NFPE CIRCULAR AND STRIKE NOTICE

Dear Comrades - Greetings - The latest Circular of NFPE along with the Strike Notice to be served on the DG Posts on 4th to launch the One-Day Strike on 20th August along with the Charter of Demands are placed hereunder. The Strike Notice would be served by the NFPE on 4th August by holding a demonstration before the Directorate.

 

National Federation of Postal Employees

1^st Floor, North Avenue Post Office Building, North Avenue, New Delhi – 110001

 

 

 

Circular No.PF-1(e)/8/2008    Dated 30^th July 2008

 

Mobilise for the success of 20^th August Strike

 

The National Federation of Postal Employees as a constituent of the Confederation of Central Government Employees is participating in the one-day strike on 20.08.2008 called by the majority of Central Trade Unions and All India Federations and Unions of Central Government, State Government, Teachers Organisations, Public Sector organisations of Banks, Telecom, LIC and other associations and unions. The Strike Call has been endorsed by the Joint National Convention of Confederation of CG Employees, State Government Employees Federation and Teachers Organisations held on 8^th July 2008.

 

The Price rise is skyrocketing and the inflation rate is touching the ever highest mark of 12. Our getting compensated by dearness allowance cannot be a reason to ignore the price rise as the millions of suffering people might turn against the organised working class movement if we do not struggle in their defence. The Strike demands include rejection of pay commission's negative recommendations like abolition of Group D and outsourcing etc as well as against the disparity between the minimum and the maximum wage between the Group D and the Cabinet Secretary. The Charter also demands regularisation of Gramin Dak Sewaks and grant of pension to them.

 

The UPA Government has now mustered a majority of its own despite the withdrawal of support by the left parties. As soon as the UPA winning the trust vote in Parliament, the attack has started on the BSNL Telecom. There are strong indications that all the pending bills in Parliament on Pension Privatisation, banking and insurance liberalisation etc would be taken up with the support of non-left parties for adoption. This means the protective umbrella so far available for us for more than four years has been removed. Therefore there is no other option for us but to forge strong relation with all the working class organisations and struggle along with them to defend our existence. Any let up would result in our distinction.

 

NFPE therefore calls upon the entirety of the Postal Workers to participate in the one-day strike on 20^th August 2008. The Strike Notice would be submitted to the Department of Posts by the NFPE and all General Secretaries of affiliated unions / associations on 4^th August 2008 after holding a demonstration in front of the Postal Directorate. Our Circle Secretaries are requested to undertake organisational tours to Regional Headquarters as well as in the State Headquarters and hold strike preparatory mass meetings through the platform of Circle Co-ordinating Committees. Circle Office bearers of all Circle Unions may be requested to span out to address Mass Meetings of postal workers in all divisions and branches to make the strike 100% success. Joint movement along with the rest of the CG Employees may also be given due importance under the banner of C-O-Cs.

 

The Copy of Strike Notice to be submitted to the Director General Department of Posts and the Charter of Demands are enclosed.

 

Pay commission Issues

 

The Cabinet Secretary, DOPT Secretary and the Expenditure Secretary had met and discussed on 21.07.2008 and they had a meeting with the PMO on 28.07.2008. The Empowered Committee was expected to sit and finalise before it goes to the consideration of the Cabinet for approval and implementation. But we do not know as yet as to whether the basic modifications sought by the Staff Side are acceptable to the Government or not. It is also not clear as to whether the Official Side would call the Standing Committee members of the Staff Side for any interaction. The likelihood of the same is very remote. Shortly everything will come to light. The confederation has decided to convene the urgent meeting of the Extended National Executive immediately on coming to know of the developments from the Government and consider appropriate course of industrial action including Indefinite Strike.

 

As far as the sectional issues of the postal employees with regard to 6^th CPC  are concerned, it is most unfortunate that the Postal Directorate has not felt the urgency to convene the assured formal meeting. The TBOP category of PA/SA cadre in particular is deeply under dissatisfaction. Certain proposals exchanged with us by the former Secretary [P] in an informal way are yet to be given shape in a formal way for the consideration of the staff side. If the  Many other issues related to different cadres are also not clear even though the NFPE had submitted a detailed Note to the Department of Posts. NFPE has addressed a letter demanding the formal meeting early. We have discussed with FNPO Secretary General and a joint letter is being addressed to the Secretary [P] seeking the formal meeting immediately. We hope the Department would understand the concern of the postal employees and not ignore the issues forcing us to resort to avoidable agitations after the clinching of common issues at the National Council level. FNPO Secretary General also assured full cooperation for a joint action if there is any need for agitations on postal sectional issues.

