EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER: JULY 2015

EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER: JULY 2015

“MAKE THE NFPE STRONGEST BY ENROLLING MAXIMUM MEMBERSHIP”

          Process of fresh verification of membership is going on. Our entire rank and file is making all efforts to enroll maximum membership in favour of all NFPE unions. This is high time when we have to prove that the NFPE is only the vanguard and first and natural choice of entire Postal Employees.

         Some disruptive forces who do not like the unity of workers have started playing their dirty game by introducing new unions in P-III and P-IV with the word “United”. So we have to make aware the members about it. Our rival unions are also making all efforts to delay the process of verification. One union  which is affiliated with  the ruling class  is also putting  so many hurdles in the verification  process as they  know that they  cannot reach to the goal and want to enjoy the facilities  granted by Govt. in the  name of  limited  trade union facilities.

         Make the members understand that this is the NFPE who has been continuously and consistently fighting for the cause of entire postal employees since its formation from 1905 in the form of Postal Club and thereafter as NFPTE/NFPE from 1954. Many historic and glorious strikes have been conducted under the banner of NFPE and have achieved so many demands. Recently recruitment in all cadres, stoppage of closure of 9797 Post Office and closure and merger of RMS Offices and  halt on Corporatization and privatization as recommended by Task Force Committee, in Postal Services  are our  great achievements, But still we have to travel a long  journey and being  in the main stream of working class  we have to fight  against the economic policies of Govt. of India which  are totally against  the interests  of working class and common man.

           We have to start our serious preparations to make 2^nd September-2015 –Nation Wide General Strike on the call of Central Trade Unions, a historic success. This is a big fight of working class to resist the policies of Central Government which are Pro-capitalist and anti working class. Within the period of one year of Modi Government so many retrograde policies have been implemented. The existing labour laws i.e. Industrial Dispute Act, Contract Labour (Regulation and wages) act, Factories Act, Apparentice Act have been amended in favour of industrialists. The Government is moving ahead very fast to privatize most of the government service like Railways, Defence, Telecom, Postal, Banking, Insurance etc. by introducing FDI. Disinvestment has been started in Profit making Public Sector undertakings. Ban on recruitment in Central Government Services has further aggravated the problem of unemployment as lakhs and lakhs educated youth is wondering hither and thither for the search of job. Outsourcing, contractrization, hire and fire policies are paving way for exploitation and corruption.  So being a responsible organization we have to fight against all these retrograde policies of Government of India.

        For fighting we have to make ourselves strong and we can become stronger only by enrolling maximum membership in favour of all NFPE unions and if NFPE becomes  stronger it will be more advantageous  to Postal Employees in particular and entire  Central Government Employees and working class in general.

        So please enroll maximum membership and make the NFPE strongest.

List of office bearers of Odisha State JCA formed under National JCA on 21.06.2015

List of office bearers of Odisha State JCA formed under National JCA on 21.06.2015

 

Odisha State Joint Council of Action formed under the National J C A in the joint convention of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers and All India Railwaymen’s Federation on 21.06.2015unanimously elected the following office bearers in the presence of Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra,  Secretary, National Council, JCM (Staff Side), Convener National JCA and General Secretary, AIRF.

Portfolio	Name	Organization to which belong
Chairman	Com. R N Dhal, General Secretary, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, Odisha State Coordination Committee.	Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers
Convener	Com. Nirakar Satpathy, General Secretary, East Coast Railway Shramik Union , Bhubaneswar	All India Railwaymen’s Federation
Joint Convener	Com. M M Samal	Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers
	Com. Bruhaspati Samal	National Federation of Postal Employees
	Com. Debabarata Mohanty	National Federation of Postal Employees
	Com. P K Patasani	All India Railwaymen’s Federation
	Com. Pitabasa Nayak	All India Railwaymen’s Federation
	Com. S S Achrya	Central Ground Water Board
	Com. Ishwar Ch. Sahoo	Geological Survey of India
	Com. Kishore Ch. Sahoo	Govt. of India Text Book Press (Printing and Stationery)
	Com. Bharat Ch. Sahoo	Central Public Works Department
	Com. Parsuram Rout	Survey of India
	Com. J K Mishra	Institute of Physics
	Com. P C Nayak	Regional Medical Research Centre
	Com. B P Acharya	Income Tax

Joint Council of Action – the need of the hour

Bruhaspati Samal

Divisional Secretary

AIPEU, Gr.-C, Bhubaneswar

We, the Central Govt. employees are passing through such a critical moment when we are fighting heart and soul to save our respective Departments from corporatization / privatization. It is seen that in almost all the Departments, the Central Govt. employees are talking less on their common day to day problems, pay and promotion related issues etc. Rather, they are talking more about the corporatization, privatization, disinvestment and anti-workers / anti-employees policies of the present Govt. Mass scale down-sizing of various Central Govt. establishments, long term ban on creation of new posts, arbitrary abolition of posts, non-filing of vacant posts, out sourcing of sensitive jobs, 100% FDI in department like Railways, 49% FDI in Defence establishment etc. have given clear indication of the motive of the present Govt. to move towards privatization of Central Govt. establishments. Presently, the Govt. has been engaged in protecting interests of domestic and global corporate houses. A process is going on now first to corporatize not only Department of Posts but several other Govt organizations and PSUs and then to gradually weaken those organizations through disinvestment and eventually either to privatize or to close such organizations. As if, the present Govt. is a Govt. of the Corporate for the Corporate.

 

Perhaps this is the special characteristic of Indian democracy not to accept most of the times those things from political point of view which are considered right from economic point of view.  Illustratively, we can witness that those people once opposing disinvestment in UPA Govt., now considering disinvestment of nearly Rs.41000 crores during the current financial year from 15 Public Sector Undertakings including several NAVRATNA profit earning companies on the plea that nothing is left as surplus revenue with the Govt. to do welfare activities for the public and nation after incurring heavy expenditure towards payment of interest on loans, pay and allowances of the employees and subsidies.  Such plea taken by the Govt to adopt the disinvestment policy is nothing but to cover up its own deficiencies of poor economic policies befooling the common citizens of India. Recently, in an exclusive interview with Headlines Today's Karan Thapar on the first anniversary of BJP-led NDA government on 1^st May, 2015, Arun Shourie, one of the most influential BJP leaders during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, criticised the Prime Minister for poor handling of the Indian economy. The government lacks clear thinking.  There is a big gap between perceptions and promises, and projections and performances. The present economic policy is directionless. There is no big picture in economic policy. The growth claims are only to make headlines and the government only wants to manage headlines. This has been substantiated by World Street Journal recently in an article titled “India’s Modi at one year - Euphoria phase is over, Challenges loom” and several other foreign media house like New York Times. Mr. Modi’s “Make in India” drive, which aims to supercharge manufacturing growth to 12% to 14% a year, is so far mostly hype. The economy is merely limping along.

 

But as responsible Indian Citizens, we the Central Govt employees can neither ignore the overwhelming majority of the toiling masses nor allow the innumerable multinational companies patronized by NDA Govt. to rule us again. We have already the bitter experience of one British East India Company. So this time, the struggle programmes will not be ordinary traditional struggles for pay and promotion. This will be a struggle to save the nation as a whole. This is not the problem of the postal employees alone so that NFPE will march ahead alone. Time has come for each and every Central Govt. establishment to raise voice together against the arbitrary amendment of Labour laws. We can’t sit silent when the basic rights of the workers are being snatched away. We have to register our strong protest against the arbitrary land acquisition bill intended to snatch away the rights of the farmers. We have to move a massive organizational campaign against all the anti-employees’ policies of the Govt. We cannot repeat the same mistake and allow the Companies to rule us again.

 

When devastation comes, no other alternative is left but to gather under one umbrella irrespective of cast, creed and colour, irrespective of cadre and wing and to raise one voice. That’s why,  we have already gathered under one umbrella in the name of National JCA comprising Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, Railways and Defence Federations for common problems of the Central Govt. Employees and in the name of Postal JCA comprising NFPE and FNPO for postal related issues.  We have already proved it in the recent march to Parliament on 28^th April, 2015 declaring indefinite strike from 23^rd November, 2015 for all common issues of Central Govt. employees. As we know, the Indefinite Strike call given by the Postal JCA from 6^th May 2015 has been deferred basing on the assurances of the Hon’ble Minister, Communications and IT. But assurances are assurances. We can’t believe on mere assurances. Under no circumstances, we will allow the Govt. to corporatize any Central Govt. establishments including postal services. As per the decision made in the meeting with Official Side on 25^thFebruary, 2015, the Staff was advised to meet and discuss the issue with the concerned departments on our demand “No privatization, PPP or FDI in Railways and Defence Establishments and no corporatization of postal services”. Accordingly the Postal JCA leaders met the Secretary (Posts) on 30^th April, 2015 and Hon’ble Minister, Communications on 05^th May, 2015 and discussed on all our sectional demands including “No Corporatization of Postal Services”. The replies given to the Staff Side are not at all convincing. While the GDS issues were just noted by the Chairman, National Council, JCM, the Hon’ble Minister, Communications assured to reconsider with an open mind. And we better know the open-mindedness of the present Govt. With respect to ban on creation of posts, it was replied that expectations are made for operational needs. For scrapping of PFRDA Act, we were suggested to discuss the issue with Department of Financial services. For removal of arbitrary ceiling on compassionate appointment, it was agreed that DoPT would revisit the issue. And most importantly, no assurance has been given by the Hon’ble Minister on corporatization of Postal services.

 

In addition, while the functional activities of the Department are drastically changing inviting innumerable new problems to the employees especially on I T modernization Project and Core Banking Solutions, the administration is exploiting us to the maximum extent as if we are bonded labourers. The fixed duty hour which we had achieved through our historic struggle movements has now been a question. With increased working hours due to acute shortage of staff and arbitrary abolition of posts, additional pressure due unachievable targets for POSB, PLI/RPLI and business products, frequent system problems due to improper software, inadequate professionals and outdated accessories, hasty migration of post offices to CBS platform without required technical, hardware and manpower support, compulsion of cent percent delivery in the absence of adequate delivery staff and support system, introduction of new products and services without proper education and training to the employees and such other problems arising out of computerization and modernization, the employees are suffering like anything. The callousness of the administration needs to be answered properly.

 

So now, only one voice is required.  This time, the voice should be louder and unique. Together we can move the world. One, who can’t be taught by reason, shall be taught by force. And our force is our togetherness and unity. We have already proved it through our several rigorous struggle programmes from pre-independence era till date. We have fought and achieved. The glorious history of P & T Trade Union Movement tells us that nothing can stop us.  We can achieve all our demands through our unity and agitation, through one platform and one voice. We have just to carry forward our glorious traditions with additions of new ideas that will suit our future needs with an eye to the current transformation. And it is quite possible in the era of digital world. Just a commitment is required. To be more active and more progressive, let’s promise to be more militant and aggressive on our issues under the banner of National / Postal Joint Council of Action. Hope, the unions/associations presently out of the JCA should consider actively to join the mass movement to save the nation.

*****

Declaration of result of Limited Departmental Examination - 2014 (LGOs Exam-2014) of Lower Grade Officials for promotion to the cadre of Postal Assistants/Sorting Assistants held on 23-11-2014

 

National J C A Circular

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION

 4, State Entry Road New Delhi–110055

No. NJCA/2015                                                                                  Dated: June 15, 2015

All the Members of the NJCA,

 

Dear Comrades,

Sub: National JCA Meeting held on 8th June

 

The National JCA, which met at the Staff Side Office on 8th June, 2015, took note of the fact that quite a few states are yet to hold the State Level Conventions. The meeting also noted that the strike decision taken on 28th April, 2015 has not been percolated down to the rank and file of the workers. The meeting wanted the affiliate to realize that the denial of the demand for wage revision to be effective from 01.01.2014 and the consequent denial of interim relief and the benefit of merger of DA with Pay must be viewed very seriously as the said decision will have far reaching consequence. The Government would discard the age old practice of grant of I.R. and merger of DA forever. It has decided to appeal to all the affiliates to chalk out independent programmes of actions in the months to come and to carry out the same in all seriousness so that the employees become fully aware of the possible outcome of the 7th CPC. The Chairman and Convenor of the National JCA will get in touch with those States, where the convention has not been held so far. The meeting decided to convey to members that the minimum wage computation, in the given situation would be on an imaginary basis. The National JCA was of the opinion that a meeting of all office bearers of the participating organizations must be convened at Delhi somewhere in the month of July to chalk out programmes of action to be pursued by the CGEs together.

It was informed at the meeting that both Defence and Railways would be taking their strike ballot and would be concluded in the first week of October. The meeting, therefore, decided to advise the other units to chalk out progammes of action in July so that an ambience of struggle could be created. The NJCA also took note of the painful fact that despite assurances, Government was not convening the National Council and Departmental Councils and the JCM has been allowed to become defunct.

The National JCA in conclusion decided to appeal to all affiliates to take concrete steps to invigorate the joint movement of the Central Government employees and meet the challenge that is likely to arise on receipt of the recommendations of the 7th CPC by creating an atmosphere of Unity, and determination to carry out the call of indefinite strike action scheduled to commence on 23rd November, 2015..

With greetings,

Comradely yours,
Sd/-
Shiva Gopal Mishra
Secretary ( Staff Side), NC JCM & Convener

7th Pay Commission expected to submit its report to the Centre in September 2015

7th Pay Commission expected to submit its report to the Centre in September 2015

7th Pay Commission expected to submit its report to the Centre in September 2015

“The 7th Pay Commission’s status quo explanation on its report has created a huge buzz”

According to reliable sources of information, the 7th Pay Commission is expected to submit its final report including the revised pay and pension structure for Central Government employees and pensioners to the Central Government on in the first week of September.

As confirmation of the news, the 7th Pay Commission, on its official website had published an announcement yesterday. It said, “Pay and Pension proposals, expectations in facilities & benefits, and valuable suggestions were received from Central Government employee unions, associations, members of the Defence services and NC JCM Staff Side. All these will be considered. Personal interactions shall not be held anymore. All the demands and suggestions have been examined and the task of preparing the final recommendation report has almost ended. In addition to this, the report containing all the recommendations will be prepared within the stipulated time that was allocated.”

Everybody is pleased with the authorized news that the 7th Pay Commission report, which contains the new pay and perk structure that directly affects more than 40 lakh Central Government employee all over the country, will be ready on time.

There were rumours that the Commission might seek an extension of another six months. Many reasons were given for this claim and most of these were very convincing. It is a welcome move on the part of the 7th Pay Commission to voluntarily come forward and announce their current status.

If everything goes as planned, the 7th Pay Commission recommendations will come into effect from 01.01.2016 onwards.

Meanwhile, there is no doubt in the fact that employees are extremely curious to find out how much their salaries would increase if the new Pay Commission recommendations are implemented.

Source: www.cgstaffnews.in

7th CPC News - 7th Pay Commission completes its task in the time frame of 18 months and finalization of the report is underway

7th Pay Commission completes its task in the time frame of 18 months and finalization of the report is underway

The 7th Central Pay Commission has published a report on its official portal yesterday in order to know all stake holders regarding their meetings and its report. 

It ensured that the 7th CPC report will be completed within the time frame of 18 months and it will not entertain any further meetings. 7th Pay Commission Report including revised Pay and Allowances for Central Government Employees, is on final stage.

The official report published by 7th CPC as follows...

“Further to the memoranda received from a variety of Organisations, Federations, Groups representing civil employees in the Government of India as also from the Defence Services, the Commission has had fruitful and wide ranging discussions on relevant issues with all stakeholders. Such interactions have now been concluded. Valuable inputs have been received and the work of compilation and finalization of the report is underway, so that the Commission completes its task in the time frame given to it. Accordingly, any future requests for meeting with the Commission will not be entertained”.

Source: http://7cpc.india.gov.in/

REVISED VERIFICATION ORDERS ISSUED ON 23-6-2015

REVISION IN THE LIMIT OF MINIMUM BALANCE FOR ISSUANCE OF ATM/DEBIT CARDS TO POSB ACCOUNT HOLDERS.

2nd ALL INDIA CONFERENCE OF AIPEU GDS (NFPE)

2nd ALL INDIA CONFERENCE OF AIPEU GDS (NFPE)

National Joint Council of Action, Odisha State branch formed on 21.06.2015

            Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary, National Council, JCM (Staff Side), Convenor National JCA and General Secretary, AIRF addressed the joint convention of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers and All India Railwaymen Federation at 3 P M on 21.06.2015 in Mancheswar Rly. Workshop Institute, Bhubaneswar. 

Odisha State branch of National JCA formed in the presence of Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra (List of office Bearers will be published later on) . 

The following leaders also addressed the Convention. 

1.     Com. Nirakar Satpathy, General Secretary, East Coast Railway Shramik Union, Bhubaneswar

2.     Com. S Lawrence, General Secretary, South East Central Railwaymen Union, Bilaspur ( Chhatisgarh)

3.     Com. Ch. Gandhi, President, East Coast Railway Shramik Union, Bhubaneswar

4.     Com. M M Samal, President, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, Odisha State CoC.

5.     Com. R N Dhal, General Secretary, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, Odisha State CoC.

 

The following leaders attended the convention on behalf of National Federation of Postal Employees, Odisha.

 

1.     Com. Bruhaspati Samal, Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, Bhubaneswar and Vice-President, Odisha Circle

2.     Com. Dusmanta Sethi, Circle Secretary, AIRMS & MMS EU, Group-C, Odisha Circle

3.     Com. Debabrata Mohanty, Circle Secretary, AIPEU, Postmen & MTS, Odisha Circle  and Dy. General Secretary, CHQ

 

4.    Com. Srikant Mallick, Circle Secretary, AIPSBCOEU, Odisha Circle

5.     Com. Ashok Kumar Mohanty, Circle Secretary, AIRMS & MMS EU, MG & MTS, Odisha Circle

6.     Com. Sudhir Kumar Swain, Secretary, AIPEU, Postmen & MTS, Bhubaneswar

 

In addition, the NFPE team was also accompanied with Com. Anil Kumar Mohanty, Com. Lingaraj Sahoo, Com. Nihar Ranjan Pattnaik, Com. Kalandi Biswal, Com. P K Samantaray, Com. Guru Charan Bhoi, ( all from Postal Side ) Com. Nanda Kishore Tripathy, Com. Alok Ranjan Swain, Com. Shivram Panda, Com. Sridhar Jena, Com. Sujit Sagar and  Fani Bhusan Tripathy ( all from RMS side ). 

The Convention was presided by Com. Nirakar Satpathy, General Secretary, ECoRSU and the vote of thanks was given by Com. P K Patsani, Addl. General Secretary, ECoRSU, Khurda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS (POSTAL ASSISTANTS AND SORTING ASSISTANT) RECRUITMENT RULES, 2015

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS (POSTAL ASSISTANTS AND SORTING ASSISTANT) RECRUITMENT RULES, 2015CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS (MULTI-TASKING STAFF) RECRUITMENT RULES, 2015

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS (MULTI-TASKING STAFF) RECRUITMENT RULES, 2015CLICK HERE

Supplementary Memorandum to 7th Central Pay Commission – IRTSA

Supplementary Memorandum to 7th Central Pay Commission – IRTSA

Pros and Cons of Pay Band and Grade Pay System

Indian Railways Technical Supervisors Association already submitted a complete memorandum to 7th Pay Commission on 26.5.2014 and Oral evidence and Power Point Presentation also by IRTSA on 12.12.2014. Now, an another supplementary Memorandum submitted to 7th Central Pay Commission on 17.6.2015. The rejoinder memorandum insists on the demands of Higher Grade Pay and Classification of posts of Technical Supervisors in Railways. (Click to read all memorandums submitted to 7th CPC)

SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY IRTSA

TO SEVENTH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION

Chapter – 13

BENEFITS & DRAWBACKS OF PAY BAND & GRADE PAY SYSTEM INTRODUCED BY SIXTH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION

13.1. Benefits& Drawbacks of Pay Band and Grade Pay system introduced by 6th CPC

i. Problem of stagnation in pay is eliminated, since pay bands are having long spans.

ii. If employees are stagnated at the maximum of any pay band for more than one year, continuously, he/she shall be placed in the immediate next higher pay band without change in the Grade Pay.

iii. Point to point fixation was facilitated by the pay band system, (with one increment in the revised pay cale for every three increments in the pre-revised scale) – But the employees with more years of service were placed in a disadvantageous position.

iv. Quantum of increment increases exponentially, instead of fixed rate of increment attached to every pay scale – But the difference became very large at higher levels – thus causing discrimination with those at middle & lower levels.

v. Grade Pay decides hierarchy / seniority of the post.

13.2. Main Draw backs of Pay Band and Grade Pay system introduced by 6th CPC

i. Increase between minimum basic pay of prerevised scale and minimum of every Revised Pay Band is not uniform. There is much greater increase in favour of PB-3 & PB-4.

ii. Arbitrary adoption of formula of 40% of maximum of the merged scales for deciding the Grade Pay – instead of progressive and proportionate rise of Grade Pay from one scale to the next.

iii. Disproportionate rise of pay after Sixth Pay commission – due to grant of disproportionate Higher Grade pays in higher scales (S-24 & above) as compared to S-4 to S-23 (Please see details in the following Table and also the table in next page)

iv. Rate of annual increment (3% of basic pay) is inadequate.

v. Increment on promotion (difference in grade pay + one additional increment) is inadequate.

vi. Situation of senior promotes getting less pay than Junior direct recruits, is in violation of basic principle of Pay Band system. For example, a. A JE with five years of service while getting regular promotion from Grade Pay Rs.4200 in PB-2 to Grade Pay Rs.4600 as SSE is fixed at a Basic pay of Rs. 16120 compared to the Direct recruit’s basic pay of Rs.17140.

b. A JE with five years of service while getting promotion (through LDCE) from Grade Pay Rs.4200 in PB-2 to Grade Pay Rs.4800 as AWM/AME/AE is fixed a Basic pay of Rs. 16120 compared to the Direct recruit’s basic pay of Rs.18150.

c. Pay on Promotion should be fixed at least at par with Entry Pay in the Revised Pay Structure for direct recruits.

Source: IRTSA

Government warns 'habitual late-comers' to office, asks all officials to maintain punctuality

The Centre has warned all government servants that disciplinary action will be taken against "habitual late-comers" to office and has asked for officials at all levels to maintain punctuality.

The government had introduced Aadhaar enabled Bio-metric Attendance System (AEBAS) in Central Government offices, including attached/ sub-ordinate offices, last year to replace the manual system of marking of attendance to ensure punctuality is to be implemented in all Ministries. "This Department on November 21, 2014 and January 28, 2015 while recognizing that the Biometric Attendance System is only an enabling platform had, inter-alia, stated that there was no change in the instructions relating to office hours, late attendance etc," the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has said in a circular issued to all ministries today, titled 'Observance of punctuality in office.".

"In this connection attention is invited to Rule 3(1)(ii) of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 which stipulates that every Government servant shall at all times maintain devotion to duty. Habitual late attendance is viewed as conduct unbecoming of a Government servant and disciplinary action may be taken against such a Government servant. It is also added that punctuality in attendance is to be observed by Government servants at all levels. It is also requested that the necessary directions may be issued to all employees to mark their attendance in BAS portal on regular basis," the DoPT circular issued on June 22 says.

It has added that instructions have been issued from time to time with regard to the need to observe punctuality by Government servants and the responsibility for ensuring punctuality in respect of their employees rests within Ministries/ Departments/ Offices.

Nearly 1.3 lakh central government employees are registering their attendance on the AEBAS system.

Source : The Economic Times

To view the Circular please Click here.