Monday 21 January 2019

AIPEU, GROUP-C, CHQ SUBMITTED MEMORANDUM ON IMPORTANT ISSUES RELATING TO THE SECTIONAL DEMANDS OF THIS UNION


MEMORANDUM ON IMPORTANT ISSUES RELATING TO
THE   SECTIONAL DEMANDS OF THIS UNION


No. P-3/CWC/Jhansi (UP)/2018-19                      Dated: 21st January, 2019

To
            The Secretary,
            Department of Posts,
            Dak Bhawan,
            New delhi-110 001

Sub:   MEMORANDUM ON IMPORTANT ISSUES RELATING TO THE SECTIONAL DEMANDS OF THIS UNION
Sir,
We are submitting hereunder the important issues confronting the staff working in the POs and about their service conditions, welfare, career progress etc. for your immediate attention and action. The CWC held at Jhansi from 23.12.2018   to 24.12.2018 unanimously resolve to oppose the further moves of the Department in corporatizing the remaining services other than the IPPB since it has a stay at this juncture and decided to launch series of action culminating to indefinite strike in case the department is further proceeding to corporatize the existing postal services.

The CWC further decides that in the event of non-consideration and settlement of the following demands, this union will be forced to conduct programmes culminating to indefinite strike since many of the issues could be sorted out easily at the department level and in our opinion they are being protracted and delayed on one pretext or the other.

It is therefore requested to kindly bestow your personal attention to mitigate the staff grievances by giving top most priority within a time frame and ensure tranquillity and peaceful atmosphere in the workplace for the improvement of the service and the department.

1.      Shortage of staff & Review of assessment of vacancies in P.A. cadre in all the Divisions.

i.           In many circles, the exercise as stipulated in Directorate letter dated 23.11.2015 has not been completed properly and still there is a huge difference between the sanctioned strength and working strength plus actual vacancies. There is difference between the sanctioned and working strength of PAs almost in all the Divisions, because of irregular assessment of vacancies during the 2000 – 2008. The residual vacancies are not properly taken into account during that period by many divisions.  This results in acute shortage of staff throughout the nation.  The chain of vacancies in resultant promotional posts is also not taken into account.  Immediate review shall be made in all the circles and revive the posts which were either kept in skeleton or abolished unnoticed due to non-adherence of the rulings. There should be transparency in the review in consultation with the service unions and all the vacancies should be taken into account before notification of the direct recruitment exam.

ii.             Further we are of the firm opinion that the recruitment through staff selection commission may be reviewed due to inordinate delay taken place in the recruitment. Circle wise recruitment as in the past may be re-introduced in order to avoid in filling up the vacant posts.

iii.             In order to meet the shortage of staff in PA cadre, the willing postmen /MTS/GDS officials possessing required qualification may be utilised in the short term vacancies.

iv.            The Postal Assistants deputed to circle office/ regional office, IPPB, Marketing activities may be returned back to the operative divisions since the shortage problem persists mostly in the operative offices.

2.      Grant of higher pay at entry level to Postal Assistants to the Pay level of 6 as per 7thCPC (Rs.4200 GP) and subsequent higher levels to LSG, HSG II , HSG I & NFG.

Due to two contradictory recommendations made simultaneously within fifteen days ie one is for the increase of PA scale to Rs.2800 GP and the other to keep the same as Rs.2400 GP by the department to the 7th CPC, this demand has not been considered by the 7th CPC. Further, when the educational qualification has been proposed to be revised as Graduation in the proposed RR 2017, the minimum pay for the PA cadre has to be revised as eligible to the educational standard ie, Level 6. Accordingly, the entry pay of LSG, HSG II, & HSG I should be revised and the NFG should be made as Gazetted with higher pay.