 

GDS Committee gets extension

 

Natraja Murti Committee has sought and got three months extension of time upto 25^th October 2008. We are afraid that the extension might lead to a situation similar to the situation prevailed in 1996 wherein the delay caused by the Government in considering the Talwar Committee Report resulted in elections intervening and further long wait for its implementation. The request for extension of time was therefore opposed by NFPE and the GDS Union but the Government has granted the extension.  The reason attributed for further grant of time is that the GDS Committee is yet to receive the study report from an outside agency employed by it for analysing and submission of certain statistics. It is informally told that the GDS Committee cannot finalise before that but however we feel that there could have been a separate report on pay structure etc immediately on the basis of the pay commission's recommendations and another report on other aspects after the receipt of the outside agency report. Unfortunately the Department did not consider any necessity to consult the staff side before taking such crucial decisions. The CWC meeting of the GDS All India Union is meeting shortly in Dew Delhi and the leadership is in touch with the NFPE.

 

File Court Cases for Substitute wages

 

The Department of Posts violated the Main Finance Orders and eliminated the quantum of HRA/CCA from the calculation of per day wages for the substitutes working in leave vacancies of Postman / Group D after V CPC. NFPE took up the issue strongly with the Directorate but the official side was adamant. The ED Union of Chennai North and South Divisions filed case in CAT and won. The Department went to Madras High Court on appeal but the Honourable Court turned down the appeal and upheld that the order of the department rejecting the HRA/CCA quantum from determination of daily wages is wrong. The Directorate thereafter ordered payment of arrears from 1.1.1996 but funnily restricted it to only those GDS and substitutes who went to court! Moreover the payment is restricted to the members of the Chennai North and South divisional union at the time of filing of the case in CAT. The stand of the department is totally unethical and discriminatory. The NFPE raised the issue with the Member [P] several times but Directorate not ready to even implement the spirit of the Court directive.

 

NFPE therefore requests all concerned to file fresh cases in the respective CAT of their jurisdiction by citng the favourable judgment of Madras High Court and Chennai CAT and the discrimination shown by the Department between those who have gone to court and the others who have not gone to court so far. The copy of the above two favourable judgments would soon be made available to all in the NFPE website for downloading and giving to respective advocates. Those who go to court would be benefited by thousands of rupees as arrears from 1.1.1996.

 

 

Quota and Advertisements

 

The Divisional and branch Secretaries are requested to send the quota for NFPE immediately on receipt of subscription amount from the DDOs every month. The response from divisional secretaries for whom advertisement tariff have been sent is most disappointing. They are also kindly requested to collect at least one advertisement and sent to NFPE for publishing in Postal Crusader. SThe strength of an organisation lies in its financial strength also. Any federation struggling to meet its financial requirements cannot efficiently function. The numerically strong NFPE can be financially strong also provided the rank and file leadership extends a helping hand in this matter. We would like to remind our divisional and branch secretaries that many of them have not even responded to the earlier call of 10/- donation per member so far. All should understand hat we cannot carry on with such a weakness for ever and that to take on the resourceful department and the government, we are also to be resourceful.

Circulate to all

 

Dear Circle Secretaries! We request you to take all out efforts for the success of the strike. We also request you to circulate the copy of this circular to all the divisions and branches under their jurisdiction.

 

With Struggle Greetings

 

Yours Comradely,

 

 

 

 

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

 

COPY OF STRIKE NOTICE TO BE SERVED ON 4.8.2008

 

PF- 12(e)/2008  Dated 4^th August 2008 

 

 

To

 

The Director General 

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

New Delhi – 110001

 

NOTICE

 

Sir,

 

In accordance with the provisions of Sub Section (1) of Section 22 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, we hereby notify that all the Postal / RMS / MMS / Administrative / Postal Accounts Employees will go on strike for one day on 20.08.2008. The demands for acceptance on which the employees embark upon this one-day strike are detailed in the Charter of Demands enclosed.

