility on par with other employees should be extended.

9.      Lunch Break / Rest for GDS should also be granted during their duty time of five hours.

10.  The period of GDS service should be included for calculation of all benefits likes pension, promotion, grant of HBA etc.

11.  Examination syllabus for postmen examination should be liberalized.

12.  All residual vacancies remain unfilled after the LGO examinations shall be filled up through a test for GDS possessing plus two qualifications without any age restriction instead of diverting those vacancies to open market.

13.  Festival Advance, Fan Advance etc are to be granted.

14.  Rent for housing BOs should be granted on market rates.

15.  Whenever the duties of a BPM is combined with that of a EDDA or MC he should be paid the same pay as would be the entitlement of an ED DA/ EDMC.

16.  All arbitrary and unjust conditions for employment of GDS should be scrapped.

17.  Work norms for all types of work done by GDS should be implemented.

18.  Incentive for observing small family norms and for performing in sports in national and international events by way of special increments etc should be introduced on par with regular employees and provision of practice time of one hour before the duty time should be allowed.

19.  TA/DA for cash conveyance to account offices and for attending departmental enquiries, as witness etc should be granted.

20.  The date of superannuation of GDS should be the last working day of the month of retirement.

21.  GDS should be permitted to form co-operative societies for them and recovery of dues towards co-operative societies from the pay of the GDS should be allowed.

22.  BO Rule Book should be supplied once in two years as per the Rules and aptitude tests on service matters to be introduced to distribute cash awards to meritorious GDS every year to motivate them in postal activities.

23.  Examination fee collected for appearing in Postmen Exam should be cancelled.

24.  The work load of BOs to be increased by adding more work and responsibility to BOs and imparting of training on the functioning of BOs itself periodically to GDS and the computer hardware and software training on departmental work be imparted on par with regular postal employees be introduced to facilitate transfer of more responsibilities.

 

IX.              TRADE UNION RIGHTS:

 

1.      All Trade Union facilities to the recognized unions of GDS with the right to affiliate with Federations.

2.      Grant of special casual leave for attending conferences and meetings.

3.      Recovery of subscriptions from pay and ensuring the remittance to the union as per the assurance of check off system.

4.      Facility to depute on Foreign Service terms on par with regular employees unions.

5.      Allocation of JCM seats.

 

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

SOLIDARITY TO POSTAL GROUP C UNIONS

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS

 

To

All General / Circle Secretaries

NFPE and FNPO Unions.

 

Dear Comrades / Colleagues,

 

EXTEND TOTAL SOLIDARITY TO POSTAL GROUP C STRUGGLE

 

The CHQs of All India Postal Employees Union Group C and the National Union of Postal Employees Group C have jointly issued a call for nationwide protest demonstrations and Savingram to the Honourable Minsiter of Communications & ITand to the Secretary [P] on 18.01.2008 and Dharna on 5.2.2008 to press the 20 Point Charer of Demands reflecting the sectional issues and certain urgent issues of Postal Group C employees. The joint circulars issued by the P3 CHQs of NFPE and FNPO are reproduced below for ready information.

 

The NFPE and FNPO jointly call upon all the affiliates of both Federations to extend total solidarity to the above programme of action by participating in full strength to make the struggle a resounding success.

 

Comradely Yours

 

K.Ragavendran & D.Theagarajan

Secretary General of NFPE and FNPO

 

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION - GROUP 'C'

 

NATIONAL UNION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES - GROUP 'C'

 

CENTRAL HEAD QUARTERS, NEW DELHI

 

Ref: P3/JCA/01/2008  Dated- 09.01.2008

 

 

PROGRAMME OF ACTION

 

18.01.08. Demonsration

 05.02.08    Dharna

 

Dear Comrades/Colleagues

 

The postal Group C employees are mounted under severe attacks one after another ignoring the sufferings we are having in Post Offices due to under staffing over six years. Adding salt to injury various new business activities without any norms, ethics or incentives are being launched. Our genuine demands are not properly taken care of.