3.      Immediate settlement of residual problems arisen due to implementation of cadre review.

Consequent upon the implementation of cadre review, the following issues may please be sorted out immediately.

i.        The LSG shall be made as divisional cadre and the promotions to HSG II & HSG I can be accorded based on the PA Gradation list at circle level. At present, the IPs are promoted to Group B without linking to the seniority of ASPOs. It will alone minimise the dislocation and filling up of vacancies in the PA cadre.

ii.        After the identification of HSG II and HSG I, there will be no qualified LSG / HSG II officials respectively to the extent of number of posts being upgraded due to application of recruitment rules in which the minimum required service of 5 years is compulsory for the next promotions. As such, if one time relaxation has not been accorded, most of the upgraded HSG II and HSG I posts remain vacant and could not be filled up on regular basis. Further it will result in shortage in the feeder cadre of Postal Assistant and there will be surplus PAs due to the officiating in higher posts and the existing vacancies could not be filled up which will hamper the service. It is therefore necessary to grant one time relaxation in the minimum qualifying service for the grant of HSG II and HSG I promotions. Since there will be adequate officials with 5 years’ service in PA cadre there will be no necessary for such relaxation in the case of LSG promotion

iii.       Similarly the minimum required service to HSG II & HSG I shall be restored to old status quo ante position. i.e. 3 years which was earlier accepted by the DOPT. While filling up the post of NFG, the senior most HSG I employees should be allowed to continue the same work and in the same post. There shall be no transfer on acquiring the NFG.

iv.      In respect of metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and capital cities, the number of posts in LSG and HSG II will be very lesser while comparing the mofussil divisions. While implementing the orders on cadre restructuring, there will be more dislocation/replacement of officials in such divisions in PA cadre which will cause a great resentment amidst the officials. The earlier practice of maintaining two gradation lists as prescribed in Volume IV viz. one for the divisions under the metropolitan cities and another for the mofussil divisions shall also be considered to avoid more replacement and dislocation at the initial stage in case if the proposal for divisionalisation of LSG is not considered. This practice is still available in respect of PO & RMS accountants.

v.        Further the application of ‘Good’ bench mark for all the promotions up to NFG shall be maintained. It is pertinent to submit that there is no provision in the postal operative offices about the reviewing officers while writing the APARs and the reporting officer is sole in the decision of the divisional heads; many times, they use to write the APAR without knowing the person personally. Even the bias and prejudices of such divisional head exhibits while writing the APAR.  Since the provision of review is not provided, the application of Good bench mark shall be maintained. Further as clarified in many departments the application of good benchmark in case of MACP and regular promotion shall be considered to the periods prior to implementation of Very good bench mark by the DOPT. In the event of non-consideration, the provision of review of APAR as introduced after the Sixth CPC in our department to upgrade the entries may be declared to upgrade the benchmark from good to very good as one time measure for the periods prior to implementation of very good bench mark  is required for the MACP and other promotions.

4.   Cadre review of Postmaster cadre –

We are demanding merger of the Postmaster cadre with general line due to the following reasons.

i.      There is no discrimination among the postmasters who are doing the same work and under the present changed scenario all the postmasters are having more responsibilities similar to the Postmaster cadre.

ii.     After carving out the Postmaster cadre it became a dying cadre in respect of promotional aspects other than the seniority cum fitness and with no scope of promotional avenues which are available to the General line officials.

iii.    Since the work of the General line and the postmaster cadre is similar and one and the same there is no need to keep a separate hierarchical cadre in the Postmaster cadre.

       It is most unfortunate that this cadre is totally neglected after its formation and after the cadre review in PA cadre, this cadre is totally frustrated. Even the POs having the earlier status equal to PM Grade I post is now HSG II; whereas the PM Grade I is still in LSG and equated with the status of single handed post offices. It must be considered by enhancing their status of PM Grade I and II as HSG II & HSG I. The PM Grade III should be equated with NFG and the existing officials should be accommodated in the relevant posts. There is no need to keep the cadre separately with the exploitation and could be merged with the existing HSG II, & HSG I. The relaxation of recruitment rules may be accorded to that extent to provide one time relaxation to all the existing incumbent postmaster cadre officials to be placed in the higher HSG II, HSG I & NFG posts.

       While carving out the Postmasters cadre and framing separate recruitment rules for Postmaster cadre, it was declared that the Postmaster cadre is a separate hierarchical and not transferable to other cadres.  After carving out a separate cadre of Postmaster from General & IP line, 100% of the senior Postmaster & Chief Postmaster Posts have not been declared to the hierarchical cadre of Postmaster and the IPOs have been allowed to continue as Senior Postmaster till now. In the last six years there was no promotion accorded as per the recruitment rules to the Senior Postmaster cadre. Before merging the Postmaster cadre with the general line, the posts of 114 Senior postmaster posts shall be filled up with the senior most postmaster cadre officials and then the merger should take place as a part of natural justice to these neglected cadre.

       It is further suggested that in order to boost the morale of the younger officials who are possessing qualification and skill, a LDCE promotion may be introduced to the extent of 20% in the LSG posts and the officials who are possessing three years continuous service may be permitted to appear the merit oriented examination for the LSG posts.

5.      Implementation of CSI Roll out and Rural ICT. Problems need immediate redressal:

For implanting the IT projects consists of CBS, CIS and CSI, the Department has entered in to contract with Infosys and TCS. For Network connectivity SIFY Technologies has been selected above BSNL. The operative staff are struggling like mouthless creatures at the mercy of the vendors.

i.            Implement the remaining projects after full testing in the testing environment successfully and problems faced are redressed. Adequate peripherals required for CSI shall be ensured first. The CSI software should be modified as a user friendly and should not be a cumbersome creating tension to the staff at workplace.

ii.           Stop all the pending implementation of the projects forthwith and take confidence of the service unions /staff before implementation. Network connectivity should be improvised depending on the status of the office. Both the NSP I & II must be ensured working.

iii.          All the officials especially the women staff should not be detained in the office beyond working hours in the name of system failure, network failure etc., for completing day to day work.

iv.          The following are the issues to be attended and sorted out in the CSI
a.    GL Codes: A comprehensive GL Codes should be supplied by the Department as the different GL codes are getting us through WhatsApp etc for each items which are to be deleted subsequently. A catalogue may please be supplied to all.
b.    Non reflection of transactions in daily accounts/ TCB then and there creating hardship. TCB is not matching with the daily accounts on the same day in many occasions.
c.    Pay roll out was implemented very hastily resulting in non drawal of salary on due date. Similarly the GPF payments, other bills are inordinately delayed
d.    Change of user ID/ sharing of user ID and password is a serious problem. At present it is time consuming during short term deputations and urgent occasions. The change of user ID and password could not be done on time as the system takes more time for such changes.  Many times they are compelled to use the user ID and password of the regular incumbent during such occasions which is very dangerous.
e.    No SOP is communicated while implementing the CSI. For example in HOs, whether the HO Summary is required or not; as such how the monitoring of SO transactions is effectively possible. Similarly it is not clear whether the SO slip is required; if not what is the alternative to despatch invoiced items including cash and stamps to SOs. There is no clear cut instructions about the returns to DAP and what are all those. Similar in the case of preparation/correctness of Trial balance with GL codes. Generation of TCB/ daily account must be ensured on the same day so that the official will leave the office peacefully.
f.     Generation of reports at DO/RO/CO levels is possible now but the PMs are being insisted to generate the reports and forward which is unnecessary duplication of work at the post office.
g.    Supply of stamps to SO/BOs should be simplified. User friendly menus / steps has to be introduced to wipe out this problem since non supply of stamps to BOs will reflect the revenue of the BOs. The sale and payment of IPOs is also a difficult one in the SAP.
h.    The employee portal is not at all accessible to the employees for applying leave, GPF etc. The existing procedure for salary payments should be simplified. The role of DDOs has been minimised and the work has been centralised in the DAP resulting inordinate delay in payment to the officials.
i.      Reversal/ Deletion of entries is also a serious problem. Now the power has been vested with the PM/DAP. This should be decentralised and the officials could not be put under mental torture till the reversal is taken by the audit which is not being varied out immediately. If it is on the same day the SPM may be vested with the power before forwarding the accounts and the respective PM of the HO may be vested with the power if it is within one month. Further a set of rules/ instructions may please be issued considering the risk of deletion/ reversal of entries.
j.      It is very difficult for PMs to view the status of e-payment in Tcode ZFI-EPAY. This should be delegated to the SPMs
The above are the important items which require the special attention and make the CSI a user friendly and there should be no hurdle while working at the operative side.

The following are the problems to be sorted out immediately in the RICT:

i.              Approval of Substitutes in RICT device is much complicated as the substitutes will not be a common person.

ii.             There is no network connection even after the supply of different types of sim cards. Minimum double sim cards shall be provided where there is unstable network.

iii.            Good quality of RICT machines must be ensured, there are many complaints about the malfunctioning of the machines. Further permanent arrangement has to be provided to attend the repair of the device, batteries, panel board then and there to avoid the dislocation of the service. The GDS officials should be imparted proper training in RICT functions and work.

iv.           The present device is with very small key board and screen and its operation is quite difficult particularly to the senior GDSwho did not possess the knowledge of handling such devices earlier. It is requested to consider to provide tablet or laptop in the future by replacing the RICT devices.

The following are the problems prevailing in Finacle/ McCamish:

i.              To avoid posting transactions of Finacle and McCamish using tool, mapping with employee ID in SAP/CSI is required.

ii.             Finacle Menus are to be minimised.

iii.            The size of POSB passbooks should be remodelled like bank pass books making the printing of entries therein become easy.

iv.           The McCamish site is not stale still. The process is taking more time consuming, It should be simplified. In the approval stage, after the approval of QC, the items will wrongly reaching in the inboxes of RO, CO etc creating abnormal delay.

v.            No facility to generate commission bills in MCCamish is provided and no commission is sanctioned and credited automatically. Commissions should be credited to the SB accounts of the officials/ agents as and when the transaction is taken place which will motivate for more business.

vi.           The functioning of SIFY is not up to the requirements and in many places this is not working. In many places the SAP II is not working and depending only one network that could not cater the requirements.

vii.          McCamish reports are not available every day. Hence the staff are experiencing difficulty to tally their daily accounts. Further supervisory provisions should be made available for any corrections if required.

viii.         The proposals are not correctly directed to corresponding ‘inbox’ of approver with respect of the sum assured.

ix.           For the surrender cases, copies of all the documents are sent manually to the ADM (PLI) for approval since they are not able to access the file net.

x.            Bar Code facility may be introduced for PLI/RPLI policies so that further transactions and correspondences could be easier.

6.   Posting of additional hand to all the single handed offices:
    
The present software is having doer and checker provisions which cannot be managed by a single staff at the same time. In particular as per the CSI norms there should be operator and checker. Further in the changed environment, technological change, introduction of Aadhar seeding, IPPB works, all the single handed offices should be provided with one hand immediately.

7.   Issues related to Group B Recruitment Rules:

i.      As the Postmaster cadre has been separately carved out from the general line and a separate hierarchical promotional line has been prescribed, the entire 116 post of the Senior Postmaster should be allotted exclusively for Postmaster cadre. Postmaster cadre is a specialised cadre by conducting a separate examination as if of IPs. Therefore there should be no reservation in the 116 posts for the IP grade officials and the all the posts should be earmarked only for the Postmaster cadre in case if our proposal of merger of postmaster cadre and general line supervisory posts.

ii. The reservation made for Postmaster cadre should not alter the existing representation of 6% in Group B examination for general line as if available as on date. The existing representation of 6% to the General line shall also be enhanced to extent of 19% as recommended by the V pay commission.

iii.            It is pertinent to note that at the time of introduction of direct recruitment of IP cadre to extent of 33% freezing out from the PA cadre,it was assured that the percentage of the representation in the Group B cadre shall be enhanced accordingly. However this has not been exercised so far.

As agreed upon in the JCM Departmental council a separate proposal has been forwarded by the staff side much earlier about the enhancement of reservation and eligibility of Group B examination for which no meeting has been convened so far. But to our dismay in the proposed Group B Recruitment Rules circulated last year the exclusive privilege of writing the exams by PAs have been extended to CO, SBCO & Others whereas the reservation of 6% has not been enhanced. This causes a concern. It must be increased to the extent of 19% as demanded and allowing all to write the examination.

8.   Irregular commutation of LR strength.

It is observed that LR strength of all categories is being calculated on the ratio of 10% of the operative staff and this is being confirmed during the negotiations held with the Staff Side during the strike charter demands.Whereas while referring the P&T Manual Volume IV under Chapter I general rule 18-1, the following ratio has been fixed for commutation of leave reserve in the P&T Department. Administrative offices 14%.As per Rules 249 in Chapter 8 envisages the percentage of leave reserve in post offices to be maintained as 17% and in RMS 20%. There was no amendment to the rules made subsequently. The DOPT instructions fixing 10% LRs is applicable to only administrative offices. The provision of child care leave introduced by the Sixth CPC has not been fully implemented in any division/ circle due to dearth of hands and the existing shortage of staff is made as a ruse to deny the facilities to the women employees. The discrepancies shall may be sorted out and necessary LR posts may be created to manage the shortage of staff and other new ventures of the department

9.      Fixation of Pay on promotion to a post carrying higher duties and responsibilities but carrying same grade pay.

A kind attention is invited to the OMs issued by the Department about granting of one increment to Postmaster Grade I and IPOs on promotion to ASPOs in the case of carrying same Grade pay.

In the Department of Posts, the norm based posts in the cadre of LSG, HSG-II and HSG-I carry higher duties and responsibilities ( Supervisory posts) and on promotion to these posts from the feeder cadre are eligible for fixation of pay under FR.22(1) a(i) and therefore, the same analogy applicable to Postmaster cadre and ASPOs shall be applied in the promotions for LSG, Fast Track, HSG II & HSG I etc. and grant 3% increment in such cases of promotion if the grade is one and same for those acquired the same Grade Pay due to MACP. It is requested to cause appropriate orders.

10.    MACP Anomalies – Injustice to promotees under MACP scheme – request implementation of CAT Jodhpur judgment and the judgment of Supreme Court in favour of Sivakumar, Chennai North Dn, Tamilnadu circle –

The Central Administrative Tribunal, Jodhpur vide its judgment in the cases filed under OA No. 382/2011, OA 353/2011 & OA 354/2011 held that the previous career advancements cannot be called as promotions for the consideration of MACP and it should be started a new innings from the PA promotion for counting the stagnation. The CAT sets aside the impugned cancellation of MACP orders against the applicants and directed to repay the amount with due GPF rate of interest. The Supreme Court has held in case of Sivakumar to accord third MACP even though he is a promotee.

The judgment is partially implemented in the case of the officials who approached legal remedies and a Good Govt should not drive all the similarly situated persons to knock the doors of the Court. It should be implemented to all the similarly situated persons.

It is therefore requested to kindly cause immediate action and render justice to the promotees who are aggrieved due to partial implementation of the Court orders.

11.  Implementation of Five days week in Postal

A kind attention is invited to the earlier charter of demands for which it was replied that it will be pursued. Under the changed atmosphere and working in the computers uninterruptedly for more than eight hours daily the operative staff require two days rest in a week. Further the banking sector have declared holiday on second and fourth Saturday of a month from Sep 2015 and this is in practice in every sector. It is therefore requested to consider and declare five days week in the postal department at the earliest.

12.  Tenure, Transfer Policies & sensitive posts request to revisit:

In the revised Rotational transfer policy guidelines issued by the Department, the post tenure has been reduced to the Group C officials instead of the four years existing since from the beginning. Similarly, the station tenure has been implemented to non-gazetted officials also which will cause frequent dislocations to the staff. This will cause huge expenditure by way of TA also to the Govt. and also cause frequent disturbance in the children’s education and maintaining double establishments. The provisions of status quo ante may be restored in case of non-gazetted officials. Further, the sensitive posts have been widened and under the present orders, there will be more dislocation once in two years in particular to single and double handed post offices, systems administrators etc. This should be revisited and the sensitive posts should be reduced.

13.  Compelling local trainees to stay in hostels in PTCs

Postal Training Centre, is compelling the officials deputed for training from the local and neighbouring divisions to stay in the hostel during the training period. There is no need to compel the local trainees to stay in hostels and they can be allowed to attend the training classes from their residences and it will reduce the TA expenditure to the department also. The women employees who are local residents are facing untold hardships due to this insistence.

14.  Imposing unjustified conditions for appearing IP Examination for the departmental quota vacancies.

                The following conditions were put forth by the Department vide letter no. A 34012/7/2012-DE dated 07.06.2012 for appearing in the IP examination which are detrimental and also against to the existing provisions in appearing Departmental examinations.
(i)         No disciplinary action is pending or contemplated against the applicant.
(ii)        No punishment is current against the applicant.
(iii)       No adverse entry in the APAR/ACR in the last two years.
Based on the above, the applications submitted by many officials have not been entertained this time, merely for contemplation of Disciplinary proceedings. No promotions can be withheld in such cases. As such denial of appearing promotional examination is highly deplorable and will tantamount to the denial of Fundamental rights to this officials. Even the procedure of sealed cover is available for promotion. The new clause of adverse entry for last two years is nowhere in the earlier rules and it is against to the interest of the officials.It is therefore requested to rescind the conditions and status quo ante may please be restored.

15.  Revised IP Recruitment Rules – regarding

      In the recruitment rules for the IPs, the minimum service for appearing the IP examination has been enhanced to eight years from the five years. There are more youngsters possessing higher qualifications in PA cadre due to the mass retirement and they are forced to wait for eight years for appearing the examination. It is therefore requested to consider and modify the required minimum service as five years instead of the present eight years

16.  PO & RMS Accountant - Grant of special allowance

The following demands in respect of PO & RMS Accountants have not been considered yet causing resentment and displeasure amidst the qualified hands.
(i)        Proportionate distribution of APM Accounts posts among LSG, HSG II and HSG-I and declare it as a separate cadre.

(ii)       The special allowance granted to PO & RMS Accountants was withdrawn after the implementation of seventh pay commission. The Department has not properly appraised to MOF about the continuance of allowance which was earlier called as special pay and taken for fixation benefits at the time of promotion to LSG. When there is no allowance and no separate channel of promotion no one will be willing to write the examination hereafter. When Treasury allowance is restored similar is the case of special allowance to PO & RMS Accountant and this should be taken up and grant the same to the Accountants retrospectively

(iii)          Date of passing Accounts exam may be taken as the criteria for APM LSG promotion, since no amendment has so far been issued to the statutory rules.  Further the earlier passing of examination will have no relevance in future if the date of appointment and PA seniority is taken for the promotion to LSG APMs. It will demotivate the officials in writing the Accountant examination.

17.    Grant of special allowance to the System administrator to the extent of Rs.2000 Pm.

The work of the system manager and the administrators is more ardent and tension in nature. They have to work round the clock for attending the trouble shooting. It was agreed in 2008 to grant special allowance to these officials where as we demanded for creation of separate higher cadre at that time.
Since the formation of separate cadre to system administrator is now almost a closed subject, it is requested to kindly consider for the grant of special allowance considering the nature of their work.

18.    Grant of Officiating Pay with all consequential benefits for staff officiated in higher vacancies:

It is brought to our notice that the due officiating pay has not been drawn to the incumbents officiating in higher posts. In some circle, despite the clear instructions that MACP is nothing but the PA, the MACP I are forcibly ordered to officiate in LSG likewise in order to deny the drawal officiating pay. This causes a concern.
If an official possessing five years’ service and officiated in LSG Posts he must be granted higher pay; similarly the LSG officials officiating in HSG II & HSG I posts. Clear orders may be released by the Directorate in order to clear the local orders denying the drawal of officiating pay to the officials.

19.    Ensuring the standard of residential accommodation to the SPMs provided with attached Quarters.

Many post attached quarters provided to the SPMs are either sub standard or lack many basic amenities. The schedule of accommodation as prescribed by the Department has not been observed while fixing PO building particularly for the post attached quarters. In rural areas, the total rent payable to the landlord for the whole building housing the post office and Quarters does not exceed even to Rs.800/- per month. It is not uncommon to see that a token amount of Rs.50/- likewise is being charged for the post office and in all such cases, the Postmasters are compelled to stay in the accommodation which is unfit for inhabitation and also far below to the standards. There are many post attached quarters lacking the basic amenities of lavatories.  If the Department could not provide adequate accommodation for the Quarters as prescribed in the SOA, and arrange basic amenities, it should provide option to the SPMs to secure his own accommodation and in such cases the due HRA may be paid to him. The policy of providing post attached accommodation requires reconsideration after the services of Telegraph has totally with drawn from Post offices.

