NFPE MARCH AHEAD
WITH TOTAL UNITY AND DETERMINATION
9TH FEDERAL COUNCIL – A
MEMORABLE EVENT
The 9th Federal Council of National Federation of Postal
Employees was held in the land of the great legendary Leader, Late Com. K.
Adinarayana, the Ex-Secretary General of NFPE at Sundaraiah Vignan Kendra,
Hyderabad from 9thJune to 13thJune, 2013 under the
presidentship of NFPE Vice President Comrade S. P. Mukherjee and Com K. K. Sharma.
The Reception Committee headed by its Chairman Dr. K. Nageswar, MLC, Com. D. A.
S. V. Prasad, Working Chairman (Circle Secretary, AIPEU Group ‘C’, Andhra
Pradesh) and General Secretary Com. Ramachandram [Circle Secretary Admn., Andhra
Pradesh] had made very excellent arrangements for the conduct of the Federal
Council. The inaugural session commenced with the unfurling of both the
National Flag and the NFPE Flag by; Com. B. G. Tamhankar, Ex-President, NFPE
and Com. D. K. Rahate, President, NFPE and after that floral tributes to the
Martyrs Column were held.
On the eve of 9th Federal Council
of National Federation of Postal Employees, on 9.6.2013, as the first programme,
the AP Postal Women Employees Convention was held. Com. T. Sakuntala, Convener,
Women Subcommittee, NFPE presided the convention. Ms. Sandhya Rani, IPoS, Post
Master General (BD & Technology) was the Chief Guest and delivered a
valuable oration. Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General, as the chief Guest of
Honour has dealt all the work undertaken by the Federation for the welfare of
women comrades and its commitment to form All India body in all the affiliated
unions exclusively for the women comrades. The other speakers on the occasion
were Com. Pushpeswari Devi, Member, All India Women Committee, P3 NFPE, Com. K. Swaruparani, General Secretary, AIDWA, Com. K. Dhanalakshmi, State Convener, Working
Women’s, Co-ordination Committee, Andhra Pradesh, Com.
C. P. Sobhana, Convener, CCGEW Mahila Committee,
Com. R. Seethalakshmi, Asst. Secretary General, NFPE and Com. Nalini,
(R-III).
In the afternoon, a big rally from Indira Park was organised with
the participation of more than 3000 comrades along with the Leaders, Federal
Councillors and Visitors at 3.30pm and reached Sundarayya Vignana Kendram at
5.00pm.Thereafter the open session was held under the presidentship of Com. D.
K. Rahate, President. The open session was inaugurated by Com. B. V. Raghavulu,
CPI (M) Polit Bureau Member. The other prominent leaders Viz., Com. R. Sudha
Bhaskar, General Secretary, CITU, Com. P. J. Chandra Sekhar Rao, MLC & Secretary
AITUC, Com. P. Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com. P. Venkatramaiah,
General Secretary, BEFI, Com. I. Venkateswararao, UTF, Com. M. N. Reddy,
General Secretary, Pensioner's Association addressed the open session.Com Sukomalsen, Senior Vice
President AISGEF inaugurated the Delegate session on 10.06.2013. Com. K. K.
Sharma, Vice President, NFPE presided. Comrades S. K. Vyas,
Advisor, Confederation; K. K. N. Kutty, President Confederation; C. C. Pillai,
Former Secretary General NFPE; Com K. Ragavendran,
Ex Secretary General, NFPE, Com K. V. Sridharan, Ex General Secretary, AIPEU
Group C, Com B. G. Tamhankar, Ex President NFPE, Des Raj Sharma, former Deputy
Secretary General NFPE, Com. R. L. Bhattacharjee, Ex-Deputy Secretary General,
NFPE Com. T. Narasimhan, Vice President, Confederation Com. Kannaiyyan, Ex-AGS,
R-3 and Com. Y. Nagabhushnam, Working President, Casual Labour Federation
addressed the session.Com
D. K. Rahate, President, NFPE, Com R. Sivannarayana, President P3 CHQ, Com. Ishwar Singh Dabas, General Secretary,
P4, Deputy Secretary General, NFPE Com. Giriraj Singh, General Secretary, R3,
Com. P. Suresh, General Secretary, R4, Com. T. Satyanarayana, General
Secretary, AIPAEA, Com Ramachandram, Deputising General Secretary, AIPAOEU, Com P. Pandurangarao, General Secretary AIPEU
GDS (NFPE), Com Virendra Tiwari, General
Secretary, AISBCOEA, Com. S. A. Raheem, General Secretary, Civil Wing Employees
Association and Com P. Mohan, General Secretary, Casual Labourers Federation participated
in the discussions and addressed the session. Other office Bearers of NFPE Com.
R. N. Parashar, Asst. Secretary General, Com. K. Ragupathy, Asst. Secretary
General, Com. R. Seethalakshmi, Asst. Secretary General, Com. Raj Kumar,
Finance Secretary also addressed the delegate session. Com. S. P. Mukherjee,
Vice President, NFPE, Presided over the delegate session.
Com. D. Theagarajan, Secretary
General FNPO addressed the delegate session of the Federal Council and
elaborately dealt with the problems faced by the Postal and RMS employees and
stressed the need for total unity to resist the attack on Postal services. Com.
K. Venugopal, General Secretary, All India Insurance Employees Association,
made valuable and educative special address on 11.06.2013 on the subject “Neo
liberal Policies – Role of employees”. The Chief Postmaster General, Andhra
Pradesh, Circle, Sri. B. V. Sudhakar, IPoS addressed the Federal Council on
12.06.2013 as Chief Guest. He stressed the need to improve the efficientcy and
productivity of the Department of Posts for its survival.
The
triennial report which in itself is a valuable and comprehensive document and
audited accounts were unanimously approved and adopted by the delegates and
thereafter the election of office bearers was held. The 9th Federal
Council unanimously elected the following team of Office Bearers:
President : Com. Giriraj
Singh [R3 Delhi]
Working President : Com. A. Manoharan
[P3 Tamilnadu]
Vice Presidents : Com. Pranab
Bhattacharjee [Admn West Bengal]
Com.
Satyanarayana [Postal Accounts Andhra Pradesh]
Com. K. K. Sharma [R4 Delhi]
Secretary General : Com. M. Krishnan
[P3 Kerala]
Dy. Secretary General : Com.
Ishwar Singh Dabas [P4 Delhi]
Asst General Secretaries: Com.
R. N. Parashar [P3 U.P]
Com.
S. Raghupathy [P3 Tamilnadu]
Com.
R. Seethalakshmi [P4 Karnataka]
Treasurer : Com. Raj Kumar
[P4 Delhi]
The Federal Council decided to form a Mahila Committee of NFPE at
the apex level with two Mahila representative from each affiliated union.
There were 110 Federal Councillors; Ex-officio Office Bearers and
Federal Executive Members, 21 fraternal delegates and 45 visitors in the
Council. Total 176. About 61 participants took part in the deliberations and
debates. There was
all round appreciation about the functioning of the Federation which exhibited
their confidence and faith in the leadership of the
mighty organisation. The Federal Council approved the decision of according
associate membership to AIPEU GDS NFPE by its executive and decided to champion
the cause of the GDS employees through all its actions and Programmes. The resolution on policy and
programme was unanimously adopted at the Federal Council. The following other resolutions were also adopted unanimously. The
details will be published in the ensuing Postal Crusader.
1. Resolution on common demands of
Central Government Employees
2. Resolution on scrapping of new
pension scheme
3. Resolution on cadre
restructuring
4. Resolution on
departmentalisation of Grameen Dak Sewaks and other issues
5. Resolution on issues of Casual Labour
6. Resolution on the sectional
demands of the Postman and MTS
7. Resolution on the issues of RMS
and MMS Group ‘C’ staff
8. Resolution on issues of Mail Guards
& MTS in RMS
9. Resolution on the issues Administrative
Offices Employees
10. Resolution on the issues of Postal
Accounts
11. Resolution on the issues of SBCO
staff
12. Resolution on augmentation of adequate
posts for new services
13. Resolution on Postmaster Cadre
14. Resolution on System Administrators
15. Resolution on Marketing Executives
16. Resolution
on modified ACP Scheme
17. Resolution on PO & RMS Accountants
18. Resolution on counting of past
services as R.T.P. for promotion
19. Resolution on the grant of Naxalist
Threat Area allowance to the Postal Employees working in Naxalist Threat Areas
20. Resolution on upward revision
of cash handling allowance to treasurers of post offices
21. Resolution on bureaucratic
excesses
22. Resolution on monetary recovery
and disciplinary action on contributory negligence factor
23. Resolution on problems of Women
Employees
The Reception Committee has
organised cultural programmes on two days, viz: “Veera Telangana Armed struggle”
an inspiring play by Praja Natya Mandali, Nalgonda and another programme by
Guruswamy and Team. Welcome song was sung by the singers of PNM Hyderabad.
The Federal Council placed its
appreciations on record the services rendered by the outgoing office bearers
Com D. K. Rahate, President, Com C. Chandrasekar, Working President and Com. S.
P. Mukherjee, Vice President and Com. K. V. Sridharan, Ex-General Secretary of
AIPEU Group ‘C’. The Federation is
fully confident that with the total cooperation of all, the huge task and the challenges
posed to us by the neo liberal reforms and the proposed National Postal Policy
etc will be met with by building up rock-like unity and resisting it with all
forces at our command. We assure that we will strive hard to live up to the
expectations of all our comrades in the rank and file at the grass root level
and march ahead, keeping in mind always the legacy of sacrifice, determination
and commitment of our founder leaders and martyrs.
The following are the most important decisions of
the 9th Federal Council.
1. To Celebrate the 60th year of NFPE as
Diamond Jubilee year for one year and convene a Diamond Jubilee All India
Convention of NFPE at Jamnagar, Gujarat, on 24th November 2014.
2. To conduct indefinite strike along with other
Central Government Employees organisations under the banner of Confederation.,
if the demands raised by Confederation in its 15 points charter of demands
including setting up of 7th Pay Commission and 50% merger of DA are
not accepted by Government.
3. To conduct joint indefinite strike, if Government
refuses to include the GDS employees under the purview of the 7th
Pay Commission.
4. To oppose and defeat the National Postal Policy
which envisages opening up of postal services to private sector.
5. To organise agitational programmes including
indefinite hunger fast for settlement of the demands raised by the Postal Joint
Council of Action (NFPE & FNPO) in the memorandum submitted to Secretary,
Department of Posts, including the issues of GDS and casual labourers.
6. To take initiative to form and build up an All India
organisation for Postal and RMS pensioners.
7. To make maximum effort to organise women employees
including GDS in all circles and Divisions.
8. To conduct Trade Union Education Camps.
9. To Form Circle co-ordinating committees in all
Circles.
(M. Krishnan)
Secretary
General
POLICY AND
PROGRAMME RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN THE 9TH FEDERAL COUNCIL HELD AT
HYDERABAD FROM 09.06.2013 TO 12.06.2013
1. The World capitalist
economy is in the grip of a severe financial crisis. The inherent
inconsistencies and contradictions of the capitalism have ultimately resulted
in the present crisis. The crisis that erupted and exploded in the USA has
spread over to almost all the countries, especially the capitalist countries.
The imperialist globalization policies have further aggravated and heightened
the crisis. The bailout packages and other short and
long term measures taken has only helped the trans-national corporations to
survive, but the plight of the workers and the common man is becoming more and
more miserable. Cuts in employment and
social security measures have further aggravated the situation. The adverse effect is
now even sensed in the developing countries like India. The ever widening gap
between the haves and have-nots, larger scale unemployment, hurling more and
more people in the grip of poverty, the high speed privatization of Government Departments
and public sector undertakings, the crisis in the agricultural and industrial
sector, curtailment of social security and welfare measures, curtailing the
subsidy to farmers and people etc. - all these factors contribute in setting
more and more burden on the common man and the working class. This 9th
Federal Council of National Federation of Postal Employees, expresses full
solidarity with the organizations and the people who are putting up heroic
resistance to the globalization policies world over. This Federal Council also
pledges its support to the people who are fighting for the protection of freedom and
integrity of their country, even by laying down their lives.
2.
This 9th Federal Council of National Federation of Postal Employees salutes
those counties especially in Latin America, who are fighting against the
imperialist policies of the USA and are implementing anti-imperialist economic
policies with the slogan "socialism is the only alternative". This
Federal Council acknowledges and applauds all those people all over the world
who are striving and struggling hard to establish exploitation less society of
Socialist order and the emancipation of the proletarian masses for instituting
the hegeony of the working class.
3.
The 9th Federal Council of the National Federation
of Employees is being held in the midst of the UPA II Government completed its
four year term with the record breaking corruptions and fastest implementation
of neoliberal globalization policies and the international financial crisis
continue to haunt the world economies. The Indian Government intensifies its
attacks by resorting to further financial reforms and pension reforms allowing
FDI in retail and insurance sectors. The phasing out of all welfare measures,
disinvestment of PSUs, Privatization of Government organizations, Outsourcing,
Curtailment of Trade Union rights, Privatization of health care and education
were the few things UPA II made during the period.
4. This 9th Federal Council records with a happiness to note
that for the first time in the history of our country, all the Central Trade
Unions including that of the INTUC and BMS have come together on a single
platform with the Left Trade Union Centres and Confederation and Federations
and independent Unions of Public Sector, Central Government, State Government
and Teachers Organisations to resist the attacks of the liberalization guided
policies of the Government. This Federal Council also records with pleasure
that the united platform of all Central Trade Union Centres and other
Organisations is the befitting reply to the forces of globalization which are
on the attacking spree against the working class and the common people. This
Federal Council is more contented to note that the Central Trade Unions have
established their decision to carry forward their new found unity for
strengthening the anti-liberalization struggle and to defend the working class
against the evil designs of the Government by holding two days historic strike
in February 2013.In this background this Federal Council unanimously resolves
to play our role in strengthening of such struggles in accordance with the
decisions of Confederation and NFPE that is guided by the historic resolution
of the 1992 Dharwad Federal Council.
5. The working class of India led by
the Central Trade Unions is continuing their struggle against the anti-people
and anti-labour policies of the UPA Government. About ten crores organized and
unorganized workers participated in the 28th February 2012 All India General
strike. Similarly, there was more participation in the two days strike held
from 21.3.2013 to 22.3.2013. The Central Government Employees in general and
postal employees in particular have participated in a big way in both the
strikes, under the banner of Confederation of Central Government Employees and
workers and Postal JCA in respect of Feb 2013 strike.
6. This 9th Federal
Council of NFPE declares that we shall join every struggle organized by the
Central Trade Unions including general strike against the anti-people and
anti-labour policies of the Central Government and also against the
machinations of the divisive and communal forces. This Federal Council salutes
and congratulates the Central Government Employees, especially the Postal employees
who had participated in the 28.2.2012, 12.12.12 & 21, 22.2.2013 strikes and
made them a grand success.
7.
The Call of the Confederation
of CG Employees & Workers for nationwide one day token strike on 12.12.2012
demanding settlement on a 15 Point Common Charter of Demands of CG Employees
which includes stop
price rise and strengthen PDS, stop downsizing, outsourcing, contractorisation,
corporatisation and privatization of Governmental functions, fill up all vacant
posts and create posts on functional requirements, scrap the New Pension scheme
and extend the statutory defined benefit pension to all Central Government
Employees irrespective of date of recruitment, Regularize the Gramin Dak
Sevaks, casual contingent and daily rated workers by bringing about a definite
scheme of regularization, remove restriction imposed on compassionate
appointments, stop the move to introduce the performance Related Pay (PRP) and Performance
Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS) make right to strike a legal right and stop
victimizations and curtailment of trade union rights, the
immediate constitution of 7th CPC for the revision of wages with
effect from 1.1.2011 i.e., once in five years
on par with the Public Sector undertakings and Merger of 50% DA with Basic Pay
including GDS, five promotions etc. This Federal Council hails the
Confederation’s independent Programme of Action which was successfully
conducted and created a condition and compulsion for a larger platform of unity
to struggle under the banner of the Steering Committee of JCM National Council
Organisations for the formation of 7th Pay Commission etc. This
Federal Council acknowledges the tactics of the Confederation for its
determination and decision to carry forward the struggle for the formation of
next pay commission since the plethora of anomalies caused by the
implementation of 6th CPC and through the MACP Scheme can be sorted
out only after the formation of Seventh Pay Commission. This Federal Council
therefore unanimously resolves to call upon the entire leadership of all the
affiliated unions of the Federation at all levels to fully involve ourselves in
converting the Programme of Action a tremendous success and enhance the pride
of the NFPE to establish its credentials as the vanguard of the Confederation.
8. The last four year rule of the
UPA Government has resulted in aggravating the poverty and unemployment. The
prices of essential commodities are escalating day by day. The divisive and
communal and terrorist forces are trying to divide the country and also the
unity of the working class. The real wages of Central Govt. Employees have
eroded significantly in as much as the inflations had raised the prices of
essential commodities especially of food items beyond 200%. The JCM functioning
at National level has deteriorated and meeting has become extremely
irregular. Many of the demands of the
Central Government employees still remain unsettled and the Government is vigorously
implementing the globalization policies in the Central Government services. It
has become imperative to resist this onslaught by mobilizing the employees.
