NFPE Circular on GDS Indefinite Strike

National Federation of Postal Employees
1^st Floor North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110 001

No. PF – 01(a)/2018)

Dated: 07^th May 2018

NFPE CIRCULAR

To

All General Secretaries / NFPE Office Bearers
All Circle /Divisional and Branch Secretaries of NFPE Unions

Dear Comrades,

As could be seen from their website,  the All India Gramin Dak Sewak Union, led by Com. S.S. Mhadeviaiah, have decided to organise an Indefinite Strike action from 22^nd May, 2018 against the undue delay in taking the decision over the Kamlesh Chandra Committee Report  on Wage Revision of the GDS Employees.  No doubt the delay is absolutely inexplicable especially in the background that the Finance Ministry had assigned its seal of approval long time back and consequently the Department of Posts had prepared the Cabinet Note and submitted to the Government.  In the face of the fact that the Kamlesh Chandra Committee took just about a year to finalise the report, it is strange that the Government had taken more than 17 months to study the same. The GDS Employees Association (an affiliate of the FNPO), perhaps on being approached by the AIGDSU have also agreed to organise similar action from 22^nd May, 2018.

The non settlement of the Wage Revision of the GDS employees is the most significant and important issue that was subjected to discussion at length at the  recently held All India Conference of the All India Postal Employees Union-GDS (NFPE) at Allahabad.   The Conference had directed the General Secretary Com. Panduranga Rao to organise Indefinite Strike  action as the Conference came to the inevitable conclusion that the NDA Government would not settle the issue, without a serious struggle programme.  NFPE with whom the said Union is associated was in full agreement with the conclusion of the Conference and had endorsed the same as that was the most appropriate and timely decision, which alone was the pathway open to the employees who believe in struggles to win the demands.

The sudden decision of the AIGDSU to go in for an Indefinite Strike from 22^nd May,2018 without causing even a discussion with the NFPE  was indeed a bolt from the blue, totally unexpected in the background of the election process in the Karnataka State and the consequent election Code of Conduct coming into existence, which eventually makes it difficult for the Government to take decision till the announcement of the election results, which  is likely to be only on 18^th May, 2018.

Most of the Federal Sectt. members of NFPE were at Kerala in connection with the joint Circle Conference of the NFPE Unions of  that State.  The available members of the Federal Sectt. met there to discuss the situation that has arisen due to the sudden announcement of the strike by the AIGDSU.  In the meantime, the General Secretary of the All India Postal employees Union-GDS, Com. Panduranga Rao  got in touch with his colleagues and they arrived at the unanimous decision to synchronise the strike action in the larger interest of the GDS employees.  The Sectt. meeting ,therefore, came to the conclusion that the Government must be confronted unitedly irrespective of the hegemonic attitude of the AIGDSU  and the hurdle of the election Code.  Accordingly, the All India Postal Employees Union-GDS has served the strike notice. The strike shall commence on 22^nd May, 2018.  NFPE calls upon all its affiliated Unions to do everything possible and needful to make the strike a grand success and compel the Modi Government to issue the requisite orders on wage revision of the GDS employees.  It must be a fight for the finish and a beginning to the end of the anti- worker attitude of the BJP Govt.

Constituents of NFPE are advised that they should direct their members to organise a joint mass demonstration at all work places on 10 may in preparation of the strike action and from 22^ndMay, 2018 onwards to bring about compulsions on the Government.

A strong opinion had emerged during the discussions at the informal Federal Sectt. meeting held at Kerala  that the NFPE must join the strike to make the action militant and  all pervasive, which alone  shall generate sanctions on the Government .  It was, therefore, decided that the NFPE will convene an emergent Federal Sectt. meeting after prior consultations  with all the  General Secretaries of the affiliates   to consider this  suggestion and take appropriate decision. In the meantime, the General Secretaries may kindly hold discussions with their colleagues.

Though NFPE has already scheduled Federal Secretariat Meeting on 16^th May, 2018 to discuss all the serious issues including implementation of GDS Committee Report and Membership verification.

A PJCA meeting has also been scheduled to be held in the after noon of the same date i.e. 16^th May, 2018. A serious decision for serious agitational programme may be taken under the banner of PJCA.

We are happy to inform you that the Joint Circle Conference of Kerala which was in session at Tirur has already decided to organise the strike under the auspices of the Co-ordination Committee of Postal Unions, NFPE Kerala and every Postal Employee  of Kerala will participate in the  strike action commencing on 22^nd May, 2018.

With greetings and with a request to await our next communication in the matter and prepare the membership for the eventual strike action on 22^nd May, 2018 if Modi Government persist with its anti employee attitude.

            With revolutionary Greeting

                                                                                                Comradely Yours

                                                                                                     (R.N Parashar)
Secretary General
NFPE

Source : NFPE