 

The problems confronting us are multifying. On such vital issues like LSG, HSG II, HSG I promotions, the Circle Heads are lethargic and the department is unable to pull them to implement its own orders. There are more than ten thousand PA posts remains unfilled in many circles even after issue of orders simply by raising unwarranted clarifications. Even they are not attended by the Department and persuing them in a casual manner.

 

The Department on its own and without any talks or discussions is issuing various retrograde orders in the past like Declining LSG Promotion causes postponement of BCR, preventing second posting in same single handed Post offices, discrimination between regular and FTP LSG, sarcastic orders on the System Administrators etc. Our sincere, persistent endeavours to settle the issue have proved to be in fructuous.

 

We have been pushed to the wall to resist such onslaughts purported against the Group C employees. We have no other alternate except to launch series of agitational programmes against the wrong decisions, orders and lethargy in mitigating the agreed demands.

 

Therefore, we have decided to launch immediate following programmes with full determination for the Group C comrades who have been continuously exploited since 1999.

 

18.01.08 - Demonstration in front of all HOS/Divl offices/R.O/ Circle offices & sending Savigrams/Fax/ Postcard compaign.

 

05.02.08 - Dharna in front of D.O/R.O/C.O

 

(Further Programme will be decided later)

 

Text Of The Savingram/ Fax/ Postcard Compaign

 

"Withdraw all unilateral and arbitary orders mentioned in the 20 point charter of demands immediately AAA. Settle all agreed demands placed in April 2007 strike AAA Ensure peace and amity and avoid further confrontation AAA."

 

Addressed to:-

 

1.       Thiru A. Raja, Hon'ble Minister of communications & I.T. New Delhi - 110003.

2.       Sri I,.M.G. Khan, Secretary, Department of Posts, New Delhi - 110001

3.       Respective CHQ & Circle Unions.

 

The programme of action has been drawn based on the consultation of Federations which will endorse our call and further course of programme beginning with 'Non cooperation & Work to rule to indefinite strike will be decided with the consultations of Federations and other Unions.

 

It is therefore requested to that an impressive and effective Demonstration/ Dharna must be staged in front of the HO/D.O/R.O/C.O on 18.01.08 & 05.02.08 respectively and ensure maximum mobilisation. The task of campaigning, conducting the programme effectively and making it a success is the responsibility of the Circle/Divisional/Branch Secretaries and activists at the grass root level.

 

Let us prepare for the programme with seriousness and sincerity and stead fast efforts to ensure the programme a grand success to wrest the demands.

 

With struggle greetings,

 

 

 

 

 

(D. Kishan Rao)                                         (K V Sridharan)

General Secretary                                       General Secretary

NUPE GROUP 'C'                                          AIPEU Group 'C'         

1 comments

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

 

1.       Filling up of LSG, HSG II & HSG I Posts

 

(i)                   Recast the notional promotions since 1982/1983 onwards and fill up all vacant posts of LSG\, HSG II & HSG I.

 

(ii)                 Fill up 2/3^rd unfilled LSG vacancies notionally from 7.2.02 to 18.5.06.

 

(iii)                Relax minimum qualifying service for HSG II promotion.

 

(iv)               Irregular application of bench mark of current period for notional promotions.

 

(v)                 Date of LSG Promotion be calculated from the date of issue of orders and not form the date of joining.

 

(vi)               Grant of Modification of LSG as one time measure for those aggrieved due to dearth of LSG vacancies/ Rule 38 transfers.

 

(vii)              Drawal of pay to senior BCR officials in HSG I posts as the pay scales of HSG II & BCR is one and the same & settlement of earlier officiating cases of Tamilnadu, West Bengal & other Circles as one time measure.

 

(viii)            Anomaly in the preparation of PA Gradation list. Date of confirmation should not be taken now and Date of appointment be taken for construing seniority. Fixing seniority based on the date of confirmation is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

 

2         Withdraw the draconian orders contained in Directorate letter No. 22-5/95-PE I dt 21.5.07 denying BCR benefits to those declining LSG Promotion. Several officials were arbitrarily, unjustified denied the due BCR promotion.

 

3         Filling up the APM Accounts LSG, HSG II posts as per 1976 LSG Accountant recruitment Rules.

 

4         Filling up Residual vacancies since 1999-2000 onwards without any further delay.

 

5         Immediate withdrawal of orders discriminating regular and FTP LSG and posting them in Delivery offices in the middle of the tenure.

 

6         Withdraw the Directorate letter dt. 22.10.07 on Systems Administrators and form uniform & correct norms & guidelines first before passing sarcastic comments.

 

7         Withdraw the orders fixing responsibility on D.D.Os/APM Accounts for the over payment of Pay & Allowances to Postman on account of Fixation under R.P. Rules.

 

8         Counting of special Allowance for pay fixation case of PO & RMS
Accountants.

 

9         Counting of Past services of erstwhile R.T.P for promotion & pension as per the Supreme Court direction.

 

10     Withdraw the condition in tenure posting of Single & Double handed offices & restriction in posting of SPM due to minor penalties/ CR entries which are in violation of provisions of statutory rules of volume IV.

 

11     Allowing all TBOP officials to appear for Group B exam to be held in Feb'08. as per original orders & various judicial pronouncements. The cut off date should be extended for the current exam as 01.01.2008. The exam should be conducted after completing the process of notional promotions to LSG in all circles.

 

12     Counting of Training period for increment and promotion to the departmental candidates also.

 

13     Revision of FSC to Post offices & Enhancement of honorarium for RD PMC work in Sub Offices, Department Exam invigilation work etc.

 

14     Implement the assurance made on 19.4.07 in fixing incentive to RPLI, IMT Pass port applications, NRGEIS, other business activities etc., Grant of OTA to operative staff to manage the shortage, Engagement of SDPA to manage the Shortage, Dispensation of Confirmation Exam etc.

 

15     Creation of Systems Manager/Administrators Posts & Marketing Executives. Grant of SPL pay and grant of Road mileage Allowance without restrictions. Trainers Allowance for imparting training Norms be fixed for Systems Administrators uniformly to all Circles; providing mobile phones, Fixing duties & responsibilities.

 

16     Allotment of adequate funds to clear all pending personal claims like OTA, TA medical etc. pending since 2002-03.

 

17     Spot payment of incentive to SPM/BPM for procuring RPLI business. Grant of incentive for schedule work in accounts branch.

 

18     Drawal of SB Allowances to all working in SB branches on computers.

 

19     Refund of Fee for appearing AMFI (Association of Mutual Fund industry) Exam to all candidates.

 

20     Revision of Bonus Formula & removal of 60 days cap.

 

 

(D. Kishan Rao)                                                                 (K V Sridharan)

General Secretary                                                                General Secretary         

NUPE Group 'C'                                                                   AIPEU Group 'C'         

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

DRAFT MEMORANDUM TO PRIME MINISTER

Dear Comrades, The Memorandum to be submitted to the Honurable Prime Minister of India on  behalf of CG Employees on 11.01.2008 through the Governors and Collectors is exhibited below. Kindly copy the same and submit after holding a rally. The same copy may be submitted to the Members of Parliament of each constituency also during 7th to 11th January 2008.

 

CONFEDERATION OF CGES & WORKERS:

New  Delhi.

Dated: 3.1.2008

Dear Comrade,

            Sent herewith is the draft memorandum for presentation to the Governor on 11 ^th inst for submission to the Prime Minister when you take out a rally or procession in the respective state capitals.

            With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

KKN Kutty,

Secretary General.

 

Memorandum to Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Hon'ble Prime Minister,

Govt. of India,

New Delhi.

Sir,

            On behalf of the Co-ordination Committee of the Central Govt. employees, ______, State, we submit the following memorandum for your kind and favourable consideration.

 

1.                    As per the terms of reference, the 6^th Central Pay Commission was to submit a report to the Govt. on the question of grant of Interim relief. The said requisition was made on the commission as per the agreement the staff side JCM, National Council had with the then Finance Secretary, Govt. of India.   Neither the Commission submitted any report on this issue to the Govt. nor did the Govt. take the decision to grant Interim Relief, even though the CGEs were entitled for wage revision with effect from 1.01.2006.

 

2.                    For no valid reason, the Govt. decided to scrap the existing pension scheme, creating an invidious discrimination between the employees recruited prior and after 1.1.2004.  The Central Govt.employees are extremely concerned over this unjustified action on the part of the Govt. and request you to kindly initiate action to withdraw the new contributory pension scheme.

 

3.                    The Government's decision to extend the blanket ban on recruitment, introduced in 2001 for another three years has in fact come as a bolt from the blue.   The reduction in the number of posts due to the arbitrary decision has been of the order of 8 lakhs during the period between 1.1.2001 to 1.1.2006.  Not only the said decision has shut down the job opportunities for the young and educated youth in the country, it has also phenomenally increased the workload of the existing employees.   We request you to kindly order annulment of the concerned executive fiat.

 

4.                    The appointment on compassionate ground in Govt. service meant for the family members who become distressed due to the sudden and untimely demise of the Govt. servants in harness was virtually stopped by the Department of Personnel by introducing an unviable and unworkable ceiling limit of 5% of the vacancies.   While the scheme is allowed to be operated unhindered and without ceiling in Railways, which employees more than 50% of the workforce in Central services, we are unable to comprehend the logic and rationale of the inexplicable discrimination.   In the meeting the Staff Side had with the Cabinet Secretary in the wake of our decision to go on indefinite strike action, we were assured of ending this unjust discrimination.   But no order to honour this commitment was issued by the Govt. so far.  We request you to kindly intervene in the matter in favour of the unfortunate members of the family of the deceased Govt. servant.

 

5.                    Despite revising the ceiling limit from Rs.2500 to Rs.3500 for the computation of Bonus entitlement for workers,[which was kept stagnant for the past one and half decades] by the Cabinet and making it applicable for the financial year 2006-07, the Govt. for reasons unknown kept the CG employees beyond the purview of the said decision.   No substantive reason was adduced by the Finance Ministry officials, when the Staff side raised this issue in the last meeting of the Standing Committee of the JCM.   We were assured by the Secretary(Personnel) that the discontent of the employees in this regard would be conveyed to the Govt.  We shall be obliged if your goodself direct the concerned in the Finance Ministry to issue necessary orders revising the Bonus entitlement of CGEs in consonance with the Cabinet decision.

 

6.                    Due to the abolition of posts and other downsizing exercises carried out by the Govt. as pointed out earlier, the number of employees has been drastically reduced, whereas work assigned was increased manifold. To combat the situation, the administration has been resorting to recruitment of daily rated/casual workers. They presently constitute about 25% of the workforce.   They are not even given subsistence wages and are being exploited.  The staff side raised the issue of regularization of these employees, which is being dilly dallied.   We seek your intervention for their regularization.

 

7.                    We were assured of an immediate and favourable consideration of the sixteen awards of the Board of Arbitration  in the formal meeting of the Standing Committee held in the wake of the proposed strike action in February, 2007.   Though several rounds of discussions were held, no finality has been reached on any issue.  This is despite the fact that the staff side agreed to make several amendments to reduce the financial burden of the Govt.   We regret to bring to your kind notice that the matter is being delayed by the Finance Ministry.  We seek your intervention in settling the issue.

 

8.                    In a recent development, the health Ministry has drastically reduced the rates of various pathological tests, surgery etc in respect of treatment in private hospitals  recognized by the CGHS.  Most of the hospitals recognized by the Govt. have now refused to impart treatment to CGEs and pensioners on the plea that the rates are too low and even would not meet the cost.   The said decision of the health Ministry was not based on any sound logic and requires to be reversed.  The health Ministry may be asked to bring back the old rates immediately.

 

Thanking you,

 

Yours faithfully,

…………………

Secretary, COC…….State Committee

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

A Very Happy New Year

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU COMRADES

 

NFPE HEADQUARTERS

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE