ലോക വനിതാ ദിനവും പോരാട്ടങ്ങളിൽ സ്ത്രീകളുടെ ഉജ്വല പങ്കാളിത്തവും.

മുൻപ്, സ്ത്രീകൾ മാത്രമോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ബഹുഭൂരിപക്ഷം സ്ത്രീകളോ, പ്രവർത്തിച്ച ജോലി മേഖലകളായിരുന്നു എയർഹോസ്റ്റസ്, നേഴ്സ്, ടെലിഫോൺ ഓപ്പറേറ്റർ എന്നിവ. ഈ രംഗങ്ങളിൽ നടന്ന തൊഴിൽ സമരങ്ങളിൽ അവർ തന്നെ നേതൃത്വം നൽകിയ ഒട്ടേറെ പോരാട്ടങ്ങളും നടക്കുകയുണ്ടായി. വിവാഹം കഴിക്കാനുള്ള അവകാശത്തിന്നു വേണ്ടി, മാന്യമായ യൂണിഫോം ധരിക്കുന്നതിന്നു വേണ്ടി, മെച്ചപ്പെട്ട designation ലഭിക്കുന്നതിന്നു വേണ്ടി, ശുചിമുറികൾക്ക് വേണ്ടി, ഡോർമിറ്ററികൾക്ക് വേണ്ടി, അങ്ങിനെ എത്രയെത്ര ത്യാഗോജ്വലമായ സമരങ്ങൾ.

പൊതു പണിമുടക്കങ്ങളിലും അവർ മുന്നിൽ തന്നെ. 1960ലെ കേന്ദ്രജീവനക്കാരുടെ പണിമുടക്കിൽ ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് സ്ത്രീ സഖാക്ക ളാണ് പുരുഷ സഖാക്കളെ പ്പോലെ തന്നെ അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്തു ജയിലിലടക്കപ്പെട്ടത്, പിരിച്ചു വിടപ്പെട്ടത്. ന്യായമായ ആവശ്യങ്ങൾക്കായി നഴ്സുമാർ നടത്തിയ സമരത്തിൽ ആയിരങ്ങളെയാണ് ഡൽഹി പോലീസ് കസ്റ്റഡിയിലെടുത്തത്, ശിക്ഷിച്ചത്.

അതെ, സ്ത്രീ തൊഴിലാളിമാരും സമരങ്ങളിൽ എന്നും മുൻപന്തിയിൽ തന്നെയായിരുന്നു. കാർഷിക സമരങ്ങളിൽ സ്ത്രീകൾ വഹിച്ച ധീരോദാത്തമായ പങ്കു മറക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ലല്ലോ.

ലോക വനിതാ ദിനത്തിൽ ഈ കാര്യങ്ങളെല്ലാം ഓർത്തു പോയി.

( ഫോട്ടോ : സമരമുഖത്തു നിന്നും അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ട നഴ്സിംഗ് ഓഫീസർ മാരൊപ്പം ഡൽഹി പാർലിമെന്റ് പോലീസ് സ്റ്റേഷനിൽ )

വി എ എൻ നമ്പൂതിരി 08.03.2024

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ഇന്ന് 2024 മാർച്ച്‌ ഒന്ന്.

കേന്ദ്ര ജീവനക്കാരുടെയും കമ്പിതപാൽ തൊഴിലാളിമാരുടെയും സമുന്നത നേതാവ് സ എം കൃഷ്ണന്റെ മൂന്നാം ചരമ വാർഷികം.

1970 കളിൽ പി & ടി സർവീസിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചത് മുതൽ 2021 മാർച്ച്‌ ഒന്നിന്നു ജീവിതത്തോട് വിട വാങ്ങിയത് വരെയുള്ള നാല് ദശകത്തിലേറെ വർഷങ്ങൾ പൂർണമായും തൊഴിലാളി പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തിന് നീക്കി വെച്ച ത്യാഗപൂർണമായ ജീവിതം.

കാസർഗോഡ് പോസ്റ്റൽ ക്ലാസ്സ്‌ III യൂണിയന്റെ ബ്രാഞ്ച് സെക്രട്ടറി ആയി ആരംഭിച്ച് സർക്കിൾ സെക്രട്ടറി, കോർഡിനേറ്റിംഗ് കമ്മിറ്റി കൺവീനർ, കോൺഫഡറേഷൻ സെക്രട്ടറി എന്നീ നിലയിൽ കേരളത്തിൽ..

പോസ്റ്റൽ ക്ലാസ്സ്‌ 3 യൂണിയൻ അഖിലേന്ത്യ ജനറൽ സെക്രട്ടറി, എൻ എഫ് പി ഇ സെക്രട്ടറി ജനറൽ, കോൺഫെഡറേഷൻ സെക്രട്ടറി ജനറൽ എന്നീ ഉത്തരവാദിത്വങ്ങൾ കേന്ദ്രത്തിൽ..

ഉജ്വല വാഗ്മി, എഴുത്തുകാരൻ, ജീവനക്കാരുമായി അടുത്ത ബന്ധം…

ഒട്ടേറെ സമരങ്ങൾ നയിച്ച ധീര നായകൻ…

പൊതുപ്രവർത്തനത്തിൽ വൻ പ്രതീക്ഷയായിരുന്ന സഖാവ്…

എന്റെപ്രിയ സുഹൃത്തും സഖാവും…

സഖാവ് കൃഷ്ണന്റെ ഓർമയിൽ ഒരായിരം രക്‌തപുഷ്പങ്ങൾ!

വി എ എൻ നമ്പൂതിരി 01.03.2024

 Organise the Gate Meetings successfully on 19.01.2024.

Demands.

1. Do not weaken BSNL. Immediately stop the massive exodus of customers from BSNL. Ensure expeditious launching of BSNL’s 4G and 5G services.
2. Stop weakening the Public Sector Undertakings with the ulterior motive of handing them over to the big corporates.
3. Stop the handing over of valuable national assets to the big corporates in the name of the National Monetisation Pipeline.
4. Immediately settle the Wage Revision of BSNL employees.
5. Immediately settle the Pension Revision of the retired employees.
6. Stop the exploitation of contract workers. Ensure implementation of Minimum Wage and Social Security measures to them.

19th December 2023 is the 23rd death anniversary of Com. Suseela Gopalan, former Kerala Minister, M.P. and CPI(M) leader, who was very close to the P and T trade union movement. She was the life partner of Com.A.K.Gopalan, inspiring mass leader, Opposition Leader in Parliament for a long period and PBM, CPI(M).

Com. Suseela Gopalan, even before she married legendary CPI(M)leader Com. A.K.Gopalan, was in the Communist

party. She was a real companion to Com. AKG both as his wife and in the Party. She was the Founder President of All India Democratic Womens’ Association (AIDWA), which now has grown in to a strong mass movement of women. She has been elected to the Kerala Assembly and was a Minister in the LDF government. She was in the Parliament for two terms and took up the issues of the workers and the people effectively.

While she was at Delhi as Member of Parliament, I had the occasion to meet her several times to take up cases of central Government employees and specially that of the P and T workers. She took these cases sincerely and effectively. She took us to meet Minister more than once. Just a telephone call from her was sufficient for me to meet Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, though there will be dozens in the queue waiting to meet him.

She was Chairperson of the Kerala Circle P and T Co-ordinating Committee for some time and gave clear guidance and direction to the workers.

She inaugurated a dharna in front of Sanchar Bhawan in Delhi in 1992 restricted area despite threat of arrest. Just like Com.AKG, she dared the police to arrest her. She left only after the dharna was over to ensure that we are not arrested after she leaves. She was available to the workers at any time of crisis. Whenever I visited her official M.P. quarters at 20, Janpath, Delhi, she never allowed me to leave without offering a cup of tea. She was always a source of strength to all of us.

During my stay at Calicut in Kerala, many times when Coms. AKG and Suseela came to the city, I used to go to the Railway Station to receive them and take them to the residence of well known Advocate P.K.Kunhirama Poduval, where they stayed. They addressed many P and T union meetings and conferences.

On her 23rd death anniversary, I respectfully pay homage to Com. Suseela Gopalan and remember the great services she had done to the common people and specially to the P and T workers.

A bunch of Red Roses to the inspiring memory of Com. Suseela Gopalan !

V A N Namboodiri 18.12.2023

V A N NAMBOODIRI

17^th December 2023, is being observed as the Pensioners’ Day by the pensioners organizations in memory of the Supreme Court judgment 41 years back on 17^th December 1982, which is treated as the ‘Magna Carta’ of the pensioners.  Since the first petitioner to the case filed was Shri D.S.Nakara, an officer of the Defence, the case is called as Nakara Case.

When the pensioners all over the word are facing many attacks on their rights and priveleges , the importance of the observing the day has increased.

Before coming to the details of the ‘Nakara case’, let us look back about the history of the pension and how connected developments took place.

The idea of pension and payment of pension started in the early 19^th century. Of course, certain methods of rewarding the civilian and military officials, mainly by granting them lands and other assets were during the period of the kings, Mogals etc. That was at the will and pleasure of the king.

British Parliament passed ‘Superannuation Act‘ in 1810, modified in 1934, for grant of Pension to civil servants. Social Security Pension started after an act passed in 1946. Pension started to civil servants in USA in 1920.

Pensioners’ Act was passed in British India in 1871. The pension according to this Act was being paid at the will and pleasure of the top officers, who were mainly British. A gift for supporting the British rulers.

The 1917 Revolution in Russia and the formation of Soviet Union, the I and II World Wars,  in which crores of military and civilians were killed , consequent importance of the senior citizens etc. resulted in a new approach to the pensioners and pension. Instead of a gift being given at the mercy of the rulers, pension became to be considered as a means of economic support and a social security measure for the service rendered during the heyday of their life in the interest of the country. The Family Pension started in the 1950s.

The government of independent India continued the British legacy on pension and no timely action to modify the same to the then requirement of the system was undertaken.

The First Central Pay Commission (1946) fixed the retirement age as 60 and the maximum pension was fixed at Rs. 675.  The II CPC (1960) did not make any improvement. The III CPC increased the maximum amount of pension to Rs. 1000.

The historic Strikes of the CG Employees in July 1960 and 1968 compelled the Central government to look in to the problems of the employees and certain changes were made in the grant of DA etc.

But it was only in 1979 that the Central Government brought a Liberalised Pension Scheme. The maximum pension was increased to Rs. 1500. The slab system in grant of pension was discontinued and pension was granted on the basis of 50% of the average pay of the last 10 months. Certain other modifications were also there. The order was only prospective and hence a large of employees retired before 1979 did not get the benefit.

It was against this that former Financial Advisor of the Defence Ministry Shri D.S.Nakara and former Rear Admiral Shri Sathyendra Singh  filed a petition in the Supreme Court for implementation of the Liberalised Pension Scheme to the earlier retirees also. An NGO by name ‘Common Cause’ also became a party to the petition. D.S.Nakara was getting a monthly pension of Rs.935 and Sathyendra Singh 981 at that time and it was liable to be increased if the scheme is implemented retrospectively as also other conditions. They pointed out that the decision of the government is in violation of the provisions of the Constitution.

The 5 Member Constitution Bench consisting of  Chief Justice Y.V.Chandrachood, Justice V.D.Thulsapurkkar, Justice C.D.Desai, Justice O.Chinnappa Reddy and Justice Bahrul Islam gave their historic verdict on 17^th December 1982.   This judgment is called the ‘Magna Carta’ of the Pensioners because of the various comments and also the important judgment in faour of the pensioners.

What is the importance of ‘Nakara Judgment’ ?

Some of the relevant points of the judgment are given below :      

Pension is neither a bounty nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer and that it creates a vested right subject to 1972 Rules which are statutory in character, because they are enacted in exercise of powers conferred by the provisio to Art. 309 and Clause (5) of Article 14

1. The pensioners are treated to be a class and the rules are to be implemented without considering whether they retired after or before the date of the scheme.

2. Pension is not an ex-gratia payment, but it is a payment for the past service rendered     and

3. It is a social welfare measure rendering socio –economic justice to those, who in the heyday of their life ceaselessly toiled for the employer on an assurance that in their old age, they would not be left in the lurch …

4. A Pension Scheme consistent with the available resources must provide that the Pensioner would be able to live (i) free from want and with decency, independence and self-respect (ii) at a standard equivalent at the pre-retirement level…   

5. The pensioners are treated to be a class and the rules are to be implemented without considering whether they retired after or before the date of the scheme.

6. The government argument that there is no such earlier example for retrospective effect of scheme has no merit.

There are many other important comments which are not mentioned here due to lack of time.

The judgment had its impact on the government and its decisions in a big way. For  the first time the issue of the earlier pensioners were included in the terms of reference of the IV CPC of 1084. Like Dearness Allowance to employees, Dearness Releief was granted to Pensioners.

Slab system was changed and pension was fixed on the basis of 50% of last 10 months average pay.

Pension should be revised merging the earlier pension and DR.

The ‘Nakara Judgment’ had its impact on the Pay Commissions of the various states also as most of them were revising the pay and pension as per the guidelines of the CPCs.

What is the condition of the pensioners after 40 years of the Nakara judgment in 1982 ?

The debacle of Soviet Union and the introduction of the new economic policies based on liberalization, privatization and contractorisation, attacks after attacks are coming against the workers as well as the pensioners world over. Sustained struggles have taken place and are being organized against the attack on pension in France, Germany, England, Spain, Portugal etc.

Government of India is also in the same path. The Bhattacharya Committee appointed in 2001 recommended Contributory Pension instead of Defined Statutory Pension and the same was accepted and implemented by the Central Government for workers recruited from 2004 onwards in central services. It is to be noted that both the Congress and the BJP, the ruling and opposition parties supported and passed the passing of the anti –  pensioner PFRDA Bill in the Parliament taking away the defined statutory pension for the employees and workers.  All States followed suit except the then left ruled Kerala, W.Bengal and Tripura. In Kerala and Tripura also Contributory Pension Scheme was implemented after the exit of the Left governments.

The often repeated argument of the government is that the pension amount is increasing and the government will not be able to bear the expenses. It is nothing but a lame excuse.

In fact the change is also a means of providing the corporates and the big business capital by diverting the pension fund which is created through the contributory pension. Though the pension funds are mainly in the EPF etc. at present, but it is only a matter of time that the funds will be diverted to the share market and capital for corporates. The vagaries of the share market are well known and at any time the funds may vanish in the skies.

In view of the election certain states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh gave election promise that the old pension scheme will be implemented in case they win the election. But restoration to old pension scheme is being torpedoed by the central government and the EPF stating that the contribution already remitted in  the EPF cannot be refunded to the states since there is no provision for the same. In  Kerala, the Left  Front Government has appointed a committee with regard to the restoration of the OPS and the report is being examined.

The Central govt also appointed a committee but it is only for making certain face-up for the New pension Scheme, which the workers rightly call as  No Pension Scheme.

The condition of the EPF pensioners, PF pensioners and pensioners / retirees of Banks, Insurance etc are extremely difficult since their pension and other pensionary benefits are meager. In some cases revision of pension is not made. In many cases DR is not granted based on the increase of cost of living index. Even now there are PF pensioners who are getting only about  Rs.500-600, though clear decision has been taken that at least a minimum of Rs. 1000 should be paid.

The Central government pensioners under the leadership of the NCCPA  have organized many agitational programmes for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme including a massive Parliament March  and submission of Memorandum to the Prime Minister of India on issues including the  restoration of OPS, Pension revision of BSNL pensioners with effect from 2017, Pension issues of the Bank retirees etc. etc. BSNL pensioners also under the leadership of AIBDPA organized a two days Dharna  and sanchar Bhawan March on 24^th and 25^th November 2023.

The Confederation of Central government employees and workers and AISGEF jointly organized a massive rally at Ramlila Grounds Delhi on 3^rd December 2023 participated by lakhs of workers on the demand of restoration of OPS.

But the government is keeping silence. It has no difficulty in writing off lakhs of ccrore of rupees of the corporate like Ambani and Adani. There is no difficulty for reducing drastically the supertax etc. This is a government of the corporates and the big business.

The General elections are going to come in the new year 2024. This is also going to be a period of struggle for the working class and the pensioners.

It is in this context that we are observing the 41^st anniversary of the historic ‘Nakara judgment’, which will inspire us   for further struggle to advance the cause of the crores of pensioners in the country. Let us be prepared for the same.

.

The 5th All India Conference of NCCPA was held at Com.KKN Kutty Manch, Chennai on 13-14, December, 2023. The inaugural session started with the welcome address by Com.P Mohan, General Secretary, Reception Committee, and the Chairman’s address by Com.C K Narasimhan, Working Chairman.Com.Shiva Gopal Mishra, President presided over. Com.Swadesh Deb Roye, Deputy General Secretary, WFTU inaugurated the conference with an educative speech. He came down heavily on the Modi government for handing over the PSUs and national assets to the corporates. No labour conference has been held since 2015 and the attacks on the rights of workers and pensioners has increased and the appointment of a committee for improvements in NPS is nothing but an eye wash.He exhorted for further joint struggles by all sections of workers , peasants and pensioners. Coms. C Srikumar, Deputy General Secretary, WFTU, V A N Namboodiri, Patron, Janardhan Mazumdar, Secretary General, NFPE, C K Gundanna, AGS, BSNLEU, N L Sridharan,General Secretary ,AISGPF, S Sridhar,President,AIRRF, K G Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA and K Ragavendran, Secretary General, NCCPA addressed the inaugural session.

Com.S K Sharma, Working President presided in the subject session. Com.K Ragavendran, Secretary General presented the work report and the audited accounts were submitted by the Asst Treasurer,Com.Sadan Banerjee. In the discussion that followed 46 comrades, representing various affiliates enthusiastically participated and raised several issues. Out of the 34 delegates participated from AIBDPA, 4 comrades ,M R Das, President, N Guruprasad, Circle Secretary, Kerala, R Rajasekar, Circle Secretary, Tamil Nadu and Sanjib Banerjee, Circle Secretary, Kolkata Telephones took part in the discussion. The main issues raised by them are BSNL pension Revision, CGHS issues, Attacks on PSUs, wages, pension, appeasement of corporates and threats on secularism and communal harmony. Thereafter the report, audited accounts and the amendments to the constitution were adopted . Resolutions on all the issues, including restoration of OPS, Pension revsion of BSNL/MTNL retirees, Pension udation of bank retirees, implementation of Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations, CGHS issues, Restoration of commutation after 12 years, appointment 8th CPC were adopted.

The conference elected the following office bearers unanimously.

Patrons: (1) Com.V A N Namboodiri (AIBDPA) (2) Com.Pabithra Chakraborty (3) Com.C L Mathur (4) Com. R P Sharama (5) Com.H N Joshi.

President; Com.Shiva Gopal Mishra.

Working Presidents: Com. S K Sharma (2) Ashok Kanti Ghosh.

Vice Presidents : Com. S Rahman (2) Com.M L Gupta (3) Com.T S Parameswaran (4) Com.D K Dhandre (5) Com.Basudeb Sengupta(6) Com.K B Krishna Rao (6) Com.R Elangovan

Secretary General : Com.K Ragavendran.

Deputy Secretary General : (1) Com.K G Jayaraj (AIBDPA) (2) Com.D K Debnath (3) Com.Basawanand (4) Com.P Lahiri

Assistant Secretary General: (1) Com.M R Das (AIBDPA) (2)Com. S Mohandoss( AIBDPA) (3) Jagmohan Thakur (4) T N Venkateswaran (5) C P Sobhana (6) Radhakrishna (6) Ishwar Singh Dabas (7)P Krishnamurthy.

Treasurer; Com.G Kumar Assistant Treasurer : Com.Sadan Banerjee.

Organising Secretaries : Com.S C Bhattacharya (AIBDPA) (2) Com.Manisha Biswal(AIBDPA) (3) Com.M Suresh (4) Com.B P Ganak(5) S C Pandey (6) Com.Somaiah (7) Nageswara Rao.

Auditor : Com.R Natarajan.

15th December 2023 is the 36th death anniversary of Comrade P.Ramamurti, one of the founders of the CPI(M) and veteran Communist leader, Member of Parliament and the first General Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) when it was formed in 1970. He was a freedom fighter and a very able organiser.

I had the opportunity to meet him in the several all India Conventions of workers held at Mavlankar Hall, New Delhi. He used to entrust me with taking notes of the proceedings of the Conventions for his use and and I did the same according to my capacity.

Red Salute to Comrade P.R !

Com.K. G. Bose ( 07.07.1921 – 11.12.1974 )

RED SALUTE TO COMRADE K G BOSE!

11th December 2023 is the 49th death anniversary of Com. Krishna Gopal Basu ( K. G. Bose ), who gave a correct ideological as well as practical direction to the P& T Trade Union movement.

He led many historical struggles including the 1946 P&T Strike, 1960 Indefinite Strike, 1968 One Day Token Strike etc. He was Circle Secretary of both Postal class III Union as well as Telecom Class III Union for a long time. He was elected as President of NFPTE in 1970 and continued as such till his death in 1974 in a London Hospital.

My acquaintance and comradeship go back to the first half of 1960s during the All India Conferences of Telecom Class III Union affiliated to NFPTE and strengthened in the AIC at Trivandrum in 1964, when he took up the issue of Rule 14 charge sheets issued for 7 of us ( including me ) for having gone on undeclared strike on a local issue at Cannanore with Member Telecom and settled the same on the spot. However I was punished by a transfer to Calicut as a face saving measure.

Since then, till his death we were in regular communication and was part of the progressive section of the P & T Movement. He visited Calicut twice on our invitation and addressed many meetings.

Com. K. G. was arrested and dismissed from service in connection with the proposed P & T strike of 1949, which did not take place as almost all important leaders were arrested and jailed even before the strike decision was taken in the proposed All India Convention. Though dismissed, KG continued to lead the movement.

He was elected as M L A of W. Bengal Assembly as also as a Member of the Pay Commission for W. Bengal employees and did a great job for the same.

His hard work without rest deterioted his health and was sent to Englad for expert treatment where he passed away on 11th December 1974 at the comparatively young age of 54.

Com. K. G.s’ family, including his wife Com. Parul Bose, brother Com. Moni Bose, his wife Com. Jyotsna Bose were all leaders of the workers’ movement and gave their contributions to the working class. The new generation of the family keep up the great tradition.

Central and P&T employees and the working class of India will ever remember the great contributions of Com. KG.

Red Salute to Com. K. G. Bose!

( The photos are ( 1) K. G. Bose (2) Welcoming Com K. G. at Calicut Ralilway Station followed with a procession on 23rd April 1973 when he visited Calicut for the last time. Coms. K. Bhaskaran Nair and V. A. N. Namboodiri can be seen on either side. )

V. A. N. Namboodiri 10.12.2023.

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29Srinivasan Aravally, Madhu Mony and 27 others