Friday, 17 July 2020

Message From Leader, RJCM (Staff Side), Odisha




Message From Leader, RJCM (Staff Side), Odisha
(Appeal to read completely and offer suitable feedback)
 
Dear Comrades,
As aware, RJCM (Staff Side), Odisha Circle vide its letter dated 13.07.2020 had requested the Chief PMG – cum – Chairman, RJCM to hold a special RJCM Meeting to discuss on issues arising out of COVID-19. The said letter has already been posted in aipeugroupcodisha.blogspot.in and different WhatsApp Groups which you might have gone.

When our letter was neither acknowledged nor we were informed in any manner, we contacted the Asst. Director (Welfare) and came to know that the Chief PMG denied to hold any meeting on the plea of COVID-19. Then we contacted the DPS (HQ) and proceeded to Circle Office on 17.07.2020 accompanied with Com. Dusmanta Kumar Sethi, Secretary, RJCM (Staff Side) to meet the Chief PMG directly for discussion on this sensitive issue when there has been a steady increase in COVID-19 cases throughout the nation including the State of Odisha.

But to our utter dissatisfaction, the Chief PMG surprisingly denied to meet both the Leader and the Secretary, RJCM (Staff Side) and suggested to meet the DPS(HQ). We do regret to express our displeasure that such avoidance to the RJCM, the highest negotiating platform on staff issues was not at all expected from the Head of the Circle especially during this critical juncture of COVID-19 pandemic when the operative side is highly ignored by the administration and forced to work in the field with every apprehension and risk of COVID-19 in violation of orders issued by the MHA and Govt. of Odisha.

How can the Staff Side be avoided for discussion on mass problems!

However, we had a cordial discussion with DPS (HQ) in the presence and participation of Asst. Director (Welfare), Asst. Director (Staff) and Asst. Director (Estt.)

Apart from all the common issues which we had already represented, our discussion was mainly focussed on reduction of staff strength in Post Offices to 50% with roster duty as ordered from time to time by MHA and Govt. of Odisha,  reduction in working hours of Post / RMS Offices and proper sanitization with regular and adequate supply of preventive materials.

But as per the opinion of the administration, they have already issued necessary orders on the above issues to all concerned last being on 08.07.2020 and now it is the duty of the Divisional Heads to implement the guidelines in letter and spirit. No more order will be issued.  Anyhow, after discussion, the DPS agreed to reiterate all those orders once again to all concerned. But regretfully,  the order dated 08.07.2020 has nothing to do with  reduction of staff strength in Post Offices to 50% with roster duty and reduction in working hours of Post / RMS Offices.

We left Circle Office with a satisfaction that we just met the DPS (HQ) and nothing else. It was proved that our letters, appeals and discussions have no impact on administration and their decision is final even if goes against the interest of the mass. While the administration is afraid of receiving the letters and meeting the public, the operative staff members have to keep the offices completely open with full staff strength, work for full business hours without proper sanitization and preventive materials, tolerate the rush of customers without social distancing, achieve the targets assigned to us under all odd situations and use the biometric devices where there is more possibility of transmission of corona virus. Let the Department run at the cost of the lives of these innocent operative staff members. 

What a discrimination!

In this context, we should be very specific that this is not the problem of Odisha Circle alone. The administration is issuing many such arbitrary orders in many Circles. As come to our notice, UP Circle has restricted entry of staff representatives to Circle Office which has already been protested by NFPE. Telengana Circle was on agitation raising the above issues. Moreover, now NFPE has asked all Circle Secretaries to collect information on COVID-19 affected and death cases from all Divisions with suggestions for adopting a definite/indefinite strike programme to save the employees and their family members.

We have already requested in this regard and waiting for everybody’s response.

 As such, we have proposed for adopting workplace agitational programmes throughout the Circle keeping an eye to COVID-19 guidelines of social distancing on the following issues to contain spread of COVID-19 and to save the lives of the staff and their family members.

1.    To stop discrimination in between the administrative and operative staff members.

2.    To close down all Post and RMS Offices on each Saturday where weekend shutdown has been declared by the State Govt.

3.    To close down all NDTSOs till restoration of normalcy.

4.    To close all Aadhaar Centres and other biometric device related activities like PMA, AePS etc.

5.    To run the Post and RMS Offices including administrative offices, PSDs, CPCs, Hubs etc. with 50% staff on roster basis as ordered by the Govt. of Odisha.

6.    To reduce the business hours of the Post and RMS Offices restricting to maximum 5 hours on all working days and 3 hours on Saturday.

7.    To build up temporary sitting arrangements for customers with provision of chairs, writing tables, fans and drinking water facility in the available space of the PO premises till restoration of normalcy.

8.    To supply Thermal Scanners and Sanitization Machines to all POs with permission for purchase of required disinfectants and other preventive materials as and when necessary.

9.    To deploy daily wagers at the main entrance of the POs, especially in bigger offices with unexpected rush of customers for thermal scanning,  requesting / helping each customer to wash hands and to use sanitizer and to restrict entry of customers to the Counter Hall.    

10. Provision of police assistance at the entrance of the bigger offices like HOs, HSG-I / HSG-II SOs and MDGs to minimize rush of customers into the counter hall and to maintain proper social distancing.

Hope, you will give your suitable suggestion / feedback within 3 days through eMail to aipeugroupcodisha@gmail.com to proceed ahead. 

With Struggle Greetings

Comradely yours,

(Bruhaspati Samal)
Leader (Staff Side)

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