No. P3NFPE-Odisha/01 - 07/2018
Dated at
Cuttack the 3rd July, 2018
To
All the Divisional Secretaries & Circle Union Office bearers, AIPEU,
Group-C, Odisha Circle
Sub:- Regarding
forthcoming
agitational programmes of Confederation / NFPE /AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ culminating
to one day strike on 15.11.2018
Dear Comrades,
Enclosed, please find here with copy of
Confederation Circular No. Confdn. / 2016-19, dated 25th
June, 2018, NFPE Circular No. PF – 01 (e) / 2018, dated 29th
June 2018 and AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ Circular No. P / 1 – 11 / Circular, dated 30th June, 2018 which
are based on the Resolutions / Declatations adopted in the historic Hyderabad
Convention of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers held on 10th
June, 2018.
All the circulars are
self-explanatory. All are requested to kindly go through the Resolutions and
Declarations of Hyderabad Convention
reproduced below in Confederation’s above circular and educate each and every
member to make the programmes successful.
As seen, a series
of agitational programmes have been fixed by Confederation / NFPE which are to
be observed as instructed. Most importantly, we have to participate in the march
to Parliament on 5th September, 2018. Our CHQ has given target to
Odisha Circle for 50 members to participate. Thus, it is impressed upon all the
Divisional Secretaries that each Division should attend the march to Parliament
programme at least with three members. Therefore, to and fro journey tickets
may be booked well in advance to avoid last minute rush. Stay arrangement will be made by AIPEU Group ‘C’ CHQ
After receipt of
Confederation / NFPE campaign programmes from CHQ, the Confederation / NFPE
Odisha State CoC will issue separate circulars for undertaking the campaign
programmes.
Expecting your whole-hearted cooperation.
With Struggle greetings.
Comradely
yours,
Encls : As above
( BRUHASPATI SAMAL)
Circle Secretary
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION, GROUP 'C'
CHQ: 2151/1, D. G. Bhawan, New Patel Road, N. D. -
110008
Ref:
P/1-11/Circular Dated
– 30.06.2018
CIRCULAR
To
All CHQ office Bearers
/Circle Secretaries
All Mahila Committee Members
All Divisional/Branch
Secretaries
Dear Comrades,
NFPE Circular No.
PF-01(e)/2018 dated 29th June 2018 is enclosed herewith.
Please organize all the
programmes as mentioned therein and make all efforts to make all agitational
programmes a grand success including 5th September 2018 Mass
Rally at New Delhi and one day strike on 15thNovember 2018 for
settlement of 10 points of Charter of Demands in which Scrapping of New Pension
Scheme is the demands of top priority including other demands related to 7th CPC
and Policy offensives unleashed by the present Central Govt.
For making success the mass
Rally to be held at New Delhi on 5th September 2018 along with
confederation of CGE&W, All India State Govt. employees Federation and
other Mass organizations.
NFPE has been allotted quota
of 10000 participants out of which NFPE has allotted quota of 1500 participants
to P3 Union.
Like wise the quota is
allotted to circles as under:
|
CIRCLE
|
QUOTA
|
CIRCLE
|
QUOTA
|
CIRCLE
|
QUOTA
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
100
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
20
|
Punjab
|
50
|
|
Assam
|
30
|
Jharkhand
|
30
|
Rajasthan
|
100
|
|
Bihar
|
100
|
Karnataka
|
100
|
Tamilnadu
|
150
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
50
|
Kerala
|
100
|
Telangana
|
50
|
|
Delhi
|
100
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
100
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
300
|
|
Gujarat
|
50
|
Maharashtra
|
200
|
Uttarakhand
|
30
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
50
|
North East
|
20
|
West Bengal
|
100
|
|
Haryana
|
100
|
Odisha
|
50
|
All participants should be
instructed to book to and fro journey tickets to avoid inconvenience.
Stay arrangement will be
made by AIPEU Group ‘C’ CHQ.
With revolutionary greetings,
Yours fraternally,
(R. N. Parashar)
General Secretary
NFPE CIRCULAR
National Federation of Postal
Employees
1st Floor
North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110 001
Phone:
011.23092771
e-mail: nfpehq@gmail.com
No.PF-01(e/2018
Date: 29th June 2018
CIRCULAR
To
All General Secretaries/NFPE Office Bearers
All Circle/Divisional and Branch Secretaries of NFPE affiliated unions.
Dear Comrade,
The
Govt. of India is not at all sympathetic towards settlement of long pending of
genuine grievances of Central Govt. employees. The entire working class
and farmers are on struggle path. Three lac GDS employees were also
compelled to go on strike for 16 days. None of the 7th CPC demands has been
settled. The assurance given by the group of ministers for revision of minimum
wage and fitment factor has not been fulfilled and now Finance Minister had
given reply in the Parliament that “No Change in minimum pay and fitment
formula is at present under consideration of the Government”.
Employees
who joined service on or after 1-1-2004 have been put under New Pension Scheme
which can be called as No Pension Scheme. The employees who joined on or after
1-1-2004 are getting meager pension @Rs 1000/- or 2000/- per month. As on
30-04-2018, 17,58,144 employees are covered under N.P.S Govt. is not
ready to give guarantee of 50% pension of last pay drawn.
Six lac
posts were declared lying vacant by 7th CPC up to 31.03.2016. After that lacs
& lacs posts have fallen vacant after retirement of officials every month .
Large scale
Outsourcing, Privatization and Contractorization has become the order of
the day. Large scale privatization, outsourcing and disinvestment is in full
swing in Railway and Defence.
