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P&T TU History

CG Employees’ Dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

09 Thursday Jan 2014

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A massive day long dharna was held at Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street, New Delhi today, 9th January 2014 by the Central Government Employees as per the call of the Confederation of CGE and Workers to focus the 15 Point demands including to accept of the terms of reference furnished by the Confederation on the VII Central Pay Commission, Five year revision of wages, Interim Relief, Regularisation of Gramin Dak Sevaks, filling up of posts, Five Promotions, Stop victimisation etc.
The dharna was inaugurated by Com. S.K.Vyas, veteran leader of the Central Govt. employees. Coms. A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU, K.K.N.Kutty, President Confederation, M.Krishnan, Secretary General Confederation and General Secretaries of the CGE Unions addressed.

The Confederation of the Central Govt. Employees are on agitational path and further programmes may be decided in the Executive Committee being held tomorrow, 10th January 2014.

Remembering Com. O.P.Gupta

06 Monday Jan 2014

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It is one year back, on this day, 6th January, that Comrade Om Prakash Gupta, veteran leader of P and T Employees passed away. He was in the forefront of the P and T and BSNL Union movement. He made important contribution in the formation of NFPTE and the 1946, 1960 strikes etc.
My respectful homage to the memory of Com.O.P.Gupta!

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of NFPTE starts

24 Sunday Nov 2013

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The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of NFPTE started today, 24th November 2013 at New Delhi. The function was held at the MPs’Club Hall at North Avenue near the NFPE CHQ office. The function started at about 1700 hours. The hall was full of CHQ leaders as also senior leaders who have come from all the circles.Com. Satyanarayana, Vice-President, NFPE presided. Com. Parashar, Dy.SG, NFPE welcomed all the leaders and workers.

The celebration was inaugurated by Dr. Prabhat Patnaik, the veteran economist and eminent writer. He analysed the present economic condition of the country, the influence of the international, specially, US finance etc. The pressure of the US to get the State Bank of India privatised was exposed by Dr. Patnaik.
Coms. S.K.Vyas, veteran leader of the CG Employees, V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU, KKN Kutty, Chairman, Confederation, P.Abhimanyu, GS BSNLEU, M.S.Raja, SG Audit and Accounts Association, K.P.Rajagopal, SG ITEF, V.Bhattacharjee, SG, Civil Accounts Association, Des raj Sharma, former SG NFPE and others addressed. Com. M.Krishnan, SG NFPE, who is also the SG Confederation spoke about the programme and also about the sacrifices made by the pioneers of the P and T Trade Union movement.Com.Giriraj Singh, President, NFPE proposed vote of thanks.
The start of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of NFPTE was well done. My Hearty Congratulations to the organisers. IN the coming year, we expect a lot of such celebrations through out the country, which will educate the workers of the great heritage of the CGE and P and T TU movement.

Great Pioneers of the P and T Movement

23 Saturday Nov 2013

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There have been lakhs of leaders and active workers who have been in the forefront of the struggles of the P and T Workers and for strengthening the workers’ organisations.
There are certain comrades, who took initiative to form the union/s in the Posts and Telegraphs Department in the early 20th century, while still the country was under the British imperialist rule. The task was not easy. The workers were afraid to join the unions. But these pioneers took the initiative and by their dedicated and sincere hard work formed the unions and strengthened them.
Though there may be many leaders who took the initiative, the following three leaders are considered as the main Pioneers of the P and T movement.

1. Henry Barton (23rd June 1864 – 13th July 1938)
He was a Telegraphist in W.Bengal. He organised the telegraph workers and formed the Indian Telegraph Association in 1908, which became a strong organisation in no time. He was the General Secretary of the ITA for a long period.
He published a journal also. Through continuous struggles and discussion, he could settle many issues. He was interned for his TU activities. After he became ill in 1936 he went to Britain and settled there. He passed away on 13th July 1938.
“Barton’s memory shall remain as a beacon light to the Trade Union Movement”.