20.    Maintenance of APAR in case of Postman and Group ‘D’ by LSG SPM – regarding

Despite the fact that the appointing authorities for the MTS and postmen have been modified as the divisional head, still in many circles the LSG postmasters are maintaining the APAR of the postmen and MTS working in their offices. Since the importance of APAR is enhanced for the grant of MACP, the uniformity in maintaining the APAR is a must and it should be at divisional level. There is no clarity on the subject that who will maintain APAR in respect of LSG and above offices and the old practice existed prior to 1990s is being imposed.
     It is therefore requested to issue clear orders on the subject at the earliest.

21.  Stepping up of pay in case of postman and Group ‘D’ officials  

The stepping up has been denied by stating that the seniority should be determined within the sub division where the official is working. This defeats the purpose of maintaining the gradation list at Divisional level in such cadres. Since the recruitment of postman and Group 'D' is being made at Divisional level and the seniority is also being determined based on the selection list of the entire division, the stepping up of the pay should be granted as per the divisional gradation list and not as per the sub divisional gradation list.

22.  Manning of IPO/ASPOS to be incharge of BPCs – regarding.

A kind attention is invited to the JCM (DC) discussions on the subject and it was assured to replace the existing general line officials with the IP/ASPOs according to business secured. It is crystal clear that as per BD Dte No.16-10/2000-BDD dt. 16.1.2000, supervisory official should be posted based on the revenue generated at the BPCs, since Contract labourers are engaged and there is every possibility of emanating malpractices there. They are meant for the purpose of accounting, depositing of revenue, payment, data maintenance and supervision. But instead of entrusting this work to the IPs/ASPs in major BPCs, the Accountants of the office are squeezed to attend this work in addition. If any fraud occurs, they will be fixed as scapegoats and recovery will be imposed. In fact they are not having any access to the work, turn over or payment but orders to verify the accounting and genuineness which is nothing but a farce. This is causing a concern. This should be stopped and suitable action should be taken in accordance with the Dte. Guidelines.

Further, the provision of incentive to the postal staff, out of commission earned under business package is also denied in many circles. This may please be ensured.

23.    Fixing of unrealised targets and put the staff under pressure mental stress.

It is widely reported by all the circles that there is a heavy torture in business activities and individual targets are being fixed and threatened even the indoor staff. Some of the divisional heads are threatening the staff through their whats app group which they are maintaining that if the staff do not procure the target, their APAR will be blemished with lesser mark which will affect their promotion and MACP as per the recent orders. This is prevailing in all the circles. Unrealistic targets for the indoor staff is causing a serious concern in the present atmosphere where officials could not work peacefully in midst of non-functioning of SAP etc. Threatening the staff at field level must be stopped forthwith. Compelling the officials to open split accounts which is against to the Dte order must be arrested.

It is further to state that the officials should not be compelled to join the whats app group created by the divisional administration and the mobile phone of the officials is purely personal one and that should not be compelled for other purposes and in particular giving messages in the odd hours. If the department to create such groups it should supply phone to all the officials exclusively for the purpose

24.  Revision of OTA rates

The Ministry of Finance has already sought for the information from the operative offices about the revision of OTA rates and we have submitted our proposals earlier. We don’t  know the fate of the proposals. Since in all other operative departments like Railways and Defence, the OTA rates have been revised. Whereas still we are getting Rs.15.85 per hour as OTA. It is nothing but exploitation of labour. The OTA rates must be enhanced to the extent of 1 ½ hour wages for one hour extra performance under OTA.

25.    Budgetary allotment for Computer Advance and enhancement of financial power to Postmasters.

After the total computerization of the P.O. and its functioning, the officials who desire to purchase computers for their own should be encouraged which will motivate them further in the computer operations. There is a resentment prevailing amidst the officials due to poor allotment of funds under this head.
Further the present financial powers vested to LSG, HSG II, HSG I and postmaster cadre are insufficient even to meet the immediate requirement at counters just like minor repairs to electricity, computer or other stationeries etc. The financial powers require upward revision.

