Lessons
from our Experiences.
Postal Trade Union movement has always been in the forefront of the struggle
against the anti-labour and anti-people policies of the ruling class. During
the Britishraj it fought many a battle against imperialism and for the freedom
of our great nation. Many Postal leaders and workers sacrificed their entire
life for the nation and for the workers. Right from freedom struggle, the
Postal trade union movement has been a part and parcel of the progressive forces
of our country and always solidly stood with the mainstream of the working class
upholding the traditions of progressive, democratic, socialist and secular
forces and also for the principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. We
are proud that NFPE still keep up this tradition.
After Independence we have been fighting for the cause of the working class in
general and Postal employees in particular. In that saga of struggle many of
our comrades lost their lives, many dismissed from service and severely punished
for participating in strikes against the policies of the Government. We learn
lessons from our past experiences and move forward uniting the entire postal
employees including Departmental employees, Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual,
Part-time, Contingent and Contract workers. We always fought for changing the
policies of the Government and are still in the battle
field.
All of us are aware that unless and until we succeed in our attempt to change or
defeat the neo-liberal globalisation policies of the ruling class, the future of
the Central Government Employees including five lakhs postal employees will be
in danger and ultimately the private sector may take over major portion of the
service sector and Government functions, just as it happened in Telecom sector.
It is a fact that we have defeated the attempt of the Government to close down
9797 Post offices and about 300 RMS offices by putting up stiff resistance under
the banner of Joint Council of Action. We succeeded in compelling the
Government to lift the ban on recruitment and to fill up all the direct
recruitment vacancies and promotional quota vacancies. But we should not forget
that the policy of downsizing, outsourcing, contractorisation and privatisation
is still hanging as a democles sword over our head. The draft bill for
amendment to the Indian Post Office Act to grant licence to the multi-national
private couriers is still kept pending and not dropped. Our demand for
inclusion of Gramin Dak Sevaks under the purview of Seventh Central Pay
Commission is not accepted, though the recognised GDS Union leader has signed an
agreement with the Department of Posts accepting separate committee for GDS
thereby admitting that GDS are not Government employees (Civil Servants). Our
demand for DA merger, Interim Relief etc. are also pending. Revision of wages of
casual labour is long overdue. The New Pension Scheme introduced by NDA
Government and legalised by UPA Government has snatched away the right for
statutory pension to those employed on or after
01-01-2004.
When it comes to the question of implementation of imperial neo-liberal
globalisation policies, those supporting the capitalist class join together to
protect their class interest. Our past experience has taught us that change of
Government alone cannot change the plight of the working class and common people
and it is the change of policies that matter. We believe that only those forces
which oppose the anti-labour, anti-people neo-liberal imperialist gloablisation
policies can safeguard the interest of the working class and the common people
of our country. Let us strengthen those progressive, democratic and secular
forces and strive hard for a better tomorrow along with the manstream of the
working class.
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