2. Babu Tarapada Mukherjee ( 1868 -20th September 1929)
Babu Tarapada Mukherjee entered P and T Department as a Postal Clerk in Calcutta on 1st February 1895. From the date he joined, he saw the worst working conditions and slavery of the workers and the meagre wages. First he organised the Postal Club in 1907, which functioned as almost a trade union which later was converted 1920 as the All India (including Burma) Post Office and RMS Union. This union became a militant organisation. For his historic Presidential speech in the Lahore All India Conference in 1921, in which he analysed the British rule, the condition of the workers and the need for sustained and militant struggle, he was charge sheeted. He was given the offer to apologise and save his job. But not Babu Tarapada. He fully justified his speech with valid points. He was dismissed from service on 20th November 1921. But he continued to serve the workers till his death 20th September 1929.
” You are men and not dumb driven cattle……..Organise this power, organise with a purpose, organise with determination, and i promise you success knock at your door” – Babu Tarapada’s Lahore Speech.

3.Dada Ghosh ( B.N.Ghosh) ( August 1898 – 7/8 July 1961)
The Founder Secretary General of NFPTE in 1954, Bhupendra Nath Ghosh, entered the Postal Department as a clerk in the GPO Calcutta on 18th March 1918. From day one he connected himself with the union, and became a leader of the All India Postal and RMS Union. He was one of the top leaders who led the historic successful 1946 strike which was also part of the Independence Struggle.Naturally when all the unions realigned and NFPTE was formed on 24th November 1954, he was elected as its first Secretary General.After vacating the post in 1960 and returning to Calcutta, he committed suicide on the night of 7/8 June 1961 putting the entire P and T fraternity is deep sorrow.
” Comrade B.N.Ghosh is an institution by himself who has ably guided the destinies of the P and T workers and through them the bulk of the Central Government staff for over four decades and thus he has joined the line of the revered leaders Tarapada and Barton” – From NFPTE Guwahati Federal Council Resolution, 19-25 April 1960 on farewell to BN Ghosh.

There are many other leaders like Comrades K.G.Bose, O.P.Gupta, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana who built and led the movement in the last many decades and are no more. New leaders have come. It is a continuing process.

We inherit a great tradition, a tradition of struggle and unity for the interest of the workers. In our own way we have conducted militant and revolutionary struggles, got victimised, but at the same time strengthened the movement and got benefit for the workers.

The life and work of the great Pioneers of the P and T Movement inspire and strengthens our determination to fight and advance for the cause. ( Posted in connection with the Diamond Jubilee of of NFPTE on 24th November 2013.)

Revolutionary Greetings on NFPTE Day, 24th November

23 Saturday Nov 2013

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It was 59 years back on 24th November 1954 that the united organisation of National Federation of Posts and Telegraphs Employees (NFPTE) was born. All the existing unions/associations in the Posts and Telegraphs including Union of P and T Workers (UPTW) merged for bringing the new organisation. It was as per an agreement with the Government that this unification was brought. The then Communications Minster, Shri Jagjivan Ram, also took a pivotal role in this realignment scheme.
NFPTE was one of the foremost unions not only in Central Services, but in the entire government employees for having taken a correct trade union line, thus building a mighty organisation. Under the able leadership of Comrade Bhupendra Nath Ghosh (B.N.Ghosh), the first Secretary General, NFPTE became the leading light of Posts and Telegraph Employees.

