POSTAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS

ALL INDIA POSTAL EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYEES

NATIONAL UNION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

NEW DELHI – 110001

NO SETTLEMENT

Today (30.06.2011) Secretary, Department of Posts, held another round of discussion with Central JCA Leaders. The Secretary level discussion was restricted to the Mail Network Optimization Project (MNOP) and lasted for one hour only. No settlement could be reached on the first item of the Charter of demands i.e; implemental of Speed Post hubs, 1^st Class Mails hubs and delivery hubs. The staff side demanded the Secretary, Department of Posts, to have full fledged discussion on all items of the charter of demands including the first item.

Yesterday (29.06.2011) there was a discussion with Member (Operations) on the same subject. No consensus could be reached in that meeting also. The Central JCA decided unanimously to intensify the strike preparations and ensure 100% participation of the employees in the indefinite strike. The entire Postal and RMS offices shall remain closed from 5^th July 2011.

The Central JCA call further calls upon on all Circle/Divisional/Branch Secretaries to organize protest demonstration in front of all offices on all days from 1^st July 2011.

CIRCULAR 51 from CHQ

(M) G.S. 09912348500                                                                                         (M): Office: 9868451466

All India Postal Accounts Employees Association

Central Headquarter

13-B, New Mahavir Nagar, Type-IV, DAO Flat, New Delhi – 110018

www.aipaea09.blogspot.com e-mail: aipaea_pao@yahoo.co.in

(Camp at: B-17, F-3,Vignanapuri,Vidyanagar,Hyderabad-500044)

AIPAEA/CHQ/ Circular 51                                                                       Date: 29-06-2011                                                                                                                   

Comrades,

Make the Nationwide Postal indefinite strike a grand success

We are nearing the D-day. Negotiations were held and due to adamancy of the Department there is no progress in the talks. Battle lines are drawn. This is the battle for the existence of the Department. This is the struggle to save our own Department. No petty reason or selfish motto should come in the way of discharging this sacred duty. Postal Accounts employees are in the fore front in the past and will be second to none in future too! Our own interests are intertwined with the flourishing of the Postal Department. We should understand the fact that if HPOs are downgraded we are the people who have to bare the burnt. If the Postal Services go in the way of privatization, whose accounts we maintain? These are the basic and fundamental issues involved. In addition, our very own immediate issues like decentralization, cadre restructuring, filling up of vacancies, infrastructure to the newly formed PAOs, settling the Gr.D and Sorter anomaly, stopping of disciplinary action in the name of contributory negligence for the frauds at Post Offices, Removing extraneous conditions for the grant of Child Care Leave etc. are in the strike charter. So we have to participate in the strike for the larger issue of saving this great Public institution, Department of Posts and to achieve our own sectional demands. Let’s not surrender our right to question. Let’s not be the silent and bye stand spectators to the historic happenings. Let’s be part of it. Together let’s make historical struggle a grand success.

Reports are pouring from the Circles about the strike preparations. From Chennai Com. R.B. Suresh informed that campaign is in full swing. General Body and sectional meetings are being held. Nagpur Circle Secretary Com. Dhole informed that hand bills were issued, section to section rounds were conducted and the campaign is in full swing. From Trivendrum Com. Mohanan Nair flashed the news that they are conducting vehicle Jathas and approaching the public besides the campaign in the office. Com. D. Narasimha Murthy, Circle Secretary informed that hectic campaign is going on by organizing ladies meetings, activist meeting and intensive postering.  Lucknow comrades, under the leadership of Com. S.B.Yadav, are moving ahead with full pledged campaign. Bangalore as usual under the leadership of Com. Veeresh is preparing well to make the strike 100% success. Patna Circle secretary Com. Gopal Sharma is making all out efforts to make the strike a grand success. Our West Bengal comrades in spite of facing several difficulties are conducting successful strike campaign. Com. Samal intimated that Cuttuck is going ahead with all the preparations. Jallandhar and Kapurthala  under the militant leadership of Com. Deepa,  held gate meetings and served the strike notice. Sundernagar under the guidance of Com. Rana is ready to strike. Our fledgling young comrades from Raipur and Guwahati assured 100% strike. These are the reports I have till the time of preparation of this circular. I am sure other Circles under the leadership of our veteran comrades will not lag behind. The reports from all the Postal Circles are also point towards the 100% success of the 5^th July strike. It is good to learn that the BPEF is also served the strike notice and going on strike from 5^th July. With this all the Federations and Associations in the DOP will be on strike.

4-Advance Increments case

It is expected that the file which was sent to Ministry of Finance may be cleared within a month. Confirmatory and Departmental exam passed candidates between the periods from 01-01-1973 to 31-05-1981 are covered under this.

Recruitment Rules for the promotion to cadre of AAO

Draft Recruitment Rules have been approved by Member (F). File is under process to be sent to DOP&T. It will take some time to reach the stage of notification. CHQ is opposing the introduction of Direct Recruitment quota in the R.Rs.

Fresh offer of appointment to the JAO exam passed candidates

Some of the JAO exam passed candidates has not accepted the promotion to AAO cadre. Again fresh offer is being given to such candidates. Last date is July 25^th, 2011.

Part II exam

The proposal of the PA wing for relaxation of age and conduct the Part-II JAO exam under the old RRs is not accepted by the DOP&T. The file is going to be re-submitted.

Court Cases

The two cases filed by the CHQ is going to  come up for hearing in the month of August, 2011.

Gr.B status to Senior Accountants

DDG(PAF) has assured that the issue can be discussed as out of agenda in the Cadre restructuring meeting which is going to be held soon.

I request all the comrades to take part in the indefinite strike and make it a grand success. Let’s unite and fight for justice.

Inquilab Zindabad ! Our unity Zindabad!!

With Struggle Greetings,

T.Satyanarayana

General Secretary

VARIOUS ORDERS FROM PAF

Provisional offer of appointment to the cadre of AAO amongst JAO Part II (Postal) Examination Qualified candidates


Policy and guiding principles for posting and tranafer of the Officers of IP&T AFS Group-B

Promotion of Accounts Officers to higher functional grade of Sr.Accounts Officer in IP&T AFS Group-B in the Pay band -3 of Rs.15600-39100+Grade Pay of Rs.5400/- 

List of Holidays for year 2012 & RH on 31.12.2011 on the accasion birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh

Click here for List of Holidays for year 2012

Click here for RH on 31.12.2011

Confederation Circular requesting all State Committees to support the forthcoming Indefinite Postal Strike - to hold demonstrations in front of CPMG offices – to send telegram to the Secy. ( Posts ) and Communication Minister :

Confederation Circular requesting all State Committees to support the forthcoming Indefinite Postal Strike - to hold demonstrations in front of CPMG offices – to send telegram to the Secy. ( Posts ) and Communication Minister :

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL  GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS.

A-2/95,Manishinath Bhawan,Rajouri Garden, New Delhi-110 027

Conf/12/2011                                                                                       dated 28^th  June, 2011

Dear Comrade,

                Kindly see our website. We have placed a copy of our letter seeking solidarity and support of our sister organizations and affiliates to the postal workers who will commence the indefinite strike action from 5^th July onwards.  We request all our affiliates and State Committees to organize Lunch –recess demonstration at the respective work spots on 5^th July, 2011.  The State Committees must ensure that a massive demonstration is organized at the CPMG offices of the State Capital eliciting participation of all CGEs on 8-7-2011 and send the following telegram/savingram to the Secretary-Post, Government of India, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001 as also to the Communication Minister. Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon'ble Minister for communications, 107, First Floor, Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001.

                                 "We express our solidarity with the striking Postal employees. Urge upon you to hold negotiations with the organizations and settle their demands."

                The affiliates may kindly issue necessary instructions to all their Branches to carry out the above programme.   Copy of the said communication may please be endorsed to the Confederation CHQ

                The National Secretariat of the Confederation will meet on 30^th July, 2011 at Chennai and the first meeting of the National Women's convention will also be held on the same day. Copies of notices are placed hereunder.

PFRDA Bill

                The Government could successfully introduce the PFRDA Bill in the last session of the Parliament with the help of the BJP and others in the opposition. The Bill might come up for discussion and enactment in the monsoon session.  In the wake of the attempt in this direction by the UPA-I Government,  we had taken the decision to organize a day's strike jointly with AISGEF, the School and University Teachers Federations and the AIDEF.  We have been in touch with all these organization for venturing into another serious campaign against the present Bill to culminate in an industrial action. Accordingly we have decided to hold a joint convention on PFRDA Bill at New Delhi on 22^nd July, 2011.  The venue of the convention will be :

M.P.C.U Shah Auditorium,  Shree Delhi Gujarati Samaj, No.2, Raj Niwas Marg, Civil lines, Ring Road, New Delhi-110 054 (next to Civil lines Metro Station- Yellow Line)

                The convention will commence at 11-30 AM and shall be concluded at 3-30 PM. The convention have the participation of the representatives from AISGEF, Confederation,  AIDEF,School and University teachers Federations, and DREU. Other details will be conveyed in our next circular.

With greetings

 Yours fraternally,

KK.N. Kutty,

Secretary General

N O T I C E

                Notice is hereby given for a meeting of the Secretariat of the Confederation to be held at Chennai on 30^th July, 2011.  The meeting will begin at 11-30 A.M. The exact venue of the meeting will be communicated by the Tamilnadu State Committee.  The meeting will deliberate upon the following agenda:

(a)    Review of the campaign programme if any undertaken to popularize the charter of demands.

(b)   To finalise the date for the next phase of programme of action.

(c)    The implication of deems taken at the Joint Covention on PFRDA Bill at Delhi on 22-7-2011.

(d)   Any other matter with the permission of the Chair.

                The first meeting of the women committee formed by the National women's convention at Kolkata will also be held at Chennai at the same venue.  The meeting of the women committee will begin at 3-00 P.M.  The convenor  of the Committee will circulate the agenda for discussion in due course:

Yours fraternally,

K.K.N. Kutty

Secretary General

N O T I C E

                Notice is hereby given for a meeting of the women's committee of the Confederation of CG employees and workers to be held at Chennai on 30^th July 2011.  The meeting will begin at 3-00 P.M. The following agenda will be subjected to discussion.

(a)    Follow-up action required to be taken to implement the decisions taken at the National Conventions at Kolkata.

(b)   Finalisation of date of State level conventions and formation of sub-committees for each state.

(c)    Steps to improve the participation of women comrades in the programme of action.

 (C.P.Shobhana)

Convener

National Women's committee of Confederation of CGE and Workers

Address: Sub-Postmaster,  Vikas Bhawan P.O. Thiruvanatapuram. 695 033.

Cell No. 9446721330

Joint appeal by the Secretary Generals and General Secretaries of the Central J C A for settlement of Demands:

Joint appeal by the Secretary Generals and General Secretaries of the Central   J C A for settlement of Demands:

POSTAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS

ALL INDIA POSTAL EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYEES UNION

NATIONAL UNION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

NEW DELHI – 110001

No. JCA/Postal/2011                                         Dated : 28.06.2011

To,

___________________

____________________

____________________

Sir,

Sub:       Indefinite Postal Strike from 05^th July-2011.

                The Postal Services in India is the biggest in the world, with a tradition of serving the people of this country for the last 150 years. There are about 1,55,000 Post Offices , 392 Railway Mail Service Sorting Offices. Collection, Processing, Conveyance and delivery of Postal articles including Speed Post , Registered Post, Parcels, Periodicals, Ordinary letters etc. is the main function of the Postal Department. In addition to this the INDIA POST is running the largest Bank called Post offices Savings Bank and also Postal Life Insurance including Rural Postal Life Insurance, as the agency functions of the Finance Ministry, Govt. of India. There are about 5,50,000 employees working in the Postal Department out of which 3,00000 are Gramin Dak Sevaks mostly in the rural Post Offices.

                The Postal Joint Council of Action comprising  National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) , Federation of National Postal Organizations (FNPO), All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union (AIPEDEU) and National Union of Gramin Dak Sevaks(NUGDS)' representing 95% of the employees, has decided to go on Indefinite  All India Strike from 5^th July 2011. The Bhartiya Postal Employees Federation (BPEF) affiliated to BMS has also given separate notice for indefinite strike from 6^th July, 2011. The memorandum regarding the decision for indefinite strike was given to the Secretary, Department of Posts, on 20^th February 2011 it self and the formal Strike Notice was served on 14.06.2011.Three rounds of discussions with Secretary, Department of Posts, took place on 06.06.2011, 07.06.2011 and 27.06.2011, but failed due to the adamant position taken by the Postal authorities.

                The Postal Board has appointed the Chicago-based multi-national Consultancy called Mckinsey for optimizing the mail network of INDIA POST. The Department has now started implementing the Mail Network Optimization Project (MNOP) recommended by the Mckinsey. As a first step speed Post hubs are introduced. As per this scheme the existing 315 National Speed Post Centres (NSPC) has been reduced to 89 speed post hubs. Speed post articles booked for delivery in the same district or nearby districts are unnecessarily

dispatched to hubs situated hundred of miles away for processing. From there articles are again back-routed to the delivery post offices. This has resulted in heavy delay in transmission and delivery of speed post articles. Articles which are delivered on the next day earlier are now delayed for 2 to 5 days. Time bound and speedy delivery could not be ensured and this has resulted in erosion of the customer faith in the Postal services which in turn has resulted downfall in the number of speed post articles booked and also in the revenue realized through speed post.

                In-spite of the failure of the Speed Post hub experiment, the department is not ready to revert back to the old system. Instead the Postal Board now proposes to introduce hub system for first class mails including registered articles and also for delivery. The existing 366 mail sorting offices are to be closed and 89 first class mail hubs are to be introduced, just like speed post articles first class mails including registered articles of 5 or 6 revenue districts are to be pooled in hubs situated hundreds of miles away and from there they are processed and back-routed for delivery. Similarly the delivery of letters in urban areas at present done from town sub post offices are to be withdrawn and it will be concentrated in delivery hubs. The department also issued instruction to all Chief Postmaster Generals for closure and merger of 9797 urban post offices in the name of optimization. The introduction of first class mail hubs, delivery hubs and closure of offices will further aggravate the delay in transmission and delivery of postal articles and curtailment of postal facilities to the public. Naturally public will loose their faith in the postal services and will be compelled to depend upon courier services.

                The JCA has demanded the Postal Board to roll back the speed post hubs and also to reject the proposal to introduce first class mail hubs and delivery hubs and stop closure of offices. But the Postal Board has taken an adamant stand and is unilaterally going ahead with the implementation of Mckinsey recommendations.

                The JCA has also demanded the Postal Board to concede the legitimate sectional demands of the Gramin Dak Sevaks, Casual Labourers and other cadres of the Postal department such as Postal Assistants, Sorting Assistants, Postmen, Mail guard, Multi-tasking Staff, System Administrators, PO & RMS Accountants, Postal Accounts Employees, Administrative Staff, SBCO Staff, MMS and Civil Wing employees. The 25 point Charter of demands submitted to the Secretary, Department of Posts, is enclosed herewith

                As employees of all the Federations and Unions irrespective of their union affiliations are participating in the strike, the entire postal services will be paralyzed from 5^th July, 2011.

                We earnestly solicit your support for the justified demands of the Postal employees and intervention at Government level for settlement of the demands raised in the Charter of Demands.

Yours Sincerely

M. Krishnan Secretary General, NFPE	D. Theagarajan       Secretary General, FNPO
S. S. Mahadevaiah     General Secretary           AIPEDEU	P.U.Muralidharan           General Secretary              GDS – NUPE

Clarification regarding reimbursement of LTC-80 fare.

F.No. 19024/1/2009-E.IV
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
E-IV Branch
-------

New Delhi, dated the 4^th March, 2011

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:       Clarification regarding reimbursement of LTC-80 fare.

      The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department's O.M. No. 7(1)/E.Coord/2008 dated 4.12.2008 regarding restriction of the Air Travel on the LTC to Air India's LTC-80 fares with effect from 1st December,2008.

2.      References are being received in this Department seeking clarification for admissibility of LTC claims of Government officials in cases where the air fare paid for travel by Air India happens to be less than LTC-80 class of Air India. It is clarified that reimbursement of air fare lower than LTC-80 air fare of Air India will also be admissible for journeys performed by Air India under LTC as the intention is to ensure that the LTC claim should not in any case , exceed LTC-80 fare of Air India.

3.      It is further clarified that instructions issued by this Department on air travel from time to time continue to remain in force.

Sd/-
(A. Bhattacharya)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Source: Finance Ministry
CLICK FOR FARE LIST

FLASH NEWS

POSTAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS

ALL INDIA POSTAL EXTRA DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYEES

NATIONAL UNION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS

NEW DELHI – 110001

DISCUSSION WITH POSTAL BOARD AGAIN FAILED

DEPARTMENT ADAMANT ON IMPLEMENTING McKINSEY RECOMMENDATIONS

CENTRAL JCA DECIDES TO GO AHEAD WITH THE STRIKE

The third round of discussion held with the Postal Board today (27.06.2011) at 3 PM also failed due to the adamant position taken by the Department. Ms. Radhika Doraiswamy, Secretary, Department of Posts, Sri. P. K. Giopinath, Member (Personnel), Mrs. Manjula Parashar, Member (Operations), Sri. Kamaleshwar Prasad, Member (HR) and other Senior Officers were present. Staff side was represented by Secretary Generals, NFPE, FNPO and other General Secretaries.

Immediately on commencement of the meeting the Staff Side expressed its strong resentment and protest against the decision of the Department to go ahead with the Mckinsey recommendations regarding Mail Network Optimisation Project. The Staff side demanded that the aleady failed experiment of speed post hubs should be withdrawn immediately and the decision to implement first class mails hubs and delivery hubs and closure/merger of offices should be dropped. After heated discussion for about two hours no consensus could be arrived on this important agenda of the Charter of Demands. Hence meeting ended with disagreement.

The Central JCA met after the discussion with Postal Board and took the following decisions: -

1. The JCA unanimously decided to go ahead with the strike decision.

2. Campaign and preparations at grass root level for the strike should be further intensified.

3. The indefinite strike shall commence at 6 AM on 05.07.2011

4. 100% strike should be ensured in all Branches/Divisions and Circles.

5. Strike shall not be withdrawn unless and until result – oriented settlement is reached on important items of Charter of Demands.

CLARIFICATION ON CHILDREN EDUCATION ALLOWANCE

CLICK HERE FOR CLARIFICATION ORDER

N O T I C E

                Notice is hereby given for a meeting of the Secretariat of the Confederation to be held at Chennai on 30^th July, 201.  The meeting will begin at 11-30 A.M. The exact venue of the meeting will be communicated by the Tamilnadu Stae Committee.  The meeting will deliberate upon the following agenda:

(a)    Review of the campaign programme if any undertaken to popularize the charter of demands.

(b)   To finalise the date for the next phase of programme of action.

(c)    The implication of deems taken at the Joint Covention on PFRDA Bill at Delhi on 22-7-2011.

(d)   Any other matter with the permission of the Chair.

The first meeting of the women committee formed by the National women's convention at Kolkata will also be held at Chennai at the same venue.  The meeting of the women committee will begin at 3-00 P.M.  The convenor  of the Committee will circulate the agenda for discussion in due course:

Yours fraternally,

K.K.N. Kutty

Secretary General

Right time to reconsider : If no one walks with you, walk alone…....... :

Right time to reconsider : If no one walks with you, walk alone…....... :

Dear Comrades,

You might have been informed that the AIAIASP lastly decided not to join with the Central J C A for participation in the forthcoming nationwide indefinite strike commencing 5^th July, 2011. As such obviously extension of their moral support to the proposed strike may be a question since no unanimity could be gathered by its CHQ due to difference in opinions of the Circle Secretaries. Being responsible employees of India Post, if we fail to understand that we have  terrible days to come when there will be no one to  tell us not to cry, no body to pray with us, nobody to stand against the damages caused by the so called  anti-employee/anti-people policies of the Department  and worst of all when there will be nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide, we have nothing to suggest others but appeal our bonafide members not to be disheartened and worried particularly at this moment when we are going to face the biggest challenge in the shape of an indefinite strike. Just think that you are alone  and not the type of person to need anyone with you to struggle. But it is sure  that if you  can stand through  alone, then the greater individuality  that is in you will certainly help to bring a definite change  in your path .

It will be relevant to remind you an incident from the life  of Mahatma Gandhi .

When Gandhiji started practicing as a lawyer in Rajkot, an offer came to him to go to South Africa as a legal adviser to an Indian firm owned by a Gujarati Muslim businessman there. Gandhiji accepted the offer and went to Natal in South Africa in May 1893 where the  Indians were ill-treated, disgraced and called as `Coolies'. Very soon Gandhiji too had his share of this experience. On his way to Pretoria in a first class compartment , one day Gandhiji got pushed out of the train when he refused to leave his seat for a white person. Even though Gandhiji raised an objection that he had a first class ticket, nobody heard him. A policeman pushed him out with his bag and baggage. The train left. Gandhiji spent the night shivering in cold, but he did not touch his luggage.

This incident changed the whole course of his life. He decided never to be pushed down again and to fight for all such injustices with the weapon of Truth later renamed as Satyagraha which gave birth to one of the biggest revolutions for independence in 20^th century. He made a very important rule for himself which he used his whole life: never to use violence in his fights, even if others would use violence against him. Would India’s independence have been possible  hadn’t people like Gandhiji made up his mind as such and had he given a cowardice  movement at that moment ?

By doing this, Gandhiji  left  a message for the world – “ It takes just one man to make a difference.” So anything and everything  you do counts and will certainly make a definite difference.

So, my dear Comrades, it should not make any difference if somebody comes with you or not and  there should not be any second thought for this struggle movement to give justice to our employees in particular and the crores of Indian citizen in general. We are completely right in our stand. Just think Comrade – The degree of exploitation being done to us in the name of modernization / computerization / Project Arrow etc. compelling us to work till late night regularly irrespective of Sundays / holidays  without  fixed duty hours and suitable compensation as was being done in pre-independence era just designate us as `Coolies'. And now the 25 point Charter of Demands just depict the above plights. We may conclude that though the Britishers left India, we are  not really  independent even after 64 years. They are still in India with some other name. Thus, another struggle movement is certainly required and at this moment the Central J C A is a part of it. Feel enough proud of it that you are a  part of the JCA and doing something for the development of your people and planet. You alone can do a lot. Be confident to walk alone if no one walks with you. Success will be yours.

It will be wise to remind  the  poem from  Rabindranath Tagore whose poignant words offer a message for all of us:-

If no one responds to your call,

 Go forward alone.

If no one talks to you,

Oh luckless one.

If everyone turns away from you in fear,

Reveal your thoughts

And express your ideas to yourself.

If everyone leaves you

While you are travelling a dangerous road,
If no one wants to look after you,
Walk on alone,

On the road strewn with thorns,

Trampling on them with bleeding feet.
 

If no one shows a light,

If in the dark stormy night everyone shuts their doors,
Use your rib as a torch,

Lit from the fire of thunder.

If no one walks with you, walk alone…

Confederation Circular issued in favour of the Postal Strike commencing 5th July, 2011:

Confederation Circular issued in favour of the Postal Strike commencing 5th July, 2011:

CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL  GOVT. EMPLOYEES & WORKERS. A-2/95,Manishinath Bhawan,Rajouri Garden, New Delhi-110 027
Website:www.confederationhq.blogspot.com.  Email:Confederation06@Yahoo.co.in Tel: 011-2510 5324:  Mobile: 98110 48303

Dated:23^rd June 2011

Dear Comrade,

We write this to solicit your support and solidarity for the postal workers of the country who are preparing to go on indefinite strike action from 5^th July 2011 onwards.  The National Federation of Postal employees (NFPE), All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union (AIPEDEU), the two affiliates of the confederation has under the banner of the Joint Council of Action with the Federation of National Postal Organizations (affiliated to INTUC) and the National Union of Gramin Dak Sewak(affiliated to INTUC) have served the Strike notice on 14^th June 2011 on the Postal Board.  The Strike action will commence on 5^th July, 2011.

The Issues

1.       Some time back, the Department of Post, appointed the World (in)famous Transnational Corporation, Mckinzey Consultancy to make recommendations to it as to the manner and methodology to be adopted  to restructure the century old postal system of the country.  While the avowed objective was to modernize the system and make it a profit making venture, the real intent was to reorganize the department in such a manner so as to equip itself viable for privatization/corporatization. Earlier the Postal Department had made several attempts to privatize its functions and in the process large scale outsourcing was also resorted to. With the prime objective of eroding the efficacy of the Postal department, various steps were undertaken like, closure of sorting units, cutting down the staff strength despite widening business ventures, pegging down the overtime rates by linking it to pre-1986 pay scales etc. Thrice the Government made attempts to introduce legislation in the parliament to grant license to courier service providers.  The stubborn resistance of the M.Ps especially of the left parties and a few others in the parliament and the struggles organized by the  employees at the work spot thwarted it successfully till date.  However, systematically and meticulously the Department had been  creating conditions whereby the customers moved away to patronize the private courier services, run illegally without any licence whatsoever. Surprisingly even Government Departments, which are to communicate with large number of people often became customers  of such illegally run private courier service providers The Mckinzey consultancy who is yet to make its final  report, has however, suggested certain measures in the name of Mail Network optimization project  which the postal department has now  decided to implement without causing any discussions whatsoever  with any of the stake holders, especially the unions. Their suggestions include:

(a)     Closure/merger of about 9797 post offices in the urban area

(b)     Reduce the number of Speed Post Centre from 315 to 89.

(c)     Reduce the RMS sorting centres from 412 to 84

(d)     To redeploy the postman staff in the newly created "Delivery hubs"

2.       The major chunks of the postal workers are Gramin Dak Sewaks or Extra-departmental Agents.  The EDA was the system developed by the British Government to spread the postal communication system to far flung rural areas of the country . They were simply agents or franchisees and were appointed so for pittance of a remuneration.   Their cause was taken up by the unions of regular employees, the NFPE and its constituents and the FNPO, in the post-independent era and through sustained struggles fetched  them very many concessions, benefits and privileges and brought them nearly on par with the regular employees.  When the 5^th CPC was set up in 1993, the Postal department was forced to appoint a Judicial Commission (The Talwar Commission) to go into the wage-structure and other service conditions of the Extra Departmental Agents, presently called the Gramin Dak Sewaks.  The committee made far reaching recommendations, a good number of which the Government had to accept and implement, (except civil servant status and pension) thereby improving the lot of these employees considerably.  However, the committee set up in the wake of the  6^th CPC, the Natarajamurthy committee headed by a retired Postal bureaucrat, ensured that the EDAs were reduced to casual part time workers reversing in the process, decisions taken on the basis of Talwar Commission suggestions. Most of the committee's recommendations were in sync with the neo-liberal economic policies. The rules governing their service conditions have now been unilaterally amended whereby they may not be even termed as "employees" hereafter.  The very caption of the regulatory rules which was GDS-Conduct and Employment rules have now been changed to  GDS- Conduct and engagement rules,  reducing them  to the status of a Contract Worker.

In the negotiations which took place on 6^th and 7^th June, 2011 the Postal authorities have stuck to their stand of implementing the decision to create Speed Post and First Class mail hubs, despite their inability to contradict the fact presented by the  staff side that the creation of such hubs has resulted in abnormal delay in the delivery of articles benefiting the private operators.  It has,  therefore,  become unambiguously clear that without organizing sustained struggles and eliciting the support of the entire section of the  working people and garnering  public opinion,  the reversal of the decision would not come about.   The undeniable  fact that Government and the Postal department armed  with the recommendation of the Mckency  consultancy are determined  to demolish the existing postal system in the country to pave way for the unhindered  entry of private operators has to be defeated.

We therefore once again request you to extend your co-operation, support and solidarity to make the proposed indefinite strike successful to compel the Government to rescind their decision to act upon McKenzie recommendations in the Postal Department.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally

K K N Kutty.

Secretary General

Report of the Committee on Comprehensive Review of National Small Savings Fund

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JCA, NATIONAL CONVENTION – CHENNAI:

National Convention of Postal Joint Council of Action (JCA) comprising NFPE,FNPO and GDS Unions was held at Chennai on 19.06.2011.The Convention was presided over by Joint Presidium of Presidents NFPE,FNPO, AIPEDEU and NUGDS i.e. Com.D.K. Rahate, Com.T.N. Rahate, Com.D.N.Giri and Com.G. Satyanarayana Reddy respectively.

              Hundreds of All India Office Bearers and Circle Secretaries of all unions of NFPE, FNPO, AIPEDEU and NUGDS participated in the convention from all corners of country. The convention was inaugurated by Com. D.Theagarajan Secretary General FNPO who described the need of calling National Convention of JCA to form a broader unity among the postal workers to fight against policies of Department of Posts and to resist Mckinsey dictated reforms. He appealed to entire rank and file to sink the differences if any between the workers and make the 5^th July strike grand success.

              Com.M.Krishnan Secretary General NFPE elaborately described all the issues confronting to all Postal, RMS and GDS employees. He informed that how the Postal Board is going ahead to implement the Corporate plan in the name of Mail Optimization and as per directions of Mckinsey Company going to minimize the number of RMS Offices in the name of Mail Hubs and reduction of number of Post Offices in the urban areas by way of closure/merger or relocation .He also stated that every cadre is being attacked by different ways. Formation of delivery hubs and abolition of post of Sorting Postman and non-fixation of any norms for the distance of beat to be travelled by Postman and arbitrary implementation of single batch system are the causes of trouble to Postman. Like wise the GDS is worst effected, 25% posts of Postman vacancies have been declared for open market. Cash handling point has been increased. Compassionate appointment ceiling has been fixed as 10% and now GDS conduct and employment rules have been modified as GDS Conduct and Engagement Rules.

              The wages of contingent employees and Casual Labourers have not been revised till date. Like wise all cadres i.e. P.O. & RMS Accountants, System Administrators, Postal Accounts Staff, MMS Drivers and Artisan staff and other are the worst sufferers. He called upon the entirety of Postal, RMS and GDS employees to make every efforts to make the strike a grand success so that the existence of our Department can be saved. Now this is the time to "Do or Die" and "Now or Never". If we fight unitedly we can resist the attacks and dangers being posed by the Government and Department.

           The Convention was also  addressed by Com. K. Ragavendran Ex. Secretary General of NFPE. The General Secretaries of NFPE Coms. K.V. Sridharan P-III, Giri Raj Singh R-III, I.S. Dabas P-IV , P. Suresh R-IV , Pranab Bhattacharya Admn, T. Satyanarayana Postal Accounts, S.A Raheem  Civil Wing and Appan Raj SBCO. The General Secretaries of FNPO Coms. G.P.Muthukrishnan (A.G.S.P-III) T.N. Rahate P-IV, A.H. Siddique R-IV, H.L.Ramtake Postal Accounts, M. Shivkumar SBCO and Antony –Dy. G/S Civil Wing also addressed the convention .

           Com. S.S. Mahadeviah G/S AIPEDEU and Com. Gautam A.G.S., NU GDS also addressed the convention.

           All the leaders appealed to all to make the strike grand success.

           42 delegates who were the All India Office Bearers and Circle Secretaries of NFPE and FNPO and GDS Unions also expressed their views and assured to make the strike grand success.

           A declaration in this regard was presented by Com. R.N.Parashar Asstt. Secretary General NFPE which was adopted by the convention unanimously.

            Vote of thanks was given by Com. P.Kumar Circle Secretary R-III  FNPO Tamil Nadu Circle.

                       

            The convention was concluded after the speech of President.

             The convention was grand success.

--
M.Krishnan
Secretary General NFPE

SEVEN TAX-EFFICIENT FINANCIAL SERVICES IN THE POST OFFICE

Priya Kapoor, ET Bureau

            When was the last time you visited a post office branch? It's been over a decade that the e-mail replaced the written word, so there's no need to buy stamps, envelopes or inland letters. Besides, thousands of private couriers have mushroomed in the past 15-20 years, giving stiff competition to speed post & parcel. But you should because the bouquet of services offered by India Post has some very interesting and cost-effective products. ET Wealth looks at the financial services that can be availed of at a post office branch and how these compare with similar products from other organisations.

            The interest your balance earns in a regular savings account with a bank is taxable. But if you open a savings account in a post office, the interest is tax-free. If you maintain an average balance of Rs 50,000 in your bank account, you would earn roughly Rs 2,000 as interest income in a year. In the highest tax bracket, the taxman will shave off 30% (or Rs 600) from this income, leaving you with only Rs 1,400. However, if it is a postal savings bank account, the interest earned is tax-free. There is, of course, a ceiling of Rs 3,500 per account on this exemption in a year. In case of joint accounts, the ceiling is higher at Rs 7,000 a year. But this is a reasonable limit because very few people would keep more than Rs 1 lakh in their savings account.

            There are other benefits of opening a postal savings account. You don't have to lock up Rs 5,000-10,000 in maintaining an average quarterly balance. The post office does not mind if you have emptied out your account as long as you leave Rs 500 as balance. This low-ticket convenience works in case of recurring deposits as well. If you open a recurring deposit with a bank, the minimum monthly deposit is Rs 500. In the post office, the monthly contribution can be as low as Rs 10, making it an ideal option to start your child on the savings habit. The 7.5% interest is compounded quarterly and compares well with what banks offer. The only hitch is that the post office deposit is for a minimum of five years. However, you can withdraw 50% of the balance after one year.

            Even so, the very mention of the post office conjures images of a stodgy organisation with long queues and obdurate babus filling up pass books manually. That's true to a certain extent, but things are fast changing. India Post is working on a core banking solutions project that will offer state-of-the-art facilities to customers, including ATMs, Net banking, debit cards and e-payment services. AS Prasad, deputy director-general (financial services), told ET Wealth that by the end of the year, account holders will be able to access their accounts at any ATM across the country ( India Post's AS Prasad on how it to transform into a dominant financial services player ).

            Life insurance is the lynchpin of a financial plan. The post office offers life insurance, but it is open only to employees of the Central and state governments, public sector undertakings and semi-government organisations. In October 2010, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority allowed the post office to sell insurance policies of private companies. It was a tremendous opportunity for both the insurance industry as well as India Post. The industry suddenly had access to India's largest distribution network of 1.55 lakh offices while India Post could stand to earn good commission from selling insurance policies. However, the proposal has not taken off because the India Post does not want to push policies of other companies and instead wants to focus on its own Postal Life Insurance. The Rural Postal Life Insurance can be bought by any citizen of India provided he is residing in a rural area, which is any location outside the limits of a municipality. India Post has sold 1 crore RPLI policies since they were launched in 1995. But almost 40% of these are micro insurance policies where the life cover is less than Rs 25,000. That's just enough to take care of a middle-class urban family for about a month.

            The India Post is also a distributor of the New Pension Scheme. You can open an NPS account at designated post office branches. In fact, with very few agents interested in selling the low-cost scheme because of the niggardly commission it offers, the post office has become the biggest seller of the NPS. It has opened almost 20,000 voluntary accounts till now, which is almost a third of the total voluntary Tier I NPS. The scheme is available at nearly 800 post office branches across the country. Incidentally, the India Post has stopped selling mutual funds after the entry load was removed in August 2009. Says Prasad: "If Sebi brings the upfront selling commission of 2.25% back, we would sign a memorandum of understanding to sell mutual funds again."

            Want to invest in gold? The yellow metal is set to soar higher as uncertainty returns to the capital markets and inflation goes through the roof. You can buy 24-carat gold coins at the post office. The coins are available in three sizes: 500 mg, 1.5 g and 8 g. Don't worry about the purity issues. These coins have been imported from Switzerland and have the backing of the World Gold Council. There is no price advantage if you buy from the post office or from a bank or jeweller.
At the post office, you can transfer money in the most cost-effective manner. It is an agent for a range of money transfer services, including wire transfers and international money orders. It issues travellers' cheques and offers 22 foreign currencies to those travelling abroad. It also offers prepaid forex cards in seven currencies, demand drafts in 11 currencies and wire transfer in 13 currencies. What's more, you can apply for your passport through the post office.