Besides all
the things there is well planned move to attack on trade union rights by way of
labour laws reforms.
Keeping
in view the above facts and so many other things related to the interest of
workers a National Convention was organized by the confederation of central
Govt. Employees and workers on 10th June 2018 at Hyderabad.
NATIONAL
CONVENTION OF CONFEDERATION:-
National
Convention of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers was held at
Hyderabad on 10th June 2018 . The Convention besides other programmes which are
mentioned below declared one day strike on 15-11-2018 for settlement of 10
points charter of demands keeping scrapping of New Pension Scheme as it’s top
priority. All India State Govt. Employees Federation has also declared one day
strike on the same date i.e. 15-11-2018
THE
PROGRAMME OF ACTION IS MENTIONED AS BELOW:-
1) to
issue separate Circulars along with the Resolution and declaration, charter of
demands and programme of action to all their Units without fail.
2) to
translate the above documents into local languages and issue printed notices
pamphlets and posters. (Hindi Version also published below).
3) Give
wide publicity through print and electronic media, social media and also
through Union websites.
4) to
convene immediate meetings of the All India/State/District Managing bodies and
chalk out programmes for effective implementation of the campaign programmes
and one day strike on 15-11-2018.
5) Ensure
maximum participation of rank and file membership in all the campaign
programmes and also in the one day strike.
6) Mobilise
and ensure participation of maximum employees as per quota fixed in the MASS
RALLY at New Delhi on 5th September 2018. Instruct all those who are
participating in the Delhi Rally to book their up and down travel tickets
immediately.
7) Chalk
out separate departmental wise campaign programmes of each affiliated
organisations.
PROGRAMME
OF ACTION
(Approved
by the National Convention held at Hyderabad on 10-06-2018)
I. 2018 July 1st to August 14th : State/District
level conventions.
2. 2018 August
15th to 31st : Submission
of memorandum to all MPs, MLAs, Chief Ministers etc. seeking their intervention
for settlement of demands. (Draft copy of the memorandum will be exhibited in
confederation website: www.confederationhq.blogspot.com after 31st July 2018)
3. 21st August 2018 – Tuesday : Mass
dharna at all District headquarters.
4. 5th September 2018 – Wednesday: Mass
rally at New Delhi. (Quota of employees to be mobilized and participated in the
Mass Rally by each affiliate and C-O-C will be published separately within two
days).
5. 10th October 2018 – Wednesday : Serving
of strike notice at all levels with mass demonstrations.
6. 17th October 2018 – Wednesday : Raj
Bhavan March at all State Headquarters or March to an important Central Govt.
office situated in the state capital.
7. 3rd October
to 10th November 2018 : State/District
wise Campaign programme of National leaders of confederation and its
affiliates. (separate circular will be issued mentioning places and name of
leaders)
8. 2nd November 2018 – Friday : Mass
Hunger Fast at all levels.
9. 15th November 2018 – Thursday : Nationwide
one day strike.
In addition to
the above campaign programmes each affiliate of NFPE should chalk
out their own union wise campaign programmes covering all states.
2018 NOVEMBER 15th NATION
WIDE ONE DAY STRIKE OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES
10 POINTS
CHARTER OF DEMANDS OF CONFEDERATION
(Adopted
by the National Convention held at Hyderabad on 10-06-2018)
1. Scrap
New Contributory Pension Scheme. Restore old defined benefit Pension Scheme to
all employees.
2. Settle 7th CPC related issues
including increase in Minimum Pay and fitment formula, HRA arrears from
01-01-2016, MACP Bench Mark, promotional heirarchy and date of effect from
01-01-2006, Option-I for pensioners and anomalies arising out of implementation
of 7th CPC recommendations.
3. Fill up all vacant posts.
Reintroduce Regional Recruitment for Group B & C posts. Withdraw orders for
abolishing posts lying vacant for more than five years. Revive all posts
abolished during 2001 to 2008 under Annual Direct Recruitment plan as
per May 2001 orders of former NDA Government.
4.
(a) Regularisation of Gramin Dak Sevaks and grant of
Civil Servant status. Implement remaining positive recommendations of Kamalesh
Chandra committee report.
(b) Regularise all casual and contract workers including those
appointed on or after 01-09-1993.
5. Ensure equal pay for equal work
for all. Remove disparity in pay scales between Central Secretariat Staff and
similarly placed staff working in field units of various departments.
6. Stop closure of Govt.
establishments and outsourcing. Withdraw closure orders of Govt. of India
Presses. Stop proposed move to close down salt department. Stop FDI and
privatisation of Railways and Defence department.
7. Implement 7th CPC wage revision
and pension revision of Autonomous body employees and pensioners. Grant Bonus
to Autonomous body employees pending from 2016-17 onwards.
8. Remove 5% condition imposed on
compassionate appointment.
9. Grant five time bound promotions
to all Group B&C employees. Complete Cadre Reviews in all departments
within a time-frame.
10. (a) Stop
attack on trade union rights. Ensure prompt functioning of various negotiating
forums under the JCM scheme at all levels.
(b) Withdraw the draconian FR-56(j) and Rule 48 of CCS Pension
Rules 1972.
If necessary, affiliates
can add their own departmental wise issues as PART-II of the charter of
demands.
MASS RALLY
AT NEW DELHI ON 05TH SEPTEMBER 2018
It has been decided in the
National convention of confederation of Central Govt. Employees and workers
held at Hyderabad on 10th June 2018 that a mass rally will be organized at New
Delhi on 5th Sept- 2018 along with Public sector employees, State Govt
Employees and other Mass Organizations.
Confederation
has been allotted quota of 10000 employees for participation, out of which NFPE
has been allotted quota of 5000 participants, which is allotted to each
affiliated union as under.
P-III-1500,
P-IV-1500, R-III-500, R-IV-500, Admin–200, Postal
Acctts – 200, SBCO-100, GDS – 1000, Casual labourer – 100
All
affiliates are requested to allot quota to each circle union and request all
participants to book their to and fro journey in advance to avoid inconvenience
.
All affiliates will make stay arrangements for their Comrades.
With
revolutionary greetings.
Yours fraternally,
R.N
Parashar
Secretary General, NFPE
CONFEDERTION
OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES & WORKERS,
CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS
IST FLOOR, NORTH AVENUE POSTOFFICE
BUILDING, NEW DELHI-110001
No.Confdn/2016-19 Dated
25-06-2018.
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
DECLARED FOUR MONTHS INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN
AND
ONE DAY NATION WIDE STRIKE ON 15-11-2018
* SCRAP NEW CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME AND RESTORE OLD
DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
* SETTLE 10
POINT CHARTER OF DEMANDS OF CONFEDERATION.
STATE GOVT EMPLOYEES & TEACHERS ALSO
DECLARED ONE DAY NATIONWIDE STRIKE ON 15-11-2018
" DEFEAT THE DISASTROUS NEO-LIBERAL
POLICIES – DEFEAT THE ANTI-LABOUR, ANTI-PEOPLE RULING CLASS POLITICS.''
Dear Comrades,
Attacks
on workers and peasants as a whole and Central Government Employees in
particular are mounting day by day. Entire working class and
peasantry are on struggle path. The successful famers struggle in
Maharashtra and sixteen days indefinite strike of three lakhs Postal Gramin Dak
Sevaks are the latest mass struggle.
None
of the 7th CPC related demands of Central Government Employees are
settled. The increase in pay of 14.28% was the lowest and worst in
the history of pay revision of Central Government employees. The
assurance given by the group of senior Cabinet Ministers of NDA Government in
the wake of impending indefinite strike from 11th July 2016 regarding increase
in minimum wage and fitment formula is in paper even after a lapse
of 24 months. Now the Finance Minister had
replied in the Parliament that - “no change in minimum pay and fitment
formula is at present under consideration of the Government”.
Employees
who joined service on or after 01-01-2004 are retiring with a meager pension of
Rs.1000/- to Rs.2000/-per month only under the NPS scheme. In effect "New
pension system'' has become "No pension system''. As per RTI
reply out of 32 lakhs Central Government employees, as on 30-04-2018, 17,58,144
employees are covered under NPS. Uncertainty is looming large over their
retirement life. Every month 10 % of their salary (including DA) is
deducted under NPS, but as per PFRDA Act - "there shall
not be any implicit or explicit assurance of benefit, except market
based guarantee mechanism to be purchased by the subscriber.” 7th CPC
after hearing various stake holders of NPS has given the following directive to
the Government - "almost a whole lot of Government
employees appointed on or after 01-01-2004 are unhappy with the New Pension
Scheme, Government should take a call to look into their
complaint.'' Even though Government has appointed a committee for
streamlining NPS, the committee was not mandated to examine and recommend
''scraping of NPS” or ''minimum guaranteed pension'' ie; 50% of the last pay
drawn. Staff Side has placed the above demands before the
committee. Report of the committee, submitted one year back, is not
yet published. In short the discontentment among the NPS
employees is growing day by day and it may burst out at any time if the
Government refuses to revert back to the old defined benefit pension system.
Six
lakhs posts are lying vacant for the last many years and now Government has
issued orders to abolish all posts lying vacant for more than five years. HRA
arrears, MACP Bench mark, MACP promotional hierarchy and date of effect from
01-01-2006, option-I for pensioners - Govt is not ready to reconsider their
stand. Three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks are compelled to go on indefinite strike for
16 days foe getting their legitimate wage revision approved by the cabinet.
Their demand for regularization, Civil servant status and implementation of
other positive recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra Committee are still
pending. Exploitation of casual and contract workers
continue. Equal pay for equal work is denied.
Large
scale outsourcing and privatization has become the order of the day. Foreign
Direct Investment and privatization of Railways and Defence and large
scale outsourcing of the work done by Defence Civilian employees are in full
swing. Government declared about 200 defence products manufactured by Defence
employees as ''non-core'' items and gave orders to private multinational
companies for their supply, rendering thousands of Defence employees jobless in
Govt owned 41ordnance factories. 12 out of 17 Government of India
presses are ordered to be closed. Same is the fate with other departmental
printing presses including Railway printing presses. Majority of the Autonomous
body employees and pensioners are yet to get their rightful 7th CPC revised pay
and pension due to stringent conditions imposed by Finance
Ministry. Compassionate appointment has become a mirage.
Trade
Union rights and facilities are curtailed and denied. Orders banning
dharna and demonstrations are issued. The draconian FR 56 (j) and
Pension Rules 48 are misused as a short-cut to punish and victimize
employees. Government sponsored unions are given undue
patronage. Recognition and trade union facilities of fighting
organisations are withdrawn and their leaders are transferred to far-off
places.
It
is in this background, the National Convention of Central Government Employees
held at Hyderabad on 10.06.2018 has decided to fight out these retrograde
policies of the Central Government by mobilising entire Central Government
employees. Four months intensive campaign throughout the country
will be organised culminating in nation wide one day strike on 15-11-2018. National
leaders of Central Trade Unions (INTUC, AITUC, CITU) has addressed the National
Convention and assured their full support and solidarity to the struggle of
Central Government employees.
All
India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF) has also decided to go on
one day nation wide strike on 15-11-2018, raising the demands - Scrap NPS and
stop outsourcing. Com. A. Sreekumar, General Secretary, AISGEF declared
their decision while addressing the National Convention.
We
are aware that the policies pursued by the NDA Government including
non-settlement of genuine demands of Central Govt. employees, is directly
linked to the politics of those who are in power at the Centre and hence if
Government is not ready to change its retrograde policies we have no
alternative but to vote out those who are at the helm of
affairs. Those who betrayed 32 lakhs Central Government employees
and 33 lakhs pensioners have to pay the price for it. 16 days
historic indefinite strike of Gramin Dak Sevaks is an eye-opener to
all. There is no short-cut for realizing our justified demands from
a totally negative and unwilling Government.
The
Resolution and declaration adopted by the National Convention, Charter of Demands
and Programme of action are enclosed herewith. All affiliated organizations and
State/District level C-O-Cs are requested to
1) to
issue separate Circulars along with the Resolution and declaration, charter of
demands and programme of action to all their Units without fail.
2) to
translate the above documents into local languages and issue printed notices pamphlets
and posters. (Hindi Version also published below).
3) Give
wide publicity through print and electronic media, social media and also
through Union websites.
4) to
convene immediate meetings of the All India/State/District Managing bodies and
chalk out programmes for effective implementation of the campaign programmes
and one day strike on 15-11-2018.
5) Ensure
maximum participation of rank and file membership in all the campaign
programmes and also in the one day strike.
6) Mobilise
and ensure participation of maximum employees as per quota fixed in the MASS
RALLY at New Delhi on 5th September 2018. Instruct all those who are
participating in the Delhi Rally to book their up and down travel tickets
immediately.
7) Chalk
out separate departmental wise campaign programmes of each affiliated
organisations.
Fraternally
yours,
M.Krishnan,
Secretary
General, Confederation.
Mob
& WhatsApp: 09447068125
2018 NOVEMBER 15th NATION WIDE ONE DAY STRIKE OF CENTRAL
GOVT. EMPLOYEES
CONFEDERATION - PROGRAMME OF ACTION
(approved
by the National Convention held at Hyderabad on 10-06-2018)
I. 2018 July 1st to August 14th
State/District
level conventions.
2. 2018 August 15th to 31st
Submission
of memorandum to all MPs, MLAs, Chief Ministers etc. seeking their intervention
for settlement of demands. (Draft copy of the memorandum will be exhibited in
confederation website: www.confederationhq.blogspot.com after 31st July 2018)
3. 21st August 2018 - Tuesday
Mass
dharna at all District headquarters.
4. 5th September 2018 - Wednesday
Mass
rally at New Delhi. (Quota of employees to be mobilised and participated in the
Mass Rally by each affiliate and C-O-C will be published separately within two
days).
5. 10th October 2018 - Wednesday
Serving
of strike notice at all levels with mass demonstrations.
6. 17th October 2018 - Wednesday
Raj
Bhavan March at all State Headquarters or March to an important Central Govt.
office situated in the state capital.
7. 3rd October to 10th
November 2018
State/District
wise Campaign programme of National leaders of confederation and its
affiliates. (separate circular will be issued mentioning places and name of
leaders)
8. 2nd November 2018 - Friday
Mass
Hunger Fast at all levels.
9. 15th November 2018 - Thursday
Nationwide
one day strike.
In
addition to the above campaign programmes each affiliate of
confederation should chalk out their own department wise campaign programmes
covering all states.
2018 NOVEMBER 15TH NATION WIDE ONE DAY
STRIKE OF CENTRAL GOVT. EMPLOYEES
10 POINTS CHARTER OF DEMANDS
OF CONFEDERATION
(adopted by
the National Convention held at Hyderabad on 10-06-2018)
1. Scrap
New Contributory Pension Scheme. Restore old defined benefit Pension Scheme to
all employees.
2. Settle
7th CPC related issues including increase in Minimum Pay and fitment formula,
HRA arrears from 01-01-2016, MACP Bench Mark, promotional heirarchy and date of
effect from 01-01-2006, Option-I for pensioners and anomalies arising out of
implementation of 7th CPC recommendations.
3. Fill
up all vacant posts. Reintroduce Regional Recruitment for Group B & C
posts. Withdraw orders for abolishing posts lying vacant for more than five
years. Revive all posts abolished during 2001 to 2008 under Annual Direct
Recruitment plan as per May 2001 orders of former NDA Government.
4. (a) Regularization
of Gramin Dak Sevaks and grant of Civil Servant status. Implement remaining positive
recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra committee report.
(b) Regularize
all casual and contract workers including those appointed on or after
01-09-1993.
5. Ensure
equal pay for equal work for all. Remove disparity in pay scales between Central
Secretariat Staff and similarly placed staff working in field units of various
departments.
6. Stop
closure of Govt. establishments and outsourcing. Withdraw closure orders of
Govt. of India Presses. Stop proposed move to close down salt department. Stop
FDI and privatization of Railways and Defence department.
7. Implement
7th CPC wage revision and pension revision of Autonomous body employees and
pensioners. Grant Bonus to Autonomous body employees pending from 2016-17
onwards.
8. Remove
5% condition imposed on compassionate appointment.
9. Grant
five time bound promotions to all Group B&C employees. Complete Cadre
Reviews in all departments within a time-frame.
10. (a) Stop
attack on trade union rights. Ensure prompt functioning of various negotiating
forums under the JCM scheme at all levels.
(b) Withdraw
the draconian FR-56(j) and Rule 48 of CCS Pension Rules 1972.
If necessary, affiliates
can add their own departmental wise issues as PART-II of the charter of demands.
RESOLUTION
The National convention of representatives of
Federations/Unions/Associations affiliated to the Confederation of Central
Government employees and workers’ held at Hyderabad on this day the 10th June,
2018 hereby unanimously resolves to adopt the following declaration
and carry out the programmes of action
detailed in the Annexure to this resolution to pursue the charter of
demands incorporated in the declaration .
This convention firmly believes that the non-settlement of the
demands of the Central Government employees by the present NDA Government at
the centre is the product of their sheer unwillingness as they know
that conceding of the just and genuine demands of the employees will
derail the neo-liberal policies, the intensive
continuance of which the Government is committed.
This convention is extremely concerned over the increasing
unemployment, joblessness, impoverishment, agrarian crisis, rural distress,
farmers suicide and the every widening inequalities in income and wealth under
the new economic policies pursued by this Government. The
Government in the last four years in adherence to their policies had
been handing over the Natuon’s wealth, viz. Land, forest, mines,
water bodies and public sector enterprises including vital defence
establishments to foreign multi-national corporations. Discarding
the time tested foreign policies the Government had been embarking
upon becoming a junior partner of the US imperialism and supports
every untenable action of the Trump Administration. This
convention condemns in the strongest terms, the attempt on the part
of the Government to bring in a labour code to take away all welfare measures
provided to the working class and to facilitate and promote “ease of doing
business” for the corporate entities. This convention deplores
and denounces the attack on minorities, dalits, adivasis and working people to
terrorise them.
The convention notes the dastardly methods employed by certain
groups in the society with the tacit support of those in authority to
drastically divide the society affecting the cohesive co-existence of different
sections of the people. They had been creating a fear psychosis
amongst the people. The disruption of the secular
social fabric is conceived to ensure that no united and strong force emerges
and to create insurmountable difficulties in bringing about working
class unity.. It has become
clear, that the panacea for the ills that has now been inflicted
upon the Indian society and polity is to effect a
significant change in the governing policies. The convention has noted that
forging a joint platform of all the working people with the intent of organizing
incessant struggles cannot, therefore, brook any delay.
The Convention happily notes that the All lndia State
Government employees Federation have come to the same conclusion and are
willing to be partners in the venture to oppose the economic policies of the
present Government and are agreeable to synchronize their strike action with
the decision of this convention. The Convention taking into account
the views of the All India State Government employees Federation, decides to organize a
country wide strike on 15th November, 2018.
The Convention directs the National Secretariat of the
Confederation to be in touch with the leaders of the Central Trade Unions and
other Industrial Federations to explore the possibilities of organizing a
strike action in the month of November, 2018 and authorize them to
make necessary changes in the date to ensure the widest possible trade union
action.
This convention realizes the need and necessity of complete
extermination of the present neo-liberal economic policies of the Government if
workers are not to be reduced to permanent serfdom; and to ultimately
bring about an egalitarian society. With this objective, the convention adopts
the following declaration and appeal to all members of the organisations
affiliated to the Confederation to carry out the programmes of action with
courage and conviction so as to generate sanctions and consequent change in the
approach and policies of the Government.
DECLARATION.
1. This convention declares
that restoration of the Defined benefit pension scheme to all Central
Government employees irrespective of the date of their entry into Government
service is the paramount amongst all issues and demands of the Central
Government employees included in the annexed charter of demands. The
struggle against the New contributory pension scheme introduced by the
Government in 2004 must be incessant till the Government agrees to withdraw the
same and restore the defined benefit pension scheme for all civil servants in
the country. The Contributory pension scheme was the product
of the neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the successive Governments that
came to rule since 1991. It was conceived, formulated and imposed at
the instance of the International Monetary Fund and the world bank combine to
ensure free flow of funds to the Corporate entities to enable them to maximize
profits. The Confederation of Central Government employees and workers and no
doubt the All India State Government employees Federation realized right at the
beginning its pernicious impact and demanded its withdrawal. In the
declaration that was adopted in the joint convention of the two organizations,
it was clearly pointed out that the very purpose of the new scheme was not to
arrest the financial outflow of the Government as has been made out both by
the Government and the IMF but only to help the corporate to access easy
funds. Never had been such a naked attempt in the past on the part of any
Government to compel the employees to subscribe to a fund whose benefits to the
subscriber were not defined.
In the beginning, a section
of intellectuals in the society, the rulers, a predominant segment of the
people’s representatives, the top echelons of the bureaucracy; even some trade
union leaders and their organizations eulogized the scheme projecting the
never-existent benefits to mislead the workers and the public at
large. While presenting the proposal before the Parliament, the
Government in fact misled the house to inform them over the benefits the
Government might reap due to lesser financial outflow for meeting the pension
entitlements of the Civil servants. Initially it was a lone voice
emanated from the joint platform of the Confederation of Central Govt.
employees and the All India State Govt. employees Federation against this ill
-conceived proposal of the Government of India- a lone voice for a right cause.
Various programmes of actions were chalked out and carried out under the
auspices of the joint platform of Confederation and AISGEF including a one day
strike on 30th October, 2007. However, the then UPA
Government stuck to its position and introduced the PFRDA bill in the
Parliament and ultimately they could get it legislated with the support of the
BJP which was in opposition then. In the background of the well reasoned
submissions made by the Confederation and AISGEF the Government
appointed Committees and Commissions to go into the matter, which had been
loaded with self serving bureaucrats. Most of these commissions sang what the
political masters wanted to hear except the one appointed by the 6th CPC. Dr.Gayatri’s
report was categorical that the Government will have to bear in fact additional
financial burden for the next 35 to 40 years due to the introduction of the New
Contributory pension scheme. The bureaucrats also began to realize the reality
later. The employees, nay all subscribers, to their
dismay found that the new Pension system is in fact a No
pension system. The oft-repeated argument that it was necessary to
arrest the accelerated financial outflow from the exchequer was established to
be false in the face of Dr. Gayatri’s report. Crores of rupees from the State
Treasury and the poor employees’ contributions went to enrich the corporate
houses through the stock market and mutual funds. The young
comrades, who were recruited after 1.1.2004, who were compulsorily made to be
the subscribers of the New Contributory Pension scheme found fault with not
only Government but some of the leaders of the Trade Union movement of Central
Govt. Employees. In sum, this is the present scenario. What this
convention declares is to fight against this new scheme – together or alone -
It is an uncompromising war to ensure that the present contributory pension
scheme is scrapped lock stock and barrel and the erstwhile defined benefit
pension scheme is brought back to cover all Government employees.
2. The wage revision of
Central Government employees is periodically effected through the system of
setting up of Pay Commissions. The 7th Central Pay
Commission came into existence after the Confederation conducted a series of
programme of action culminating in a one day strike on 12thDecember,
2012 and two days strike on 13th and 14th February,
2014. The recommendations of the Commission was so disappointing
that all organizations participating in the JCM came together to form a National
Joint Count of Action to spearhead agitations. The NJCA decided to
go on indefinite strike from 11th July, 2016
onwards. What which irked the employees was the way in which the
Commission went ahead with doctoring the formula for fixation of the Minimum
wage and consequent fitment proposition. While the proposed strike
action was gathering momentum, the Government opened its doors for
negotiations. To facilitate a negotiated settlement, the NJCA
accepted the proposal of the Government to set up a Committee to go into the
matter of Minimum wage and fitment formula and revise the same within the
course of four months. However, as is the case with this Government,
they refused to honour the commitment which they made on 30th June,
2016, when the heat of the struggle got dissipated. The Govt. has
now gone on record through a written answer to a question raised in the
Parliament to state that the revision of minimum wage and fitment formula was
no more in their agenda for consideration.
There had been wide and
varied criticism over the decision taken by the NJCA leaders to defer the
strike action scheduled to take place from 11.7.2016 onwards on the basis of
the “unmeant” assurance held out by the Government. Many of the
allegations leveled emanated from the trust deficit, the employees and
pensioners had over the political authority of the Government, the BJP. The
surprisingly strident criticism was due to the widely prevalent perception of
the political players at the helm of affairs of the country. They could
not have been possibly faulted, for chicanery had been employed on
quite a number of occasions earlier by the ruling party. It was not
that the NJCA leadership was unaware of the character and characteristics of
those in governance but they had to be driven by the mass front
compulsions. The present ruling coalition was fully aware of the
ground reality that was prevalent among the mass of the middle class employees
and tactically decided to defer decision on the vital demands of the CGES to create
an illusion amongst the common workers. They had been able to
sustain that illusion, mainly because of the in-cohesiveness amongst the
various organizations of the CGEs and the sheer unwillingness on the part of a
few to tread the struggle path.
Now that the reality is
revealed, the moot point is what must be the response. The common multitude of
the employees irrespective of the organizational allegiance wants the issue to
be confronted. In the absence of any preparation for a tangible
response, there is every possibility of the matter facing a natural death The
Government with their fine propaganda machinery has been so far
successful to create an impression that civil servants of the country are
better placed in terms of salary and allowances and the Government had done
well in accepting and implementing the suggestions of the 7th CPC. The
employees’ organizations have not been able to successfully combat or counter
this palpably misguiding or mal-propaganda based on untruth.
Having failed to get the
support of the dominant organizations in the NJCA, the Confederation, true to
its ideology, called upon its members to organize a series of programmes
including Parliament March, Mass dharna in front of Finance Minister’s office,
human chain at all centers, burning of HRA orders, Mass dharna at district and
state levels culminating in a one day strike. The strike that took
place on 16.03.2017 elicited the unprecedented response of the largest number
of its members. The propaganda unleashed against the confederation,
especially by those who chose to keep silence over the dilly dallying tactics
of the Government was that the Confederation was acting upon mere
perception as the Government has never stated that it would not
honour its commitment. The present unambiguous statement laid on the
table of the Parliament by the Government in the matter makes the chicanery
officially confirmed. Those who prefer to choose silence even now must
understand that their silence will only strength the cloud of doubt that arose
on 30th June, 2016.
What more excuses
will come to the rescue of those organizations is difficult to fathom.
The Convention expresses
the firm view that the employees must react in a very serious manner to the
despicable machinations of the Government.
3. The rate of unemployment in
the country has been on the increase ever since the new economic policies were
sought to be implemented. Not only no new industry could be
established, the maximization of profit mantra sapped all regular employment
opportunities in organized sector. A sizeable segment of the jobs in
the organized sector was in formalized. The regular workers were
replaced by contract labour. In some of the industries, the entire
enterprise was contracted out, the management retaining a very few supervisory
or managerial positions. Presently in all big industrial
undertakings in the country, majority of the workforce are either contract
workers or workers engaged on daily rated basis. The Government not
only encouraged the anti-labour practices but also adopted the same policy in
the fully owned public Sector undertakings as also in the Government
Departments. There had been very little job opportunities created
during the last two and half decades except in the Service
Sector. Whatever job opportunities were created in the so called
special economic zones, the denial of trade union rights to the workers ensured
that they were no better than contract workers. Governmental Sector
witnessed the return of casual and daily rated workers , a system which was in
vogue in the early 50s but was forced out through constant trade union
struggles. The VI-CPC had recommended the abolition of Gr. D. posts
numbering about 9.4 lakhs. In para 3.7.7 the commission has observed
that:
"Increasingly basic
work relating to cleaning, sweeping, maintenance etc. is being outsourced. This
is a welcome trend that needs to be encouraged by bringing about systematic
changing in the existing scheme so that the employees in Govt. are only utilized
for requiring a certain levels of skills".
Majority of the functions
presently carried out by the Gr. D. employees across the board is
unskilled. What had actually been done by the Commission is to abolish
the unskilled functions in the Governmental sector to pave way for more and
more contractorisation of these jobs while the existing employees (whose
working strength has become less than 50% of the sanctioned strength) might be
classified as Gr.’C. and assigned to do functions which are of skilled nature
with lesser emoluments than what it could have been even as per the V-CPC
recommendations. In the days to come the unskilled nature of jobs would
be either outsourced or would be contractorised. Recruitment will
hereafter become unavailable in the Governmental sector for those who are in
the lower strata of the society who could not afford or who are not provided
even the primary education even though the universal primary education is
stated to be the objective and goal of a welfare Government. In fact they
are being punished as the Government abdicated its responsibility to provide
them the nascent requirement of primary education. The recommendation is
therefore, a by-product of the neo-liberal economic policies which we have been
fighting against all these years. As has been
feared, the Government has now decided to ensure that all unskilled jobs are to
be contractorised. The guidelines issued by
the Department of Personnel for the Multi-tasking staff makes it mandatory that
the future recruitees in government service must have a minimum educational
qualification of matriculation. The recruitment will be
done through the Staff Selection Commission. These personnel may not be
deployed for the unskilled jobs like sweeper, farash, Mali, watchmen etc. The Department of Personnel
has already advised all concerned to go in for contractorisation of these
functions. The workers so recruited by the contractors are not to have any job
security as they will be liable for termination without assigning any reason
whatsoever. As per the information now made available at the floor of the
Parliament, the number of contract workers engaged by various public sector
undertaking and Governmental organisations is 21,12 715.
In the background of the
continuing ban on recruitment, many of the Government organizations have
resorted to outsourcing of their functions which are of permanent and perennial
nature to agencies on fixed rates. The very fact that the
Government has made available funds for the Departmental heads to resort to
outsourcing establishes the intention of the Government. The functions being carried
out by the Group C employees and the Group B Non gazetted officials are liable
to be outsourced. Once the outsourcing
becomes hassle free, there will be no likelihood of any fresh creation of posts in these
cadres. The large scale
computerization has helped the outsourcing as a feasible proposition.
The Government has now
issued instructions to abolish all posts which were lying vacant for the past
five years. Innumerable number of posts, in fact about 50% of the sanctioned
strength, are lying vacant for the simple reason that the recruiting agency had
not been able to provide the requisite number of qualified/eligible
candidates. This again was a predetermined design. In a very short
period of time, the recruitment to Group C cadres and Group B cadres would be
halted. Since there is no recruitment possible for Group B
Managerial posts, most of the Departments will be left with officers recruited
through the civil service examination and a few employees hired on contract
basis.
4. Another important issue is
the atrocious decision taken by the Government in the matter of pension
revision, which has affected adversely lakhs of Central Government
Pensioners. In the memorandum, the contours of which were finalized in a
convention held at Chennai where the representative of almost all pensioners’
organization took part, the point that was stressed with utmost importance was
the need to bring about parity in pension entitlements between the past and
present pensioners. During the oral evidence presented before the 7th Central
Pay Commission, to whom the memorandum had been submitted, the question of
parity was thoroughly deliberated. Though the representatives of the
Pensioners Associations and Federations did not make any concrete suggestion as
to the methodology to remove the existing disparity in the pension
entitlements, they no doubt presented the reasons and causes for such
disparity. Taking into serious consideration of the submissions of the
Pensioners Associations/Federations and more so what was submitted by the Staff
Side of the JCM, the Commission realizing the enormity of injustice being meted
out to the senior pensioners, made a suggestion which is now commonly known as
the Option No. 1. The Commission recommended to the Government two
methodologies to be employed as pension revision formula, option of which is
left to the individual pensioner. He or she was entitled to choose
either of the option depending upon the financial benefit. The whole
pensioner community considered this recommendation of the 7th CPC
as the best way of resolving the issue and bring about parity between the past
and present pensioners. There had been all-round criticism of the
overall recommendations of the 7th CPC from the employees but
every single individual employee or organization appreciated the formulation
made by the Commission in respect of Pensioners.
However, at the instance of
the Pension Department, the Government while accepting this recommendation made
a subjective clause. The acceptance of the recommendation was
subjected to the feasibility of implementation for which the Government
constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of the Secretary
Pension. As it is natural, the Committee headed by the Pension
Secretary found the recommendation “infeasible” for the simple reason that in a
few cases, the relevant records would not be available with the
Government. The Service records of an employee or pensioner is
supposed to be maintained by the Government. How can the individual
pensioner be punished for the mere fault of a Government department was the
question the pensioners and staff side raised before the Committee, which went
unanswered. The Committee suggested another methodology as the
pension fitment formula. The Pensioners representatives and
the Staff Side of the JCM had no objection to the said formula for that was to
benefit some of the pensioners, including the top echelons of the bureaucracy. However,
they requested that the Committee’s suggestion might be treated as the third
option to be applied whoever wants it or in whichever case the records are not
available. The suggestion made by the staff side was rejected as
also the Option No.1. It was pointed out that rejection of a claim
on the specious ground that the records are not available with the Government
is legally untenable. In all such cases, the Government does
have the option to obtain a solemn affidavit from the claimant, a practice
followed by the Governments throughout the world. The irony is that such
decision was taken by the Government whose Finance Minister is a legal
luminary. What is established without an iota of
ambiguity is the Government’s overdependence on the self-seeking bureaucrats,
who had an axe to grind in rejecting Option No. 1 and the utter insensitivity
of the political authority towards the concern of the common people even if
they are senior citizens.
5. Wage revision of Grameen
Dak Sewaks is a classic example of this Government’s attitude towards workers,
especially those in the lower rung of the hierarchy .Grameen Dak Sewaks,
formerly known as the Extra Departmental Agents is the innovative exploitative
system evolved by the British Colonial rulers to spread the postal
communication to rural India. Appointed as agents who were authorized to use
the Postal seal as a mark of official status were entitled either for a
commission or a honorarium. The Government that came into existence
in free India found the system convenient and cheap and decided to
continue. Through incessant struggles, the Postal workers tried to end
this unsavoury system of employment and they had been quite successful in
raising their status and emoluments. Through a series of struggles organized
mostly under the leadership of the National Federation of Post and Telecom
Employees and later under the banner of the National Federation of Postal
Employees, the Grammen Dak Sewaks marched ahead. The very word
Grameen Dak Sewaks was in recognition of the demand that the British system
must come to an end. Despite near total unanimity over the need to
end this system once and for all across the political system, none has dared so
far to raise them on par with the organized segment of the working
class. They are still considered as casual workers having no benefit
of the regular postal employees and are denied the retirement benefits. It was
the Talwar Committee which really went into the hopeless living and working
conditions of the GDS and made recommendations which if accepted would have
changed the scenario. Many of their recommendations, which were meant to
raise the standard of living of the employees, were not acted upon at
all. In the wake of the setting up of the 7th CPC,
the Confederation of CGE and workers demanded the Commission to treat the GDS
on par with the regular Government Servants. The Commission
Chairman, Shri Ashok Mathur, a retired Supreme Court Judge however, did not
agree. Had he been able to take a decision on this vital question of their
status their case for wage revision could have been covered by the 7th CPC
itself. The Government then appointed the Kamalesh Chandra Committee to look
into their issues and demands. Retired as a postal bureaucrat, Shri Kamalesh
Chandra was fully aware of the exploitative system. No doubt many of the
recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra Committee was in favour of the GDS
employees and if accepted will improve the service conditions. The
Committee did not address the issue of status under the garb that the same was
under the judicial scrutiny. The report was in the consideration of the
Government for the past 18 months.
The indefinite strike
action of all GDS Unions which commenced on 22nd May,
2018 asking the Government to take a final decision on the recommendation of
the Kamalesh Chandra Committee with the full support and even
participation of the regular Postal employees, elicited solidarity action from
all sections of the working class in the country, especially from the Central
Govt. Employees. The Government dragged the strike for 16 glorious
days. Despite their best efforts, the Government or the Postal
Department could not break the unity of the Unions and Associations of the GDS
employees throughout the long 16 days strike period. The arrogance on the part
of the political authority was the one and only reason that the
matter was allowed to be delayed for more than 18 months. The
glorious strike of the GDS Employees which went on 16 days has the total participation
of the GDS employees and the Government thoroughly failed in all their attempts
to break that solid unity. Ultimately the Government has to come
down and approve the major recommendations regarding wage rise of the GDS. The
GDS Unions deserve the accolade from all for organising such a great strike
action .
6. The attached charter of
demands includes many other issues which are pending settlement for many
years. They include inter alia, the removal of the ceiling on
compassionate appointments; regularization of casual, contract and daily rated
workers, filling up of vacant posts; equal pay for equal work; rescinding the
decision to close down the Printing presses; five promotions in the service
career; recognition of Unions/federations; regular functioning of the JCM;
removal of the provisions of Rule 56.J; grant of wage /pension revision
benefits to employees of autonomous bodies etc. etc.
The Convention declares
that the employees who are members of the organizations affiliated to the
Confederation will embark upon a series of programmes of action detailed
hereunder culminating in a one day strike action on 15th November,
2018, on which date, the All India State Government employees will also be on a
day’s strike in pursuance of their charter of demands. As it is the desire
of the participants of this Convention that the strike action must
have the largest possible participation of the workers in the country, the
National Secretariat of the Confederation is directed to take steps
to synchronize the date of action with similar action organized by the
Unions/Federations under the auspices of the Central Trade Unions.
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