MEETING ON ALLOWANCES
A meeting on Department of Posts specific allowances was held with the Committee on allowances under chairmanship of Secretary Finance and secretary Expenditure. From Department of Post, Secretary (Post), Member (Personal), DDG (Personal), DDG (Estates) , DDG(Estt. & SR), Director Estt. attended the meeting. From Staff Side Com. R.N. Parashar, Secretary General NFPE,Shri Theagarajan, Secretary General FNPO & Shri S.K. Mishra , Secretary General, BPEF, participated in the meeting. Many other officers of DOP&T, Finance, Health Ministries also participated.
Three meetings were held with Department and Administration and Unions after discussing threadbare came to conclusion and accordingly presentation was prepared which was presented before the Committee. Secretary (Finance) shown much interest and he asked so many questions and raised queries on each allowance and asked the Department to submit a report on financial implications.
The meeting was concluded in a very co-ordial manner and we should hope for positive outcome. On the following allowances we submitted our proposal which is mentioned below:
Fixed Monetary Compensation to Postman:
Proposal: Not to abolish the allowance. It is proposed to grant Rs.300/- per day for additional full beat and Rs.150/- per day for sharing of beat(half beat) and further proposed to increase by 25% every time when DA reaches at 50%.(Department earlier proposed that allowance as Rs.200/- and Rs.100/- but on the demand of Federations, now it is proposed same as Rs.3oo/- and Rs.150/-
Special Allowance to PO & RMS Accountants:
Proposal: The allowance is required to be continued as this special allowance has been sanctioned in lieu of higher pay scale. If abolished, one increment is to be allowed on promotion which costs more to the Department. Therefore, it is proposed to grant special allowance equivalent to one increment which will be kept separately and not to be added in the basic pay. Other conditions applicable to present allowance will remain in force. (i.e. if this allowance is drawn for three years it will be added to basic pay while pay fixation on promotion.)
Cycle Allowance to Postman:
Proposal: Must be retained while doubling the amount to Rs.180 p.m. and further increase by 25% every time the DA increases by 50%
Cash Handling and Treasury Allowance:
Proposal: The Cash Handling Allowance should be retained and need to be doubled and further increase by 25% every time the DA increases by 50%.
Fixed Medical Allowance:
Proposal: 33 Postal Dispensaries may be merged with CGHS.
All Postal Pensioners irrespective of their participation in CGHS while in service should be covered under CGHS after making requisite subscription.
Till such time, the FMA may be allowed @ Rs.2000/- per month enhancing from Rs.500/- p.m. being paid at present.
Headquarter Allowance:
Proposal: Proposes to retain the Headquarters Allowance at the uniform rate of 10% of the basic pay subject to ceiling of Rs.9000/- per month.
Overtime Allowance:
Proposal: Department recommends to grant additional duty allowance in lieu of OTA in operative offices only for performing additional duty of absentee official.
It is proposed Rs. 100/- per hour maximum of three hours in a day and further increase by 25% every time the DA increases by 50%.
Besides these we demanded S.B. Allowance and Supervisory allowance to be continued and enhanced proportionately.
MEETING WITH SECRETARY (POSTS)
Shri Umasankar Chakraborty, General Secretary AIPAOEU (NFPE) along with Com. Giriraj Singh , President NFPE & General Secretary R-III ,Com. K. Ramachandram , Ex. President AIPAOEU & Com. N. Jagdish Federal Councilor of Administrative Union met with Secretary Department of Posts on 02nd November ,2016 and discussed the various issues relating to Implementation of GDS Committee report, Re-fixation of pay of the Ex. Servicemen officials, Cadre Structuring for the Postal Administrative staff and Posting of full time Director in O/o the DPLI, Kolkata. The discussion was very constructive
PROMOTION AND POSTING IN THE HIGHER ADMINISTRATIVE GRADE PLUS OF INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE, GROUP 'A'.(Click the link below to view)
TRANSFER/POSTING IN THE SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE GRADE (SAG) OF THE INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE GROUP 'A'(Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2147
TRANSFER/POSTING IN THE HIGHER ADMINISTRATIVE GRADE (HAG) OF THE INDIAN POSTAL SERVICE GROUP 'A' (Click the link below to view) http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop/pdfbind.ashx?id=2148
WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROPOSED INDEFINITE HUNGER FAST IN FRONT OF DAK BHAWAN FROM 3rd NOVEMBER, 2016 AND TWO DAYS STRIKE ON 9th & 10th NOVEMBER 2016.