9. The Three Lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks
working in the Postal department have been subjected to inhuman exploitation
and discrimination by the Central Government. The Government has refused to
appoint a judicial Committee for the revision of wages and service conditions
of Gramin Dak Sevaks; instead a committee headed by a retired Postal Board Member
Sri Natarajamurthy has been appointed. The Government has accepted all the
retrograde recommendations of Natarajamurthy committee. The long pending
demands for conferring civil servant status, grant of pro-rata pay scale,
statutory Pension, Time bound promotion and medical facilities have been
rejected. The norms for cash handling allowance has been drastically reduced,
the monthly ceiling of Bonus of 3500/- reduced to 2500/-, the denial of revised
125 points allowance to BPMs from 1.1.2006, large scale down gradation of EDSOs
etc have created a sense of insecurity and resentment among the GDS. This
Federal Council takes the pledge and calls upon the postal employees to be
ready and keep the gun powder dry to participate in all agitational programmes
for the realization of the demands of the Gramin Dak Sevaks including
indefinite strike.
10. The Central Government is moving
ahead with the agenda of globalization in the Department of Posts also.
Earlier, the Department has released its corporate proposals of India Post. In
order to facilitate corporatization there is a move to amend the Indian Post
office Act 1898 which will provide a level playing field to courier by
unbundling the role of the Department as a Government service and introducing
the public private partnership in the communication sector. In the Postal sector the Government has declared the draft National
Postal Policy 2012. It is nothing but a
road-map to privatisation of Postal services by amending the Indian Post Office
Act and granting licences to the multi-national courier services.
Government want to close down post offices in the name of loss. Just like in Telecom, a
regulatory authority called Postal Regulatory Authority of India (PRAI) is to
be constituted. Corporatization is the first step towards privatization. The
experience of the BSNL workers is a lesson for us. This Federal Council while
extending full support to the authorities increasing the efficiency and
productivity of the Postal service, strongly oppose any move to corporate the
Postal Department. This Federal Council calls upon as affiliated unions and the
workers to be vigilant and be ready by conducting an effective campaign among
the workers against the dangers of the amendment of the Postal Act, unbundling
the monopoly of postal and allowing couriers by providing a level playing field
by the constitution of Postal regulatory authority and the corporatization of Postal, and keep them
ready for major struggle in the event of pushing through this retrograde
globalization policy in the Department. This Federal Council further declares
that any unilateral move to corporate the Postal Department, will be resisted
with all forces at our command.
11.
This Federal Council notes with
happiness that we have played our due role in the Postal JCA struggles in the
recent past and registered impressive gains from the Postal Board. The National
Federation of Postal Employees has taken the initiative to organise agitational
programmes and mobilise the employees for action including indefinite strikes
and as a result the Postal Administration was compelled to stop their move for
closure of 9797 Post Offices. Many long
pending issues are settled and mass scale recruitment has taken place. The department was forced to convene the JCM
Departmental Council meetings and formal meetings and discussed all the issues
with the staff side. This Federal Council hails the timely action with serious
preparedness exhibited by the leaders and gross root level cadres of the
affiliated unions against the serious attacks of the Department like abolition
of thousands of Post Offices and liquidate RMS etc which were halted by the
efforts of the NFPE and Postal JCA. However it is the constant vigil and a
state of complete readiness of the entire Postal Employees that only can
insulate us against the dangers emanating from the policies of the Government.
This Federal Council also notes with concern that all the assurances of the
Postal Board and the MOSC have not been translated into reality and we had to
resort to struggle again and again to ensure progress. This Federal Council views with grave
concern the delay in settlement of various demands of the employees by the
Postal Board and Government such as revision of wages of the casual labourers
including part time and daily rated workers, stop filling up of erstwhile Group
'D' posts and Postmen Posts from open market, cadre restructuring, creation of
separate cadre for system Administrators, postmen and the GDS related issues
etc. This Federal Council urges upon the Government and Postal Board to settle
the above justified demands of the Postal Employees at an early date. This Federal Council therefore resolves and appeals all the
affiliate unions and its members to be in a state of readiness for any action
decided upon by the NFPE or Postal JCA at the appropriate time and play our due
role in consolidating the unity of Postal Employees in future also.
12.
This Federal Council further resolves to
(1) organize more Circle level conventions and ensuing the functioning
of circle coordinating Committees (2) conducting state level/Divisional level
study camps (3) organizing women conventions and formations of women's sub
committees (4) formation of AIPEU GDS (NFPE) branches at divisional levels and
the casual labour unions at divisional/circle level etc. This Federal Council
calls upon the Circle/Divisional secretaries of the affiliated unions to take
the responsibility of implementing the above decisions of NFPE.
