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Category Archives: VISIT THE PAST

From the Past (32) – “Remain Indoor” Agitation by Bombay Postmen

09 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in P&T TU History, VISIT THE PAST

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The coastal areas of Arabian Sea from Kerala to Bombay and north onwards used to get heavy rains. It is the same now also. In the recent years, it has become usual to have heavy floods in Bombay and the entire town under waters for one or more days.

I am going back to 1967, when the Bombay Postmen were compelled to go on “Remain Indoor” agitation to get umbrellas supplied for going out on duty during rainy season.

As per departmental rules, Postmen are supplied umbrellas. But before the rainy season in 1967, the department failed to supply the same. It was said that because of a typing mistake in the order, instead of 4750 umbrellas required only 475 were procured. The monsoon rains started in June and no umbrella for Postmen. There was a monsoon fury on 21st June 1967 and the Postmen remained indoors at Kalbadevi, Byculla etc. The Postmen Union demanded for the immediate supply of umbrellas, but the administration remained casual. The Union called for “Remain Indoor” agitation till umbrellas are supplied.

A massive demonstration was organised by the Postal workers on 27th June 1967 which went to the PMG and gave notice that the “Remain Indoor” agitation will start from next day. Nothing happened. On 28th, not a single Postman in Bombay went out for duty, but  remained inside the Post Offices. The administration arose from its slumber. By evening all the Postmen were provided with umbrellas and the agitation came to an end with a big victory. The local agitation was fully successful.

Such local agitations were organised in many places for getting rules implemented and benefits extended. It was part of the policy of NFPTE to compel the administration to get favourable orders implemented at local levels. The struggles brought out many active young comrades to the fore.

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Visit the Past (24) – The First Central Pay Commission

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in CG Employees, General, VISIT THE PAST

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First Pay Commission

When was the first Central Pay Commission  formed and who were the members?

The First Pay Commission for the Central Government employees was formed on 10-5-1946, when the British were the rulers of India. The following were the members of the CPC:

Chairman : Justice Justice Srinivasa Varadachariar, Justice of the Federal Court.

Members : 1. Mr. Hussain Imam, Member Council of State 2. Mr.N.V.Gadgil, B.A.LLB, MLA, 3. Mr. Frank Anthony, MLA 4. Lt. Col. Dr. J.C.Bhatacharjee, MLA  5. Mr. N.M.Joshi  6. Mr. C.V.Srinivasa Rao.

The Commission submitted its report on 30th April 1947.

 

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Visit the Past (23) – Which are the early trade unions in India?

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in General, VISIT THE PAST

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Very clear and detailed information are not available about the  formation of the first trade union in India. But there are some indications in the old records, papers etc. Accordingly the following information is given:

  1. The Bombay Mill Hands Association formed in 1890.
  2. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of India and Burmah formed in 1897.

This information was published in an article in Times of India (1958).

Indian Telegraph Association was formed in 1908 by Henry Barton, Postal Clubs which got converted in to All India Post and RMS Union(including Burmah) was formed by Babu Tarapada Mukherjee at the same time and All India Postmen and Lower Grade Staff Union was formed in 1919 by V.G.Dalvi. Merging all these and other existing unions National Federation of P and T Employees was formed on 24th November 1954.

P and T Unions have been some of the first Unions formed in India. The first central trade union, AITUC was formed in 1920.

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

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in CG Employees, VISIT THE PAST

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Visit the Past-20

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.

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Visit the Past (19) – Strike in Telegraph Workshop Calcutta in July 1937

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in Telecom, VISIT THE PAST

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Visit the Past - 19

Since  formation of unions in P&T, struggles were organised. Sometimes, the workers have gone on strike action all of a sudden  against gross injustice. It is such a strike that had happened in the Telegraph Work Shop, Calcutta in July 1937.

The strike started in the galvanising section of the workshop by about 100 workers demanding increase in wages for the night shift and also for working on Sundays. Next day, more than 1000 workers of the workshop went on strike in  support of the galvanising workers who are on strike.

A report published in the “Statesman” of 14th July 1937, in this connection is quoted below:

“About 1,000 workmen of the Government Telegraph Workshops, Alipore comprising blacksmith, fitters and laskars, went on strike yesterday morning. These men, it is understood, have not formulated any demand, but have “downed tool” in sympathy with 86 men of the galvanising department, who struck work on Saturday last for an increase in wages, mainly, a day and a half wages for night shift and double wages for Sunday work.”

Two important things are to be noticed. The workers in one section went on strike on their own demands and the other workers in the same workshop went on solidarity strike. Yes the P&T workers have a great tradition of comradeship.

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Visit the Past (18) – No Lift for subordinates in Calcutta CTO

15 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in P&T TU Movement, Uncategorized, VISIT THE PAST

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P&T TU Movement, Visit the Past (18)

In the Calcutta CTO heritage building with five floors, you can see lifts on both sides of the building inside. One is a usual lift as in other buildings. On the other side, the lift is of the old type, with iron bars etc. The latter was erected long back during the old British days. Though lift was provided, only the officers were allowed to use the same. The subordinate staff like telegraphists and clerks were not allowed the same. They had to climb the long steps to go upstairs.

The Indian Telegraph Association (ITA) and the All India Telegraphist Union (AITU) both took up the issue with the Chief Superintendent f Telegraphs, but no favourable decision was taken. At last after years of pressure only, the sub-ordinate staff were allowed to use the same.

Another interesting matter. There were separate Coffee House for the Anglo-Indians and the Indians. However, the Telegraphists used to take coffee in the Instrument Room (IR) to save time and to put more messages to clear the heavy traffic.

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Visit the Past (17)- Who are the Inferior Servants?

15 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in VISIT THE PAST

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Visit the Past(17)

There were many cadres in the P and T Department with so many designations. They were classified as superior servants and Inferior servants.

Who are the Inferior servants?

They are packers, porters, messengers other than task-work messengers, chowkidars, watchmen, gatemen, hamals, durwans, office-peons, farashes, mail peons,  van peons, boat-men, dandies, manjhis, tindals, lascars, cable-guards, attendents, battery-men, line-coolies, telephone coolies, wire-coolies, press-men, distributors, inkers, cleaners in telephone exchanges, firemen, liftmen, weighmen, lampmen, khalasies, coolies, engine coolies and other whole-time employees of various classes. In rare cases, they were also called menials by the British rulers.

What was their payscales? : Group A: Rs. 16 – 1/5 – 18 (Rupees Anna Paisa) Group B: Rs. 15- 1/5 – 17  Group C: 14 – 1/5 – 16.

What was he Pay Scale of Boy Peons? Group A: Rs.12 – 1/2- 15 Group B: Rs.10 – 1/2 – 15 Group C: Rs. 8 – 1/2 – 11

The pay scale order was issued on 11th March 1935. The Group A, B and C stands for the city the official is working as the A Class, B Class, C Class city now:

The Line Inspector was getting Rs. Rs. 90- 5 – 115, while the telegraphists were getting Rs.  Rs. 45-3-60-4-120. For clerks, maximum was less than telegraphists.

One can also see that the designations were so many with each servant, whether superior or inferior given the designation on the basis of the work he is doing. That is how in the P&T, hundreds of designations came.

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Visit the Past (16) – Female and Male Telephone Operators

15 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in VISIT THE PAST

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Visit the Past -16

A question was raised in the Legislative Assembly of India by Shri Sardar Sant Singh MLA vide Question No.33 of 5.2.1935, regarding the number of telephone Operators in the country and why females were being preferred lately. The questioner was the President of the All India Telegraph Union. In reply, Sir Frank Noyce, Government Member, gave the following reply:

  1. Out of the total 600 Telephone Operators in the country, 51 are females. Out of the females, 1 is Portuguese Indian, 2 are Indian and 48 are Anglo-Indians.
  2. Females are being preferred in recruitment, because they have clear voices and more pleasant manners. They are  more disciplined. They are also preferred because they will resign on marriage and the new appointee need be paid less salary, because they are new.

Gradually, the big exchanges were feminised and only women Telephone Operators were recruited for such exchanges. Not only in the metros like Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, in other major exchanges also feminisation started. The number of operators were also increased due to the large scale expansion of the telephones.

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Visit the Past (15) – The First Radio Telephone Service

05 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in P&T TU History, VISIT THE PAST

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  1. The First Radio Telephone Service: The first Radio Telephone Service between Bombay/Poona and London  was started on 1st May 1933. The charge for three minutes was Rs.80/-. Compare this charge with the salary of an employee, which was around Rs. 30/ only. In  no time, the service was expanded and most of the European and American  countries were connected.
  2. One hour leave for Mohammedans on Friday: As per Home Department of Government of India dated 3rd July 1913, Mohammedans were granted one hour leave for saying their Juma Prayers on Fridays.
  3. The Plight of Telephone Operators: The Telephone operators, compared to Telegraphists and Postal Clerks, came very late, only after introduction  of telephones. They were much discriminated. There was no pension for them, no promotion, no selection  grade posts and 50 hours work. This was the sad condition of the youngsters who joined as telephone operators. It is through sustained struggles that telephone operators achieved many benefits on which they were discriminated.

 

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Visit the Past (13) – On marriage, women Telegraphist loses job and pension

02 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in P&T TU History, VISIT THE PAST

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The discrimination against women was inhuman during the British days. The women Telegraphists had to compulsorily resign from the service and they will not be eligible for pension. Such a case was quoted in the Telecom Recorder of ITA in October 1929.

On contracting marriage, Miss S.M.Arbuthnot, Telegraphist, Ootacamund was compelled to resign. Although she had ten years of pensionable service, pension was denied to her. The case was taken by the ITA,

This is only but one case. Many such cases were there. Either job or marriage! This was the inhuman condition.

Further, the women Telgraphists were not allowed to become Telegraph Masters. This condition was fought and defeated. In the same ‘the marriage condition’ was also removed later after much agitation.

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