POSTAL JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION – GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS
NATIONAL UNION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS
NEW DELHI - 110001
No.PF-PJCA-12/2016 Dated : 01.11.2016
To,
The Secretary,
Department of Posts,
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001
Sub: Withdrawal of the proposed indefinite hunger fast in front of Dak Bhawan from 3rd November, 2016 and two days strike on 9th & 10th November 2016
Sir,
While expressing our sincere thanks to you and the Postal Board for taking positive action for settling the demand for bonus parity to Gramin Dak Sevaks, we would like to request your sympathetic and immediate intervention for implementing the Directorate orders for payment of revised wages to Casual, Part time Contingent employees working in the Postal Department with effect from 01.01.2006.
The Directorate has issued orders for payment of revised wages (6th CPC minimum) to casual labourers in the month of January 2015. Subsequently the queries raised by some Chief PMGs were also clarified by Directorate. Even though 21 (twenty-one) months are over, the Directorate orders are not yet implemented in some circles. We have already brought the case to your notice and the notice of the concerned Chief PMGs several times, but the issue still remains unsettled. Hence we were compelled to include this demand also as the second demand of the proposed indefinite fast in front of Dak Bhawan from 3rd November and two days strike on 9th & 10th November 2016.
As you have assured us that the grievances of this poor and most downtrodden section of workers will be settled in a time-bound manner, we hereby inform you that we have decided to withdraw the proposed hunger fast from 3rd November and two days strike on 9th & 10th November 2016.
We once again request you to issue strict instructions to all Chief PMGs to implement the Directorate orders in a time bound manner, say, before 30th November 2016.
Thanking you in anticipation
Yours faithfully
R. N. PARASHAR D. THEAGARAJAN
Secretary General Secretary General
NFPE FNPO
P. PANDURANGARAO P. U. MURALEEDHARAN
General Secretary General Secretary
AIPEU-GDS NUGDS
Copy to:
1. The Director General, Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
2. The Member (P), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001
3. The Director (SR & Legal) Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001
CREDITING OF ENHANCED MEDICAL ALLOWANCE TO THE PENSIONERS ACCOUNT BY BANKS: CPAO ORDER CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
ISSUE OF PENSIONERS IDENTITY CARD TO PENSIONERS WITH NATIONAL EMBLEM -REG.(Click the link below to view)
http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D3/D03ppw/idcard26102016.pdf
LESSONS OF THE GDS BONUS STRUGGLE
LESSONS OF THE GDS BONUS STRUGGLE
M. Krishnan
Secretary General, Confederation & Ex.SG, NFPE.
The Govt. of India had issued the orders for payment of enhanced bonus to all Central Govt. Employees on 29-10-2016. The bonus calculation ceiling is raised from Rs.3,500/- to Rs.7,000/- from 01-04-2014. Accordingly the bonus payment to all regular employees for the financial year 2014-15 and 2015-16 was paid with arrears at the enhanced rate of Rs.7,000/- in August 2016. Unfortunately the Postal Board refused to issue enhanced bonus ceiling in respect of about three lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks working in the Department of Posts. It referred the case to Gramin Dak Sevaks Committee for recommendations.
The previous GDS Committee headed by Shri Nataraja Murthy had made a retrograde recommendation in its report. As per that recommendation the productivity of GDS is only 50% of the regular employees and hence it recommended only 50% bonus paid to regular employees to GDS. At that time the bonus calculation ceiling was Rs.3,500/-. As per Nataraja Murthy Committee, the GDS are eligible for Rs.1,750/- calculation ceiling only. Hence the Postal Board refused to extend the enhanced bonus ceiling of Rs.3,500/- for GDS. Against this stand NFPE and AIPEU-GDS along with Postal Joint Council of Action including FNPO and NUGDS conducted series of agitational programmes including strike. Postal JCA discussed the case with the then Minister of Communications also. Finance Ministry rejected the case for enhancement of bonus to 3,500/- three times inspite of favourable recommendations from Minister, Communications. Finally, after prolonged struggle the Finance Ministry approved the enhancement and orders for grant of bonus at the rate of Rs.3,500/- was issued for Gramin Dak Sevaks also.
This time, the Chairman of the GDS Committee, Shri Kamalesh Chandra, took a different stand. The Committee recommended the enhanced bonus of Rs.7,000/- to GDS also. It stated that the overall revenue generated by GDS Post offices and the overall expenditure for running the GDS Post offices is almost equal. The actual deficit on account of GDS is only 200 crores, whereas the total deficit of Postal department is more than 6000 crors. That means the loss on account of GDS is very meagre when compared to the loss incurred for running the departmental post offices, RMS and Administrative Offices. Hence, Shri Kamalesh Chandra Committee made a favourable recommendation to Postal Board to grant enhanced bonus to GDS at the rate of Rs.7,000/-. Postal Board sent the file to Finance Ministry for approval. The Finance Ministry after detailed study, gave approval and Department of Posts issued orders on 27-10-2016.
Role played by NFPE & AIPEU - GDS:
NFPE and AIPEU-GDS under the leadership of Com.R.N.Parashar, Secretary General, NFPE and Com. P.Panduranga Rao, General Secretary, AIPEU-GDS, gave call for agitational programmes along with FNPO & NUGDS, protesting against the discrimination shown towards GDS and demanding enhanced bonus calculation ceiling of Rs.7,000/- to GDS also for the financial year 2014-15 and 2015-16 also demanding payment of revised wages to all casual, part-time, contingent employees from 01-01-2006. It conducted nationwide protest demonstrations and mass dharna in front of all Circle/Regional and Divisional Offices. It declared indefinite hunger fast in front of Postal Directorate (Dak Bhavan, New Delhi) from 3rd November 2016 and two days strike on 9th &10th November, 2016. Notice for the two days strike was served to the Secretary, Department of Posts on 20-10-2016. Intensive campaign was undertaken throughout the country and the response from employees was overwhelming.
Departmental Employees and GDS unity is exhibited:
In 1984, first time in the history of Postal Trade Union movement the Postmen,Group D & EDAs Union (NFPE) under the leadership of late Com. Adinarayana, the legendary leader, gave a call for nation-wide one day strike on 19th September 1984 exclusively for one demand ie; the demand of the Extra Departmental employees. Again after 32 years NFPE & AIPEU-GDS along with FNPO & NUGDS took a historic decision to go for two days nation- wide strike on 2016 November 9th & 10th, both by departmental employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks, exclusively for the demands of most down-trodden section of GDS and Casual Labourers. No other demand of departmental employees was added to the charter of demands. We proved that NFPE, AIPEU-GDS and Postal JCA always stood with the GDS and Casual Labourers and the departmental employees declared that GDS and Casual Labourers are our own family members and we will not tolerate any discrimination and shall go for two days strike for GDS and Casual Labourers. This is really an inspiring experience.
Role of recognised GDS Union:
The recognised GDS Union of Shri S.S.Mahadevaiah, earlier used to declare that I will go for indefinite strike only as no purpose will be served by one day or two days strike. He has written many write-ups and circulars earlier criticising NFPE & AIPEU-GDS for one day or two day’s strike. The same leader, who earlier said that I don’t believe in one day or two days strike, this time was afraid of the NDA Government and decided to go for two days strike on 25th & 26th October 2016. He has not made any campaign other than giving strike notice. His list of new office bearers elected in the belated last All India Conference was pending before the Directorate for approval. He was afraid of loosing recognition, if he goes on strike. The Department of Posts has clearly informed him about the consequences of the strike. After discussion with Department he surrendered and agreed to withdraw the strike and his strike call was withdrawn on 24-10-2016 itself, even before the approval of the Finance Ministry. The leader who used to criticise others for deferring the strike earlier, has ran away from the battle field half way, fearing withdrawal of recognition. Thus the real face of the recognised union leader was exposed before the entire postal employees. NFPE has already reminded him earlier itself that- '' you can make fools some GDS for sometimes but cannot make fool all GDS for all time”. Sri Mahadevaiah is afraid of facing membership verification also and is requesting the department every time for extension.
