CIRCULAR ISSUED BY NFPE AND FNPO. HUNGER STRIKE DEMANDING IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF KAMALESH CHANDRA COMMITTEE REPORT FOR GDS

The historic strike of three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks has entered 15th day. Six round of discussions held so far has failed to reach an honourable settlement due to the indifferent and negative attitude of the Govt. and Postal Board. “Call off the strike first, then we will discuss” attitude of the Central Government cannot be accepted by any Unions. The sugar-coated appeals of the Secretary, Department of Posts could not create any impact on the striking GDS. Nobody resumed duty. Percentage of the strike reached all time high on 4th June (Monday). All attempts of the Govt. and Postal Board to break the strike have miserably failed.

GDS are becoming more and more restive and anger and protest is growing day by day. The situation may go out of control of the Postal Board and Officers, as happened in Hyderabad on 04.06.2018. About 7000 GDS including 1000 ladies mobilized in front of the CPMG Office and protested for about five hours. GDS on strike are committing suicide and sudden deaths are taking place every day. In this situation, a full-fledged meeting of the Postal JCA will be held shortly and the possibility of All India solidarity strike will be explored in all seriousness.

In the meantime, the NFPE and FNPO has decided to organize five days mass relay hunger fast (10am to 5 pm) in front of all Chief PMsG Offices on 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th and 13th June 2018 demanding immediate implementation of Kamalesh Chandra Committee Report. The striking GDS Unions has already given call for indefinite relay hunger fast in front of all Divisional Offices from 6th June 2018.

As a second phase of programme Secretary General NFPE AND FNPO and All India office bearers and General Secretaries of it’s affiliated unions will sit on two days relay Hunger Fast on 18th and 19th June 2018 in front of Dak Bhawan, New Delhi.

We have given a Joint letter of PJCA to Secretary, Department of Posts, informing that NFPE and FNPO will be compelled to join the strike if strike demand is not settled immediately by accepting the reasonable demands of the striking GDS Unions (Letter published separately).

NFPE and FNPO calls upon all its affiliated unions and Circle/Divisional Secretaries to make the five days relay hunger fast in front of Circle Offices a grand success by mobilizing huge participation of employees. Also extend full support and help to the indefinite relay hunger fast of striking GDS unions in front of all Divisional Offices from 6th June 2018.

The Strike called by the GDS Unions and Postal unions continues for the fifth day. The only demand raised is the favourable implementation of the Kailash Chandra Commission report on the service and wage conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks numbering about three lakhs and who are manning more than 1,29,500 Post Offices through out the country and providing yeomen services to the rural and urban population. The GDS have to work for the whole day, but are not paid even the minimum wages ordered by the Chief Labour Commissioner. Many of them are treated as part-time, although they are compelled to work whole day, because of the duty arrangements. They are denied pension. If the favourable recommendations of the Kailash Chandra Committee are implemented, they will get some benefits. But he BJP government is taking a negative attitude and despite the fact that the recommendations were submitted in November 2016,it is not implemented.

The strike is fully justified. National and International trade unions, including World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) have extended support and solidarity to the struggle and demanded the government of India to concede the demands and settle the strike.

We demand the central government to immediately discuss and settle the issues. We fully extend solidarity and support to the struggle of the GDS and Postal workers.

The GDS workers, the most exploited section in the Department of Posts are compelled to start an indefinite strike from 22-05-2018 against the treacherous approach of the central government . They constitute 60% of the total postal employees and 80 per cent of the post offices are manned by them. They are not granted civil servant status and was not included in the 7th Pay Commission and instead a committee, Kamalesh Chandra Committee, was appointed to recommend their wages and other service benefits. The committee submitted its reports many months ago but the government is delaying the implementation of the positive recommendations without any valid justification.

It is under these circumstances that all the unions, AIPEU-GDS, NUGDS,AIGDSU and BPEDU , gave a notice for indefinite strike from 22-05-2018. The central government, as in the case of other strikes, did not intervene to avert the strike through a meaningful discussion and has again shown its anti- worker face. So the GDS workers had no other option other than to start the strike and the reports received from all parts of the country indicate that the strike is a tremendous success.

AIBDPA wholeheartily supports the strike and extends our sincere solidarity to the striking heroes. AIBDPA requests all its units to go to their respective post offices and organise demonstrations in the coming days and help the striking workers by all means.

It is intimated by the Government to NFPE leaders that the decisions on the implementation of the GDS Committee report will be finalised within a month. NFPE and GDS Union have been on agitation for implementation of the favourable recommendations for the last many months. Government has been unnecessary delaying the decision.

Government has unleashed a sudden and most damaging attack on Post office Small Savings Schemes. Notifications are already issued permitting all Nationalised Banks and three Private Banks ( ICICI Bank , AXIS Bank and HDFC Bank) to accept deposits for all Small Savings Schemes viz ; Recurring Deposit (RD) , Time Deposits (TD) , Monthly Income Scheme (MIS) Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) , Sukanya Samridhi Account (SSA) , Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) and National Savings Certificate (NSC VIII issue) with effect from 10th October 2017.

This is a great blow to the Post office Small Savings Schemes and will be a threat to the job security of Postal Employees and also MPKBY /SAS Agents. About 40% of the Revenue and about 50% of the workload of Post office depends on the Post office Small Savings Schemes. Outsourcing of POSSS work to Banks will result in steady fall in Revenue and Workload of Postal Department.

GDS Committee Report , though submitted to Govt on 24th November 2016 , is still pending with Finance Ministry for approval. GDS Membership verification process has been suddenly stopped by the Government.

Overall situation in Postal Department is worsening day by day and resentment of the Employees is mounting.

NFPE CHQ views the above situation with grave concern and calls upon the entirety of Postal and RMS employees including GDS and Casual labourers to conduct mass protest demonstrations at all Centres and in front of all offices on 23rdOCTOBER 2017.

Urgent meeting of NFPE Federal Secretariat to be held shortly will announce further course of action. (Courtesy: NFPE Website)