EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER: SEPTEMBER-2015

GET READY FOR ANOTHER STRUGGLE

NEED TO REVIEW 6^th MAY INDEFINITE STRIKE

            7^th Central Pay Commission has completed its work and preparing report. As per information given by Justice Shri Ashok Kumar Mathur, Chairman, Pay Commission to National Council J.C.M.  Staff Side Secretary Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra that Pay Commission will submit its report to the Government of India by the end of September; 2015.It has also come to notice that Pay Commission has submitted application to Government of India to retain the office upto 31^stOctober, 2015. But Government of India has granted extension for 4 months i.e. upto 31^stDecember, 2015, so now it will be delayed upto the end of December, 2015.

            With the setting up of Pay Commission Postal JCA consisting NFPE, FNPO, AIPEUGDS (NFPE) and NUGDS put the demand to include GDS under purview of 7^th CPC. Government rejected the demand. Postal JCA submitted Charter of Demands for Indefinite Strike from 6^thMay, 2015 during the Parliament March on 4^th December 2014. Meetings  were held  with Postal  Department  and on Strike Charter of Demands and finally the issue of inclusion of GDS was again referred to Finance Ministry  and Secretary Post and Minister of Communications and IT  also assured to make maximum efforts to include GDS  in the purview of 7^th CPC during the meeting  held with Minister on 5^th May, 2015 and finally the strike was deferred. One important issue i.e. Cadre restructuring was also on priority of our agenda for which Minister told that he has accorded his approval and after that the file was sent to DOP&T. We pursued vigorously both the issues. Finally the case of inclusion of GDS has been rejected by Finance Ministry and Department of Post has started working on formation of bureaucratic Committee for revision of wages and other service conditions of GDS under Chairmanship of any retired Member of Postal Board. Regarding Cadre Restructuring it has been told by the officers of Postal Directorate  that the file of Cadre restructuring has been returned  by the Department of Personal and Training stating that it has to do nothing in this  and it is the internal matter of Department of Posts so there is no need of any kind of intervention by DOP&T and has advised to take clearance from Department of Expenditure , Minister of Finance. So the case has been sent to Finance Ministry for seeking approval. Though earlier it was told by J.S.F.A.  that there is no more financial implications in it.

            But as we are observing the policies of Government of India it seems that Finance Ministry may create hurdles in approving the cadre restructuring proposals

            If once the report of Pay Commission is submitted, it will be very difficult to get the Cadre restructuring proposals implemented.

            So our both main demands are not being met neither by Department of Post nor by Government of India.

            PJCA has again addressed Secretary Department of Post to fulfill the promises given during the meetings on Strike Charter of Demands but still we have not received any positive response from the Department. One important demand has also been submitted to  Department for filling up all vacant posts in all Cadres i.e. P.A., S.A. , Mail Guard, Mail Man, Postmen, GDS Mail Man, Driver and other staff in MMS, PA CO , PA SBCO, Postal Accounts Staff , Civil Wing Staff and GDS all categories.

            In the above circumstances it is the need of hour that we should revive our deferred strike from 6^th May-2015. PJCA will soon meet and take decision.

            NFPE appeals to entire rank and file to get ready for another struggle to achieve our demands.

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