 

 

 

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

 

[K.V.Sridharan]                                                                    

General Secretary                                                                   

  AIPEU Gr. 'C'                                                                 

 

 

[Ishwar Singh Dabas]

General Secretary

AIPEU Postmen & Gr. 'D'

 

[Giriraj Singh]                                                                                   

General Secretary                                                                     

AIRMS&MMS EU Gr. 'C'               

 

P.Suresh

General Secretary

AIRMS& MMS EU MGs & Gr. 'D'

 

[S.P.Mukherjee]                                                                        

General Secretary                                                                  

AIPAOEU Gr. 'C' & 'D'                                                                  

 

P.Rajanayagam

General Secretary

AIPAEA

 

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

 

 

1. Take urgent steps to contain price rise through (a) universalizing the public distribution system throughout the country to cater all essential commodities at controlled price through PDS; (b) ban on futures and forward trading in all essential commodities; (c) reduction of tax in petrol and diesel; (d) stringent action against hoarding and black marketing;

 

2. Lift ban on recruitment in Government Services; Remove the negative and discriminatory features in the recommendations of 6^th Pay Commission and finalise the same for implementation in consultation with the employees organisations; Expedite regularisation and grant of pension to Gramin Dak Sewaks;

 

3. Strict implementation of all labour laws particularly in respect of minimum wages, working hours, social security and safety and stringent action against all cases of violations; stop contractorisation and outsourcing;

 

4. Scope of the unorganised sector workers social security bill pending in Parliament should be expanded to cover all unorganised sector workers irrespective of BPL or APL category to ensure a national minimum social security benefit for them as per unanimous recommendation of the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) and Parliamentary Committee on Labour with Central Government funding;

 

5. Farmers Loan waiver scheme to be extended to loans from private money lenders; nationalized banks to extend easy credit to peasants at lower interest rates;

 

6. Expedite wage negotiation for the employees of Central PSUs including contract workers without any conditionalities. 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

Dear Comrades - The following is the News Flash on Pay Commission and GDS Committee.

1. PAY COMMISSION: A High level meeting of the Cabinet Secretary, DOPT Secretary and the Expenditure Secretary was held on last Monday on 21.07.2008. Now on coming Monday on 28.07.2008 they will interact with the PMO. The Meeting of the Empowered Secretaries Committee would meet only after the above interaction with the PMO. Whether the Empowered Committee would invite Staff Side or confine their meeting only amongst the Secretaries is not yet clear. Any how it appears that the process of finalization preparatory to implementation is on and we may expect fast development soon.

By the way our comrades are once again reminded of our position on the matter of implementation of pay commission. We are clear that if our basic modifications in the recommendations are not accepted by the Government, then we have no option but to sit in an emergency Extended National Executive Meeting of Confederation and take a decision for industrial action.

2. GDS Committee: The Government has granted three months additional time to Natraja Murti Committee irrespective of the stiff opposition from the GDS Union and the NFPE. The reason appears to be that the Agency to whom the GDS Committee had entrusted some statistical work has not yet finalised its work. The CWC Meeting of the GDS Union is scheduled to meet at New Delhi from 29th to 31st July 2008. The GDS GS is already in consultation with the NFPE also. After the CWC meeting an appropriate decision would be taken on the matter of this negative development. NFPE is clear that any agitation of the CG Employees shall include the issue of important GDS Demands in the Charter and simialrly any Postal Employees agitation on pay commission related issues shall include basic GDS demands also

PAY COMMISSION AFTER 22nd JULY ONLY

Dear Comrades - Lot of Enquiries are pouring in about the fate of implementation Pay Commission recommendations in the background of Trust Vote coming up in Parliament on 22nd July 2008. Once again Media Roumours and other rumours are ripe in the air about so many things about pay commission. The factual situation however is that the Empowered Secretaries Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary has not completed its task. One more sitting by the Committee is reportedly due before finalising the Note to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval. The above meeting was rumoured to meet on 19th but reliably learnt that no such meeting took place. Only after the Trust Vote in Parliament 0n 22nd July, the Secretaries Committee will meet and finalise its task. Therefore there is no room for any kind of rumours.

Similarly Comrades are asking as to what will happen if the Government loses in the Trust Vote? That is very difficult for us to predict at present. Let us wait and see the things as it progresses.

There is one thing we should be clear irrespective of what happens on 22nd - If the basic modificatios on Need Based Minimum Wage, Fitment formula, payment of SDI for all in North East, dropping of abolition of Group D posts etc etc sought by the Staff Side are not accepted by the Government, then we should be ready for major industrial action that may be decided in the Extended National Exeuvitive Meeting of the Confederation to meet immediately after the Government decision is made known. Thereafter as is the consensus in the Confederation, every departmental level issues connected with the pay commission have to be taken up for sectional struggle once the common issues are settled.