NFPTE took initiative in the formation of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, which was formed in 1956. Along with the AIRF and AIDEF, the Confederation led the historic five days strike in July 1960, despite promulgation of Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance and the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru terming the strike as a Civil Rebellion. The strike was smashed by the brutal force of the police, judiciary and the administration, but that strike still stands as one of the greatest struggle, Independence India has ever seen.
It was not much different in the One Day Token Strike on 19th September 1968 on the demands of Need Minimum Wage etc. P and T employees were in the forefront under the leadership of NFPTE and naturally the maximum victimisation fell on them. The victimisation including suspension, jail term, termination etc. continued for a long time. I was under suspension for about three years and on reinstatement was transferred out of Division. Such was the case of many leaders and even ordinary workers.
NFPTE took the lead in organising many struggles for settlement of the demands of the workers. Coms. B.N.Ghosh, O.P.Gupta, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana and many other leaders led the movement.
Of course, there was serious inside struggle for the correct policy to be adopted. Under the leadership of Coms.K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana and others the revisionist and compromising policy of OP Gupta was resisted and the struggle for inner democracy continued for a long period. I am happy that I was also part of this struggle for the correct line.

NFPTE was bifurcated in to NFPE and NFTE after the Department of Posts and Telegraphs was bifurcated in to Department of Posts and Department of Telecommunications, in 1985.
The leadership of NFTE continued the revisionist line and was defeated in 1991 at Bhopal All India Conference of E.III Union to the progressive leadership headed by Comrades Moni Bose and V.A.N.Nambodiri
When BSNL was formed, BSNL Employees Union was formed by the progressive leadership and J.N.Mishra became the President and V.A.N.Namboodiri the General Secretary. BSNLEU fought many struggles and ensured two very good wage revisions and Promotion Policy for the non-executives. The government’s proposal for disinvestment and VRS are defeated till now.
In the five consecutive membership verifications, BSNLEU became first and is the recognised and representative union in BSNL.
BSNLEU will make all efforts to advance the interests of the workers and also will be part of the mainstream of the workers.
The NFPE continued under the progressive leadership and still is led by capable leadership following the correct line shown by Com.KG Bose and others.
The NFPE under the present leadership of Com. Giriraj Singh, President, Com. M.Krishnan, Secretary General and other leaders are continuing in the same progressive path. NFPE has decided to observe One Year from 24th November 2013 as Diamond Jubilee of the formation of NFPTE, 59-60 years back. Though we have been separated and converted in to a PSU,We continue that great tradition and join with them in the celebrations.
On this 24th November 2013, the 60th Birthday of NFPTE, I convey my Revolutionary Greetings to all the P and Comrades, including BSNL Comrades and pledge to continue on the foot-steps tread by the Pioneers of the movement and also the revolutionary leadership of Coms. KG Bose, NJ Iyer, K.Adinarayana and others.

The Historic Strike of 19th September 1968

18 Wednesday Sep 2013

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Tomorrow, 19th September 2013, is the 44th Anniversary of the great struggle organised by the lakhs of Central government Employees in 1968 on the just demands of Need Based Minimum Wage and other issues.
The Indira Gandhi Government used the draconian Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) to suppress the one day strike. Thousands of central government employees were arrested and jailed. Leaders and workers were terminated, suspended and dismissed. But the workers went on strike and made it a big success. It took more than three years to get the dismissed and terminated comrades to be taken back. But the harsh victimization continued.
All those workers who participated in the strike are now retired from service. But their sacrifice and commitment to the union will be remembered by the future generation.
As a comrade who was part of this historic strike and had to face the severe victimization along with thousands of other comrades, I still feel that only such struggles and sacrifices had built up the present organisation.
My Red Salutes to all those who were part of the Historic Strike!

The great rally in Calcutta in support of P&T Strike 1946

30 Tuesday Jul 2013

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It was the greatest procession and rally that Calcutta has ever seen till that time. It was on 29th July 1946. Thousands and thousands of workers as per the call of the AITUC, the only central trade union at that time, went on strike in support of the P and T employees who were on strike from 11th July 1946 on their demands, which was also part of the independence struggle, and organised the biggest rally Calcutta has ever seen. Com. B.N.Ghosh, founder Secretary General of NFPTE has described the same in his articles, and mentioned about the big support for the strike from the common workers. Com. Jyoti Basu, in this auto biography, has mentioned about the general strike and rally on two occasions.

