VAN Namboodiri's Blog

Visit the Past (20) – Pension extended to all non-pensionable cadres

August 17, 2016 10:05 am

The ‘Inferior cadres’ like mistry, laskar and many such cadres were treated as non-pensionable cadres. Those telephone operators, who were recruited after 1919 were also denied pension. Only the ‘Superior cadres’ were getting pension. The then existing unions like All India Postal & RMS Union, Indian Telegraph Association, All India Telegraph Union, All India Postmen & Lower Grade staff union etc. agitated for getting pension to all these non-pensionable cadres.

At last in 1938, the government and the Director General Posts and Telegraphs issued orders bringing all these omitted cadres in to pensionable cadres. It was a great victory.

All the benefits that the employees are getting now have been the result of continuous struggles and herculean efforts by the trade unions. P and T employees’ unions were in the forefront of these struggles.