It is time for UNITY and STRUGGLE if justice denied.

IU PPP

NFPE OPPOSES MORE TIME TO NATRAJA MURTI GDS COMMITTEE

Dear Comrades - NFPE has written to the Secretary Department of Posts opposing grant of any extension of time to Natraja Murti Committee as we came to know about the request of the Chairman GDS Committee for 3 months more time - We oppose because granting more time may cause damage to the interests of three lakhs of GDS and the NFPE letter is self explanatory on these points - I am reproducing the letter below:

 

PF- 15/2008 Dated 16.07.2008

 

 

To

 

Ms.Radhika Doraiswamy

Secretary 

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

New Delhi – 110001

 

Sub: Recommendations of Nataraja Murti Committee for GDS – reg.

 

Madam,

 

This Federation is constrained to seek your personal attention to the reported request of Nataraja Murti Committee for extension of time for submission of its recommendations and to request you to kindly not to concede any  extension for the following reasons:

 

1. The 6^th Central Pay Commission has already submitted its recommendations to the Government on 23^rd March 2008 and already a period of more than three months had elapsed;

 

2. The normal period of Nataraja Murti Committee is upto the end of July 2008 and therefore a period of four months has been at the disposal of the GDS Committee since the presentation of the recommendations of 6^th CPC;

 

3. The changes of any are made in the recommendations of 6^th CPC by the Government can be appropriately incorporated in the recommendations of the GDS Committee by the Postal Directorate and therefore no need for the extension of time to the GDS Committee in this behalf;

 

4. The grant of extension if any  is likely to create a precarious situation due to the general elections round the corner and as happened in the case of 5^th CPC, which will unnecessarily bloc the implementation of the GDS Committee recommendations by the Government due to election code of conduct;

 

5. The recommendations of the 6^th CPC are likely to be accepted after the submission of the Empowered Secretaries Committee Report to the Government shortly and any situation wherein the GDS will be left back while the other employees are getting salary hike would cause huge amount of tension and discontentment amongst the work force'

 

6. This Federation is informed by its sources that the Postal Board on hearing the request of extension of time from Nataraja Murti Committee has sent the request to the consideration of Finance Minstry, which in our opinion is an unnecessary exercise as the matter is to be decided only by the Postal Board and not by the Finance Minsitry in this matter. Therefore even sending the request to the Finance Minsitry would amount to granting of more time to Nataraja Murti Committee;

 

 

7. This Federation therefore urges upon you to take a forthright stand of rejecting any request from Nataraja Murti Committee for any kind of extension of time and kindly ensure that GDS Committee recommendations are submitted within the due time to enable its consideration and implementation simultaneously with the implementation of 6^th CPC recommendations to prevent any escalation of deep resentment causing unavoidable recourse to industrial action by the postal employees and the Gramin Dak Sewaks in the larger interests of service and staff.

 

 

 

Thanking you

 

Yours faithfully

 

Sd/-

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

 

K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE

MEDIA AND PAY COMMISSION

MEDIA AND PAY COMMISSION

 

There is a lot of media speculations on pay commission report's implementation - In fact we think the Secretaries Committee has not handed over its final note to the Government since the DOPT Secretary himself has joined duty only day before yesterday after a leave of 10 days - It seems at any time the Committee would finalise its work and submit but It was earlier indicated by some circles that there may be a sitting with the staff side before submission of note by the Secretaries Committee to the Government - We actually do not know as to whether such a meeting will again take place or not - Before we go to our 8th July National Convention of Central State Government employees and teachers organisations we hope to ascertain some concrete information regarding the issue.

 

8th JULY NATIONAL CONVENTION

 

NFPE has been allotted 45 Delegates including ED. NFPE Secretariat decided that 10 Delegates will be for GDS and the remaining 35 Delegates with be from all Unions of NFPE. The Secretary General, General Secretaries and CHQ Office Bearers in Delhi Headquarters and the remaining for circle Secretaries or representatives from Circles. Any more members of NFPE coming to attend the above convention will also be managed to be allotted as delegates by us. Comrades are welcome to the national convention. The Convention will concentrate on the impact of liberalization on the employees of central and state government employees as well as the pay commission and its negative role both on fundamental issues and financialissues.    

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE