WFTU Supports the Palestinian People in their struggles against Zionist Aggression

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The WFTU has issued the following Statement expressing solidarity to the struggling Palestinian People.

IMPERIALISM, ISRAEL, PALESTINE

The World Federation of Trade Unions true to its internationalist solidarity to the Palestinian people which is being expressed with moral and practical means in a day to day basis denounces the murderous policy of the Israeli Government, the attacks, the kidnappings and the expansion of the settlements in the Palestinian territories.

There is no law or argument that can make these bloody attacks acceptable.

The blood of the innocent and the injustice over the Palestinian people is not only in the hands of the Zionist Israel but also those who support it like the USA and the European Union and those who do not do anything to put an end in their torment.

We express our solidarity, support and brotherhood to the WFTU affiliate the GUPW, to the Palestinian workers and the Palestinian people for a free, independent and sovereign Palestine.

1,54,882 Post offices in India

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According to a reply given in the Parliament by the Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, there is a total of 1,54,882 Post Offices in the country, 1,39,182 in rural areas and 15,700 in Urban areas. During the period 2011-14, 150 Post offices have been closed. It is proposed to open 160 Post offices in 2014-15.

The Post is one of the most important mode of Communications for the last two centuries and will continue also despite the latest technologies and carrier services etc. This was once the part and parcel of every day life of the people, participant of their joy and sorrow. This will continue, may be with less impact.

Budget – Income Tax Limit to be Rs. 2.50 lakh, for senior Citizens Rs. 3 Lakh

The Central Government Employees and the Central Pensioners organisations had demanded that the Income tax Exemption for Pensioners should be raised to Rs. 5 lakhs. But the hope has been denied by the NDA government. It has proposed only a raise up to Rs. 3 lakhs. Cruelty to Pensioners also.

What is the Present Minimum Wage ?

As per the Department of Labour, the Minimum Wage as on 01-04-2013 is given below:
Category Rate DA Total Monthly Per Day
Unskilled 7722.00 364.00 8086.00 311.00
Semiskill 8528.00 390.00 8918.00 343.00
Skilled 9386.00 416.00 9802.00 377.00
(Courtesy: Labour Dept.)

Don,t Invest EPF Funds in equity market.

The Finance ministry has proposed to allow retirement and gratuity funds in the EPFO to be invested in the money market to the extend of 5 % of its Rs. 5 lakh crore funds.
So far due to the strong opposition of the trade unions, the UPA government could not implement such a line. Now the NDA government has proposed the above. The Central TUs have strongly protested the move.
What is the guarantee for the funds put in open market. Nothing. And the hard earned money of the workers will be lost as happened in US and other capitalist countries.

NO! THIS CAN NOT BE ALLOWED.

Budget moves for large scale Privatisation.

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One of the major demands of the 11 Central Trade Unions, which they presented to the new Prime Minister and Labour Minister is “Stoppage of Disinvestment in Central/State PSUs.”

The Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh stated to the Central Trade Union Representatives that these demands are unexceptionable, but did not take any action to implement them. The new Labour Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar also heard the TU leaders with attention.

But what has happened. The Railways Minister Shri Sadananda Gowda has proposed in the Railways Budget to bring PPP and Privatisation in Railways. The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley in his Budget Presentation has clearly stated that FDI will be increased from 26% to 49% in Insurance and Defence sector. It is also stated that the PSU Banks will be disinvested. Thus Disinvestment and Privatisation are going to be implemented in a big way, in an aggressive way.

This is the attitude of the NDA government to the working class. Naturally there will be stiff resistance from the workers and it will not be much delayed.

Child Care Leave – Restriction of Minimum days scrapped

Child Care Leave as per the present rules can be taken thrice in a year but at a time a minimum of 15 days should be there. On the demand of the Staff Side, the Minimum of 15 days condition is now scrapped as per DOP and T order dated 5th June 2014.
This concession will benefit many women employees to take scattered leave.

Meeting of ITUC at Vancouver

I am reproducing below the news received 2011 Congress of ITUC Meeting at Vancouver

Dear Comrades:
Please read, below, Quim Boix, member of the Secretariat of the WFTU and leader of the WFTU Trade Union International for Pensioners and Retirees.

Comrade Quim and the comrade from South Africa delivered the historic critique of the 2011 Congress of the ITUC meeting in Vancouver. AT that meeting the subservience of the ITUC, and its affiliated unions. to the IMF and World Bank was made public. The AFL-CIO, the British TUC and other social democratic trade unions are the center of the ITUC.

Well, in the 2014 ITUC meeting, that subservience has continued, even though the barbaric policies of the EU, the IMF and World bank have created chaos around the world, i.e., Ukraine, Syria and attempting the same all through South America.

Comrade Quim deserves a major “thank you” for this contribution.

Certain Salient Features of Common Memorandum by National JCM

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The National JCM has already submitted a Common Memorandum to the VII Central Pay Commission. It is a very long and detailed Memorandum covering all the issues. Part II of the Memorandum is on the issues of the Pensioners, including BSNL Pensioners.
Certain Salient Features of the Common Memorandum are given below:

1. On the basis of the Minimum Wage as per 15th Indian Labour Conference formula, the lowest minimum pay should be Rs. 26,000/-
2. Distinct Pay Scale system as before should be brought, instead of Pay Band and Grade Pay System.
3. Ratio of Minimum to Maximum scale should be 1:8
4. Annual increment rate should be 5%
5. Multiplication Factor for new pay scales should be 3.7
6. Fixation benefit should be two increments in the feeder cadre
7. Date of effect should be from 01-01-2011
8. The existing formula on DA may continue.
9. HRA should be 60% for X class, 40% for Y class and 20% for Z class
10.Pension and Allowances of Pensioners should be exempt from Income tax.
11. No downsizing, outsourcing,contractorisation.
12. Casual, Contingent, daily rated workers should be regularised.
13. 5 Assured Career Progression( Promotions) should be ensured.
14. New Formula for Bonus instead of Adhoc Bonus.
15. 5% ceiling of Compassionate ground appointments should be removed. Deserving candidates are given employment within three months of death.
16. Periodicity of LTC to be reduced to two years instead of 4 years.
17. Effective Grievance Procedure to be introduced.
18. Equal Pay for Equal work to be implemented.
19. Scrap New Pension Scheme.
20. Special casual leave to Union activities, sports etc. to be increased to 40 days.
21. Group Insurance to be hiked to Rs. 5 lakhs to 15 lakhs.
22. Minimum of the lowest Pay Scale Rs. 26,000 for S.1
Minimum of the Highest pay Scale Rs. 2,40,000 for S-14.
23. 100% DA to be merged
24. Interim Relief to be paid.

There are many other demands and the Common Memorandum is a detailed and lengthy one. A good work has been done by the Confederation and the National council JCM Staff Side.

Delinking telecom service licences from network operations

The DOT is examining and asked for TRAI’s opinion on delinking telecom services licences from the net work operators. This is intended to allow the virtual operators, who do not have the network, to offer services. This will make it unnecessary for all the service providers to have their own networks. The networks could be shared also.