The 1946 P and T Strike was a great success with the British Government compelled to concede most of the demands of the workers. The strike further resulted in a new thinking that the then existing various unions should come together for settlement of the workers’ demands.

Confederation – Coms. Vyas, Kutty, Krishnan elected

07 Tuesday May 2013

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The National Conference of Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers held at Kolkata concluded with a call to the workers to continue the struggle for the appointment of VII Central Pay Commission and on other demands.

Coms. S.K.Vyas, K.K.N.Kutty and M.Krishnan have been unanimously as Advisor, President and Secretary General of the Confederation. My Hearty Congratulations to all of them. BSNLEU will continue its close co-ordination with the Confederation as before.

Red Salute to Com. N.J.Iyer, Revolutionary Leader!

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

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Today is the 13th death anniversary of Revolutionary Leader of the P and T and Central Employees movement, Comrade N.J.Iyer. He left us on 13th February 2000.
Com.Iyer’s life is completely intertwined with the P and T union movement since 1945, the year in which he joined the P and T Department. He was elected as the General Secretary of the All India RMS and MMS Employees Union Class III in the All India Conference of R-III Union held at Amritsar from 8-13 September 1963. He continued as the General Secretary till Jabalpur AIC held in 1985, when he voluntarily stepped down and handed over charge to Com.B.K.Banerjee as GS.
Com.Iyer was elected as the President of NFPTE in 1992 and continued as such. Com.Iyer was arrested and kept in custody during Emergency.
Iyer’s contribution in making the R III as a militant trade union is beyond words.
Iyer was a manifestation of how a true trade union leader should be. Simple living and high thinking was his life style. He never tolerated the reformist path and fought against it in the TU movement. After Com.KG Bose passed awayin 1974, it was Com.Iyer who led us on the corret path. There are a lot of incidents of his high integrity and straight dealings with the workers and comrades, which I remember and which I may narrate later. The tradition has been maintained by the R III Union and its General Secretaries Com.B.K.Banerjee, C.C.Pillai and the present GS Com. Giriraj Sharma.
Red Salute to Com.N.J.Iyer!

“Workers are not Beggars!” – Babu Tarapada Mukherjee

08 Monday Oct 2012

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“Workers are not Beggars,  they are the salt of the earth.

“What would be the world, brothers, were the workers to stop work?

“Take it from me, Brothers, that petitions and memorials and supplications will count for nothing so long as you do not organise yourselves in a manner to convince the government that you will no longer stand nonsense.”  – Tarapada Mukherjee , Lahore Speech  on 9th October 1921.

91 years back on  9th October  1921, Babu Tarapada Mukherjee, one of the pioneers of the P&T Trade Union movement, thus  roared in the Lahore All India Conference of Postal & RMS Employees Unions , exhorting the workers to organise and struggle for their demands against the British colonialism and the Postal Administration. As the newly elected President of the Union, he called upon the workers that there is no other way but to organise and struggle. He analysed the capitalist system and the need to fight against it for justice to the workers.  One can just wonder that how a postal employee can attack and expose the government and administration in such a way when the British were ruling not only India, but a good part of the world itself.

The Government and the Postal administration were naturally enraged and issued charge sheet to Tarapada proposing dismissal. He was told that if he apologizes for his speech, he may be excused. But Tarapada was of a different  mettle. He gave reply justifying each and every sentence he uttered and braved the Postal administration. Of course, he was dismissed from service. But he stood with the workers till the last and served their cause. The Lahore Speech was a great turning point in the history of the P&T TU movement.

The P&T TU movement was built up by such great leaders. Henry Barton, B.N.Ghosh (Dada Ghosh), K.G.Bose, Adinarayana, N.J.Iyer – there is a long list of leaders who made the P&T movement, what it is today.

Let us remember that it is our duty to continue this great tradition to march ahead for the workers cause.