26.    Inadequate allotment of funds under TA & ROHSC causing abnormal delay in settlement of personal claims

It is widely reported in the CWC meeting held at Jhansi by the circle secretaries that due to inadequate allotment of funds, most of the TA and Medical claims are pending undisbursed for years together. Funds allotment has not been made by the Directorate to the extent of the claims of the officials to the respective circles. It is requested to allot or divert funds to the needy circles immediately and wipe out all the pending personal claims of the officials.

27.       Stop harassing staff on contributory factors for simple and flimsy reasons by misusing the provision of ‘unbecoming of Government Servant’ deviating the ruling contained in Volume III, FHB etc.

The Directorate guidelines issued vide letter No. 6/8/59-Disc dt. 9.7.1959, 25/49/60-Disc dt.30.11.60 and 15-9/74-1NV dt. 10.2.75, and subsequent orders are being violated and the officials being preceded under contributory negligence factor for flimsy reasons and awarded with huge recoveries. The provisions contained in Rule,106,107, 108 & 111 of Postal Volume III and the provision of honest errors can be condoned contained in Rule 204 A (1) vol II and the provision of Rule 58, Appendix 4 of F.H.B. volume I in dealing of recovery have been totally ignored and sidelined. The main intention of the Government while deciding the degree of an officer’s pecuniary liability, it will be necessary to look not only to the circumstances of the case but also to the financial circumstances of the officer, since it should be recognized that the tendency should not be such as to impair his future efficiency. This union urges for proper guidelines in the matter of contributory negligence to protect the officials being harassed.

Recently it is brought to our notice that even in the burglary taken place in the post offices, the SPMs and other staff are being proceeded under contributory factors in order to recover the amount due to the burglary. The contributory negligence factors has been misused by the divisional administrations in almost all the circles and it should be curbed forthwith.

Moreover, the DAs are misusing the quasi-judicial powers to victimise the trade union office bearers in many places for their genuine trade union activities. More divisional secretaries are being harassed by the ill minded and arrogant officers. This causes a concern. We request to curb such activities by suitable actions at circle level as deems fit.

It is therefore requested to cause suitable instructions that the extenuating factors and also if the official is not directly responsible, no recovery should be imposed and also direct the administration to desist such activities to make scape goat of the innocent officials working honestly in the current environment to the Department.

28.  Grant of Flexi Working hours – Case of bigger Cities

In most of the metro cities, the traffic jam on roads is the common feature and regular occurrence and some officials are being forced to attend office late by 0.30 minutes due to unavoidable circumstances. After the introduction of biometric attendance, the officials are forced to produce leave in such cases and in particular the women employees are the worst sufferers. If the Flexi working hours as if introduced in Mumbai is considered for other major cities, the officials can be ordered to remain in the office at the equivalent time they came in late in unavoidable circumstances, it will be very much helpful to the officials working in major metro cities/towns.
This may please considered considering the practical difficulties being faced by the officials working in the metro and other bigger towns.

29.  Closure of post offices unleashed in Gujarat Circle

The Directorate has caused clear cut directions that under no circumstances, any post office should be closed and in the event any necessity that office will be simultaneously reopened. Despite the orders, the Gujrat circle administration has closed hundreds of post offices on its own and they have not been relocated. The request of the circle union not to close the POs has not been cared for. Suitable instructions may please be reiterated once again not to close down any post office and in particular to Gujrat circle to reopen the closed post offices immediately.

30.    Undue trade union facilities extended to Supervisors & BPEF Unions  

Please refer this union letter in which we have explained all the ruling positions and the decisions taken earlier at the Directorate. The undue patronage shall be withdrawn forthwith.

                       The above are the important issues confronting the officials of our section and in the event of non-consideration of these demands within one month and no positive signal is received from the administration, we have no other alternate except to resort trade union programmes culminating to indefinite strike.

                         I fervently seek your immediate personal attention and request to mitigate the issues at the earliest.

                       May I request your response, Sir?

With profound regards.

 Yours Sincerely,

    R.N.Parashar,
General Secretary

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