CONFEDERATION INTERVENES

CONFEDERATION HAS WRITTEN A LETTER ON BONUS CEILING DISCRIMINATION FOR GDS TO DOPT AND SECRETARY DOP ON OUR REQUEST

CONFEDERATION ALSO HAS WRITTEN TO DOPT AND EXPENDITURE SECRETARY AND ALSO TO SECRETARY DOP ON POSTMASTERS' CADRE CREATION

Dear Comrades - The Confederation Secretary General has written two letters to DOPT / Expenditure Secretary and also to the Secretary Department of Posts on GDS Bonus Ceiling issue as well as the issue of creation of Postmasters' Cadre. The letters are reproduced below for the information of our members. However our Divisional / Branch Unions are requested to move the CAT and obtain necessary stay orders against causing any recovery either from the GDS or from the Accountants / DDOs since the payment was caused only on the basis of the superceding orders of the Directorate dated 21.10.2008 in supersession of orders dated 15.10.2008. But for the superseding orders no payment would have been caused by the DDOs and therefore there is no fault on the HOs in making the payment. As we are getting reports from one or two circles that orders are being issued for effecting recovery from DDOs / Accountants in the background of stay orders obtained by the GDS in different courts. Therefore this precaution of moving the courts for getting the stay orders is suggested pending our attempt to resolve the issue at the level of the DOPT / MOF through the Confederation. The letters written by the Confederation are reproduced below for information:

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
New Delhi – 110027


No.F1-15(A)/09 Dated 5th June, 2009

To
1. Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan
New Delhi – 110001

2. Secretary
DOPT
North Block
New Delhi - 110001

Sub: Creation of Postmasters Cadre with revised Recruitment Rules – as a part of restructuring of Postal Cadres.

Sir,

Restructuring of Postal Cadres as recommended by the VI CPC is at present being considered by your Department. The National Federation of Postal Employees have requested you vide their letter No.PF-32/2009 dated 3.2.2009 that the proposal about the creation of a Postmasters' Cadre and the amended Recruitment Rules [RRs] may be supplied to them so that they are enabled to offer their comments and also discuss with you.

This has not been done. As a matter of fact the amended RRs for Postmasters' Cadre has been unilaterally forwarded to DOPT for their approval without any consultation with Staff Side.

I am, therefore, to urge upon you that before DOP&T considers the proposed RRs for the post of Postmasters' newly being created, these proposals are intimated to NFPE and discussed with them so that complete transparency is observed in restructuring of Postal Cadres.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Sd/=

[K.K.N.Kutty]
Secretary General


CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
New Delhi – 110027

No.F1-15(A)/09 Dated 5th June, 2009

To
1. Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan
New Delhi – 110001

2. Secretary
Department of Expenditure
North Block
New Delhi – 110001

3. Secretary
DOP&T
North Block
New Delhi – 110001

Sub: Grant of enhanced bonus ceiling or Rs.3500/- to Gramin Dak Sewaks of Postal Department.

Ref: Deptt. of Expenditure OM No.7(23)/EIII-A/2007 Dated 10.10.2008
Deptt.of Posts letter No.26-04/2008-PAP Dated 15.10.2008
Deptt. of Posts letter No.26-04/2008-PAP Dated 21.10.2008
Deptt. of Posts (Estt. DN) letter No.26-04/2008-PAP dated 9.2.2009.


Sir / Madam,

Consequent on amendment to Section 2(13) and Section 12 of Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 enhancing the calculation ceiling effective from 1.4.2006, the Government of India had decided that calculation of payment of PLB & Adhoc Bonus to all eligible Central Government Employees be revised to Rs.3500/- from earlier ceiling of Rs.2500/- with effect from 1.4.2006 i.e., from the year 2006-07 onwards (OM Dated 10.10.2008).

The Gramin Dak Sewaks of Postal Department were also getting the PLB at the calculation ceiling of Rs.2500/- up to financial year 2005-06, should have been granted the revised calculation ceiling of Rs.3500/- for years 2006-07 onwards. This was not done which caused indefinite fast by Postal Joint Council of Action.

The Department of Posts vide their above cited letter dated 15.10.2008 clarified that the revised calculation ceiling of PLB i.e., Rs.3500/- may be extended to the regular employees of the Department of Posts (only).

However, the Department of Posts (Estt. Division) have forwarded a copy of Department of Expenditure OM Dated 10.10.2008 for information and necessary action in supersession of their letter Dated 15.10.2008.

It is reported that six out of 22 circles of Postal Department granted revised calculation ceiling of PLB to Gramin Dak Sewaks treating them as done before. Many other Circles preferred clarifications. After waiting for some months, the Department of Posts issued a clarificatory orders dated 9.2.2009 to deny the benefit to Gramin Dak Sewaks.

The result is that 16 Circles of Postal Department have not granted calculation ceiling of PLB to Gramin Dak Sewaks and in six circles action is being taken to effect recovery of bonus paid for years 2006-07 onwards. This is being done on the plea that revised calculation ceiling is applicable to eligible Central Government Departmental Employees and Gramin Dak Sewaks are not Central Government Employees.

I am, therefore, to request that GDS employees who had been getting the calculation ceiling of Rs.2500/- up to financial year 2005-06 treating them as regular employees of Postal Department for the purpose of PLB may also be treated as regular employees of Postal Department and granted the revised calculation ceiling of Rs.3500/- for PLB for financial years 2006-07 onwards. When this benefit has been extended to contingent employees, it is necessary that GDS are not excluded from this benefit on the plea that they are not Central Government Employees.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Sd/-

[K.K.N.Kutty]
Secretary General

Encl:
Deptt. of Expenditure OM No.7(23)/EIII-A/2007 Dated 10.10.2008
Deptt.of Posts letter No.26-04/2008-PAP Dated 15.10.2008
Deptt. of Posts letter No.26-04/2008-PAP Dated 21.10.2008
Deptt. of Posts (Estt. DN) letter No.26-04/2008-PAP dated 9.2.2009.

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE