National Federation of Postal Employees

Reply received from the Department of Post on One Day Strike notice  and 10 points  charter of demands on 23.08.2017 (23^rd August-2017) is not satisfactory. (Letter is placed below):

WE WILL NOT WITHDRAW OR DEFER OUR STRIKE

MERELY ON ASSURANCES

WE WANT RESULT.

OUR STRIKE DECISION STANDS

            All General Secretaries / Circle / Divisional and Branch Secretaries are requested to make extensive preparations to Make One Day Strike on 23^rd August-2017 a grand success

REPLY FROM DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

No. 08-12/2017-SR

Government of India

Ministry of Communications

Department of Posts

(SR Section)

Dak Bhawan, New Delhi

                                   Dated:  01^st August, 2017

To,

The Secretary General,

National Federation of Postal Employees,

1^st Floor, North Avenue P.O. Building,

New Delhi – 110001.

Subject:        Trade Union action including one day strike on 23.08.2017 call given by National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) in support of their demands.

Sir,

            I am directed to refer to your letter No. PF-12-C/2017 dated Nil on the above mentioned subject. The charter of demands has been examined by the concerned Divisions and replies to each item of demands showing the present status are enclosed herewith.

2.         As many of your demands have been settled and few are under active consideration of the Department, it is requested that the proposed agitation including the one day strike called by you on 23.08.2017 may be called off.

Yours faithfully,

Encl: As Above

       -sd/-           

                                                                                                                     (P. S. Verma)

Director (SR & Legal)

Charter of demands submitted by NFPE vide letter dated 05.06.2017:

Sl.No.	Demands              /         Reply
1.	Filling up of all vacant posts in all cadres of Department of Posts i.e. PA, SA, Postmen, Mailguard, Mailmen, MTS, PACO, PASBCO, Postal Accounts and GDS. REPLY           GDS: Process of online engagement of GDS has already been started to fill up vacant post of GDS in 17 Circles. Due to technical snags in the online engagement software, process in remaining Circles will be started only after process in 17 Circles will finalize.           PA/SA: Result of PA/SA for the year 2015 is kept in abeyance as the matter is subjudice. Vacancies of PA/SA for the year 2016 have already been intimated to SSC.          LGO exam for promotion to the cadre of PA/SA for deputation to APS has been conducted on 04.06.2017.             LGOs exam for promotion to Assistants in MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO has been held on 16.07.2017.             In r/o other exams, viz. IP Exam 2016-17, PM Grade I and PS Group B 2017-18, LGOs to PAs/SAs 2016-17 and 2017-18, engagement of new approved Agency is in the pipeline. MoU between Department and Agency is to be signed.             For the Postman/Mail Guard and MTS cadre exams, instructions have been issued to all the Circles to fill up the vacancies by giving top priority.             Calendar of departmental Examinations scheduled to be held in the year 2017-18 has already been issued to all the Circles by giving tentative schedule for filling up the vacancies of decentralized examination i.e. PO & RMS Accountant Examination, LDCs to Junior Accountants in PAOs (Exam has been conducted by respective Circles), LGOs examination for promotion to Assistants of other wings i.e. MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO and other exams
2.	Implementation of positive recommendations of GDS Committee Report. Grant of civil servant status to GDS. REPLY         The recommendations of the Kamlesh Chandra Committee have been considered by the Department of Posts and mandatory approvals are being obtained in this regard.        As far as grant of civil servant status to GDS is concerned, it is stated that according to Rule 3-A (v) of GDS Conduct Rules 2011, a Sevak shall be outside the Civil Service of the Union. Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Superintendent of Post Offices vs PK Rajamma (1977) (3) SCC held that the Extra Departmental Agents {now called Gramin Dak Sevaks} are holders of the civil post outside the regular civil services. Moreover, they are part time employees being engaged for maximum of 5 hrs a day. In the light of above legal position demand of the Federation cannot be acceded to.
3.	Membership verification of GDS and declaration of result of regular employees’ membership verification. REPLY       GDS Verification: The instructions have already been issued to all Circles to conduct the re-verification of membership of GDS employees vide this office letter No. 13-01/2016-SR dated 20.06.2017. Declaration of result of regular employees’ membership verification: The concerned file is being processed and the result is likely to be declared shortly
4.	Stop all types of harassment and victimization in the name of new schemes and technology induction and under contributory negligence factor and Trade Union victimization. REPLY           FS Division has informed that no new schemes are launched by that Division on behalf of DoP. The DoP is operating Small Savings Schemes on behalf of MoF.          PLI Directorate has informed that they have completed roll out of Core Insurance Solution (CIS) as on 25.01.2016 to 808 HOs and 24598 Sub Post Offices as per the information provided by Circles. Roll out of RICT has not been initiated so far. They have also informed that at no point of time any case of harassment & victimization of staff has come to their notice
5.	Payment of revised wages and arrears to the casual, part-time, contingent employees and daily rated mazdoors as per 6th & 7th CPC . REPLY           The order in respect of minimum pay for calculation of pay of casual labourers (without temporary status) has already been issued vide this office letter no. 7-10/2016-PCC dated 31.03.2017
6.	Stop Privatization, Contractorization and outsourcing. REPLY There is no proposal of corporatization/privatization at this juncture.  The Department is making efforts to give better and competitive services to the customers specifically in the areas of insurance, banking and parcels.
7.	Implement cadre restructuring for left out categories i.e. RMS, MMS, PACO, PASBCO, Postmaster Cadre PostalSSSSSSSSSS Accounts etc. and accept the modifications suggested by Federation before implementation of cadre restructuring in Postal Group ‘C’. REPLY           The cadre restructuring of left out cadres, i.e. RMS, PACO and PASBCO is currently under examination in consultation with the Department of Expenditure. The matter of cadre restructuring of Postmaster Cadre will be examined thereafter.                    A Committee has been constituted, vide this office letter no. 25-04/2012-PE-I dated 09.06.2017, under the Chairmanship of Shri Charles Lobo, CPMG Karnataka Circle, to examine the issues arising out of implementation of Cadre Restructuring of Group C employees.            Cadre review of MMS is under active consultation with Ministry of Finance, DoE.
8.	Provision of CGHS facilities to Postal Pensioners also as recommended by 7th CPC. REPLY          The CGHS facilities have been extended to the pensioners of Post and Telegraph Department by the M/o Health & Family Welfare vide O.M. No. S-11016/2/2015-CGHS(P)/EHS dated 19.07.2017 and the same has been circulated by the Dte. To all the Circles vide letter no. 2-3/2009-Medical dated 25.07.2017.           The issue of merger of 33 Postal Dispensaries is under consideration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
9.	Withdraw NPS (Contributory Pension Scheme). Guarantee 50% of last pay drawn as minimum pension. REPLY;          The demand for withdrawal of NPS (Contributory Pension Scheme) is outside the purview of this Department. As regards guarantee of 50% last pay drawn as minimum pension, it is mentioned that govt. has already enhanced minimum pension to Rs. 9000/- w.e.f. 01.01.2016. The pension of retiring employees is fixed at 50% of emoluments or average emoluments, whichever is more beneficial under Rule 49(2) of CCS (Pension) Rules.            Government has also decided to revise pension of pre-2016 pensioners to 50% of notional pay in pay matrix of 7th CPC by fixing pay on notional basis during each intervening Pay Commission
10.	Implement five days week working for operative staff in the Postal Department. REPLY          Since the Department of Posts is a service oriented Department, decision of 5 days week lead to public inconvenience and further, to public complaints.          This decision will also results in revenue loss to the Department as customer will go for other alternatives when Post Offices are closed on Saturday.