NFPE LATEST CIRCULAR

 

NFPE & ALL CHQs Joint Circular

 

Dear Comrades! The latest Circular issued by the NFPE and all its Affiliates dated 6.4.2008 [actually updated and despatched on 11.04.2008] is reproduced below.

 

PF-01(e)/3/2008  Dated 6.4.2008

 

 

TO

 

All General / Circle Secretaries

NFPE Unions.

 

Dear Comrades,

           

This is to keep all comrades updated with the latest developments taken place on the Pay Commission front and organisational matters. Our Circle Secretaries are once again requested to circulate the same to all divisional / branch secretaries of their respective circles.

Pay Commission related issues

 

1.   The Confederation leaders were in contact with the leaders of JCM National Council Organisations and discussions were being held to evolve a consensus on issues to be taken up with the Government for modification by the Staff Side as such. There were informal meetings of Confederation leaders to decide which are all the common issues to be taken up with the Government through Staff Side JCM, in which the Secretary General NFPE and General Secretaries P3, P4, R3, Admn and Postal Accounts also participated. It was decided to request the Staff Side leadership to take up with the Government for bilateral negotiations to modify many adverse recommendations. The final note submitted to the government by the Staff Side Secretary of JCM National Council is enclosed.

 

2.  The Government has constituted an Empowered Committee consisting of Secretaries of various departments to study the recommendations.       

 

3. The Secretary [P] has constituted a Committee for pay commission related issues of postal. On invitation from DDG [Estt], the Staff side attended an informal meeting on 4.4.2008. Various issues were discussed. The Federations have to submit a Note and there will be more interactions. A final Report would be sent to the Finance Ministry after consultations with the staff side. Further on the suggestion of Member [P], the Secretary General and the General Secretaries of P3 and GDS met Shri. Balasubramanian the Director of Postal Services and Special Officer on deputation to study the recommendations of Pay Commission and discussed the issues of TBOP/LSG; System Administrators/Marketing Executives; PO & RMS Accountants; Charge Hand in MMS; Supervisory Allowance; and Promotional avenues of GDS for effecting appropriate modifications in the recommendations of pay commission.

 

Comrades are requested to analyse the following suggestions and give their feed back to the NFPE and their respective CHQs:

 

1.   NFPE submitted memorandum to Pay Commission demanding upgradation of pay scale of Group 'D' along with enhancing qualification to Matric. This has been accepted and entire Group 'D' is upgraded to Group 'C'.  Now the Pay Commission has clarified that the upgraded pay will be given to all non-matriculate Group D also with effect from 1.1.2006 including arrears on completion of training within 6 months.  The minimum wages suggested by the pay commission is being however disputed by the Staff Side JCM National Council and that therefore the minimum wages may become a matter for bilateral negotiations with the Government. However abolition of Group D posts would cause serious repercussions in the Department of Posts as the work would be outsourced and no recruitment would take place that would adversely affect the GDS.

 

2. There is the question of promotional avenue to GDS against these upgraded posts.  The Department has to continue the present promotional avenue of GDS on seniority basis to become the Group C in the upgraded Scale of PB-1 in addition to their promotion as Postman / Mailguard as at present.

 

3. The Pay Commission has not conceded the upgradation of pay scale of TBOP / LSG. This is unjustified. In Telecom the TBOP pay scale was upgraded to 5000-8000 w.e.f. 1.1.1996. Therefore the parity that had existed long ago had been disturbed very badly. We should therefore to demand the upgradation of pay scale of TBOP /LSG and BCR / HSG-II to pre-revised 5000-8000 and 5500-9000 so that the TBOP / LSG also goes to PB-2. More over we can site the difference with ACP under which the option to avail next upgradation with FR 22(c) benefits or FR 23 is available and in case of their due promotions they are granted the pay scale next above the ACP. This is not available to us under TBOP / BCR Scheme and therefore the scales should be at least in the pre-revised 5000-8000 and 5500-9000.

 

4.   The Pay commission has not given any recognition to the supervisory staff. We have to demand supervisory allowance for norm-based supervisors to distinguish them from non-functional staff?

 

      5.   In the absence of any recommendation for System Administrators / Marketing Executives, we suggest for three advance increments or 10% of Pay as an interim measure and formation of a separate establishment for these categories. We also want to demand formation of a separate technology wing as like civil wing. Please suggest.

 

      6.   The higher pay to PO & RMS Accountants has been denied. What can be our demand at present?

 

7.  The Charge hand is placed in the same scale along with Artisan Grade I. We may demand elevation to PB-2 for Charge hand at the level of 5000-8000 or 5500-9000.

 

      8.    Any other suggestions on any other issue - please communicate.

 

FEDERAL EXECUTIVE

 

The NFPE Federal Executive will be held in New Delhi on 28th and 29th April 2008. There shall be a joint session of national executives of all affiliates of Confederation on 28th April 2008. These meetings are very important, as by that time the efforts to unify the entirety of CG Employees on the issues to be taken up for negotiation and future course of action would have reached more clarity. As far as the postal issues related to pay commission are concerned, we will discuss in our Federal Executive and the CWC meetings of some NFPE affiliates.

 

ORAL EVIDENCE FOR GDS

 

NFPE Secretary General and all General Secretaries of affiliated unions including the General Secretary, CHQ President and Office Bearers of GDS CHQ tendered oral evidence before the GDS Committee headed by Shri. Nataraja Murti. All issues contained in our memorandum were placed before the Committee for its consideration. The following issues were prominently placed for the consideration of the GDS Committee:

 

a.      The Departmentalisation of GDS and the method for Departmentalisation;

b.      Nomenclature as Gramin Dak Karmachari or Rural Postal Employees;

c.      Replacement of TRCA by elongated running scale with protection of seniority;

d.      Ensuring two career progression in GDS Service;

e.      Counting of 50% GDS service as qualifying service on regularization;

f.        Protection of promotion to Group D on seniority basis even if the Group D posts are upgraded to Group C as per VI CPC recommendations;

g.      Grant of Social Security including Pension,

h.      Gratuity as per Gratuity Act 1972;

i.         Enhancement of Group Insurance quantum to 1,50,000/-;

j.         Introduction of a system for Medical treatment;

k.       Changing the entire GDS Conduct and Recruitment Rules to end the discrimination in conduct and disciplinary matters between the GDS and the regular employees in line with the Supreme Court Judgment as well as making these rules statutory one;

l.         Facility for transfer to a vacant post;

m.    Free Insurance covering accident, natural calamity etc;

n.      Rationalization of leave with the facility to carry forward unutilized leave; Grant of 180 Days of Maternity leave for women GDS and special disability leave;

o.      Protection of wages by application of foot beat formula;

p.      Grant of Advances like Fan, Festival, Moped, HBA etc; Facilitating formation of cooperative societies for GDS;

q.      GDS Mailmen in RMS larger platformed railway stations to be regularised as Group D;

r.        Supply of uniforms to RMS GDS and outdoor GDS;

s.      Work standards for GDS in RMS or straightaway departmentalizing RMS GDS as Group D since they work for 5 hours and more;

t.        Ending the discrimination between the RMS and Postal GDS to ensure RMS GDS also can become Mailguard through seniority basis in ½ vacancies like Postal GDS becoming Postman – etc.

 

VERIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP

 

There shall be an all out effort to increase our membership in all unions / associations. We are confident that Circle Unions leaders would be taking all necessary steps in this matter. NFPE requests our entire Circle / Divisional / Branch Secretaries to take special efforts to enroll membership of SBCO and Civil Wing as these are the two newly formed associations that require our help and assistance.  All regular employees unions should render full help for GDS union also. Do not forget that the letter of authorization form is different for GDS.  It is time to forget internal differences if any and work shoulder to shoulder with all NFPE unions and associations.

 

Postal Crusader Special Issue

 

As already focused in the NFPE Circular dated 29.03.2008 a special issue of Postal Crusader will be released. However due to less time at our disposal instead of May the special issue will be brought out for the month of June 2008 in memory of 5th Anniversary of the demise of our great leader and former Secretary General Comrade Adinarayana. Tariff for securing advertisement would be dispatched to all Circle / Divisional / Branch Secretaries shortly. 'One Branch One Advertisement' at least will make the Federation very strong financially. Circle Secretaries and our leaders running the societies can play a major role to ensure advertisements from all our cooperative societies and banks.

 

OPENING OF NEGOTIATING FORUMS

 

NFPE delegation met the Secretary [P] on 1st April and thanked him for recognizing the Federation and requested him for early opening of all negotiating forums of JCM as well as the Periodical Meetings. He assured early action. As soon as the JCM Departmental Council is reconstituted, the Federation will nominate new members to R-JCM in all Circles with the incumbent Circle Secretaries.

 

Comradely yours

 

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

K.V.Sridharan

General Secretary – P III

 

Ishwar Singh Dabas

General Secretary – P IV

 

Giriraj  Singh                                                            

General Secretary – R III

 

 P.Suresh

 General Secretary – R IV

 

S.P.Mukherjee                                                               

General Secretary –Admn

 

P.Rajanayagam

General Secretary Postal A/Cs

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE