POLICY AND PROGRAMME RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN THE 9^TH FEDERAL COUNCIL HELD AT HYDERABAD FROM 09.06.2013 TO 13.06.2013

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 9^th 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 countries 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 hegemony of the working class.

3.       The 9^th 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 as 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 9^th 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 9^th 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 7^th 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 7^th 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 6^thCPC 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 couriers 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 corporatise 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