NFPE, AIPEU-GDS and PJCA stand-
Departmental held discussion with NFPE, AIPEU-GDS, FNPO& NUGDS. They have also cautioned the leaders on the consequences of the strike. But, unlike Shri Mahadevaiah who ran away from battle field fearing de-recognition NFPE, AIPEU-GDS and PJCA took a bold stand and declared that we will not withdraw the strike unless and until orders for payment of enhanced bonus is issued by Department and we are ready to face any victimisation. It also demanded issuing of instructions regarding casual labourer wages. Finally department issued GDS bonus orders on 27-10-2016. It has already issued orders for payment of Casual Labour wages from 01-01-2006 and agreed to issue strict instructions to all Chief PMGs for implementation.
GDS Committee and role of NFPE & AIPEU-GDS
Government has appointed a separate GDS committee under the Chairmanship of Retired Postal Board Member Shri Kamlesh Chandra. Our demand for inclusion of GDS also under the purview of 7th CPC was not accepted by the NDA Government NFPE and AIPEU-GDS has submitted a detailed memorandum to GDS Committee. A delegation of NFPE and AIPEU-GDS has met the Chairman, GDS Committee three times and tendered oral evidence. Our main demand is grant of Civil Servant Status and grant of all benefits of departmental employees to GDS. The GDS Committee has informed that it will submit it’s recommendations to Government in November 2016 . If the recommendations are against the interest of the GDS, NFPE & AIPEU-GDS will definitely go for struggle including strike along with postal JCA.
The recognised GDS Union of Shri Mahadevaiah could not settle any of the demands of GDS during the last more than 15 years. He don’t believe in the unity of GDS and departmental employees. He is treating the departmental employees and their recognised federations ( NFPE & FNPO) as the enemy of GDS. He is also against the united movement of Central Government Employees and Confederation of Central Government Employees and workers.
In the above circumstances it is the duty of every GDS employee to strengthen NFPE and APIEU-GDS. It is proved that only a United Struggle of departmental employees and GDS can settle the genuine demands of GDS employees. Realising this fact, all the GDS are requested to vote for AIPEU-GDS, by submitting the authorisation letters (declaration forms) in favour of AIPEU-GDS, which is an Associate Member of NFPE, in the coming membership verification.
Role of Confederation and JCM (National Council) Staff Side:
The Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers extended full support and solidarity to the strike call of NFPE, AIPEU-GDS and Postal JCA for enhancement of bonus ceiling to 7000 and called upon all other Central Govt. employees (other than Postal employees) to conduct solidarity demonstrations on the days of the two day strike on 9th &10th November 2016. The Confederation took initiative to raise the issue in the JCM (NC) Standing Committee meeting held on 25-10-2016 along with the JCM staff side. The GDS Bonus issue was discussed in the JCM with Govt. and demanded immediate settlement.
Congratulations and Salute to All:
No doubt, the GDS bonus ceiling enhancement is as great victory for NFPE, AIPEU-GDS and Postal JCA including FNPO and NUGDS. The departmental employees and GDS who unitedly conducted the struggle till victory, deserves congratulations. The unity of departmental employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks should be further strengthened and those who are trying to break the unity should be isolated. Coming days are very crucial and may demands more united and militant struggles. Let us once again declare that “Unity is for struggle and struggle for Unity”.
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LANDMARK JUDGMENT BY SUPREME COURT FOR PAYMENT OF “EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK” TO THE DAILY WAGE EMPLOYEES, ADHOC APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES APPOINTED ON CASUAL BASIS, CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES AND THE LIKE.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in its Historical 102 pages Judgment in Civil Appeal No. 2013 of 2013 dated 26.10.2016 has directed that Temporary Employees, Adhoc Appointees, employees appointed on Casual basis, contractual employees and the like, if the concerned employees are rendering similar duties and responsibilities as were being discharged by regular employees holding the same/corresponding posts are entitled “for equal pay for equal work” such employees are entitled for draw wages at the minimum of the payscale extended to regular employees holding the same posts. We will be representing to the Govt. To implement this Judgment and issue a common order in this regard. Full judgement is reproduced below:
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