JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
FEDERATION OF NATIONAL POSTAL ORGANISATIONS
No. JCA/AGTN/2011 Dated – 25.02.2011
To,
Ms. Radhika Doraiswamy
Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan New Delhi – 110001
Madam,
Sub: - Problems faced by the Postal and RMS Employees – Reg.
1. We are submitting this memorandum to you with a fervent hope that issues mentioned below will receive your immediate personal attention and favourable negotiated settlement.
2. We are really shocked to read the contents of your office letter No. 40-06/2010/Plg dated 25.01.2011 addressed to all CPMGs/PMGs wherein it is directed to complete the process of closure/merger/relocation of about 9797 Post offices functioning at present in Urban areas on the plea that they do not conform with the distance condition prescribed by the Directorate for opening of new Post offices. As you are aware the total number of Departmental Post offices as on 31.03.2010 is 27360. Closure of 9797 Post offices means reduction of about 36 % of the existing Postal network. We cannot accept the argument put forward by the Department justifying such mass-scale closure/merger/relocation. We are at a loss to understand why our Department is resorting to such mass-scale closures, when all other private couriers and companies are competing to canvass our customer by opening more and more outlets in the urban areas for extending their services to the doorstep of the customer. We fear that in the name of rationalisation, our department is giving room for the private companies to occupy more shares in the mail market segment. We like to make it clear that we are not against relocation of offices to the needy areas. Large scale closure of Post offices and RMS offices will not only lead to public discontentment but also adversely affect the interest of the employees. Further this is nothing but abrupt violation of strike agreement made on 12.07.2010 in which it was categorically assured that there will be no closure/merger of Post offices. We strongly protest against such unilateral closure/merger of offices.
3. We have already pointed out the adverse impact of the introduction of speed post hubs without taking into account the ground realities. The experience for the last six months has proved that the speed post hubs has resulted in abnormal delay in transmission and delivery of speed post articles and also lead in eroding the faith of the general public in the speed post system itself. We have already requested the Department to review the functioning of the speed post hubs and take remedial measures to revert back to the old system. We regret to note that the staff side has been totally sidelined and the department is blindly going ahead with unscientific proposals of the multinational consultancy called Mckensy. Much damage has been done and it is high time that a thorough review is to be conducted for removing the deficiencies by rolling back to the scheme. A damage control exercise to regain the lost faith of the customer is the need of the hour.
4. The new Recruitment rules for the Postmen notified recently by the Department states that direct recruitment from open market is to be resorted to for filling up 25% Postmen vacancies. This clause virtually snatches away the right of the Gramin Dak Sevaks to get appointed against 50% of the Postmen vacancies hitherto ear-marked for GDS employees. Further unilateral orders have been issued restricting the compassionate appointment of GDS to 10% of the vacancies tightening of norms for cash handling and stamp sale etc. Further the discrimination in payment of bonus to GDs till continues.
5. In spite of the assurance given by the Secretary, Department of Posts on 12.07.2010, many issues mentioned in the 13th July strike Charter of demands and also in the minutes of the JCM Departmental council meeting held on 08.02.2010 still remains unsettled. The issues relating to the Postmen staff such as fixing of minimum and maximum distance to be traversed are yet to be resolved. The issue of cadre review, even though assured to be completed before Nov’2010, it is still in the initial staff and there was no formal discussion.
6. The Department is going ahead with the proposal for decentralization of postal Accounts work in the name of accrual based accounting system. Similarly move is on for decentralization of PLI/RPLI work. Induction of new technology in accounting and proceeding online facilities at post offices shall lead to centralization and not decentralization. We oppose decentralization of the above mentioned work.
7. The revision of wages of the casual, part-time contingent employees with effect from 01.01.2006 is pending for the last three years. Even the eligible DA is denied in many circles. Further the work done hitherto by the casual, part time and contingent employees are indiscriminately outsourced and large scale reduction in the wages are ordered. All this has resulted in making the life of the poor, low paid employees more miserable. It is high time that justice is done to this most downtrodden and marginalized section of employees of the Postal department.
8. All the above issues are agitating the minds of the Postal and RMS employees and resentment among them is mounting day-by-day. The releasing of the orders for closure of large scale post offices has further aggravated the situation. Unless the Department comes forward to discuss the above issues with the Staff side for an amicable settlement, the situation may go from bad to worse.
9. We appeal to the Secretary, Department of Posts to desist from the move to implement the retrograde orders mentioned above and also to keep the orders in abeyance, failing which we will be compelled to resort to trade union action including indefinite strike. We earnestly want to avoid such an unpleasant situation as it may adversely affect the efficiency and productivity of the Postal Services and may put the public also in inconvenience.
We hope that the Department will come forward for a negotiated settlement of the issues mentioned above and take the staff side also into confidence, so that the peace, tranquility and the better relationship between the staff side and administration shall remain unaffected.
Awaiting favourable response,
Yours faithfully,
M. Krishnan D. Theagarajan
Secretary General, NFPE Secretary General, FNPO
K. V. Sridharan D. Kishan Rao
General Secretary, AIPEU Group ‘C’ General Secretary, NAPE Gr’ ‘C’
Ishwar Singh Dabas T. N. Rahate
General Secretary, General Secretary
AIPEU Postmen, MTS & Group ‘D” NAPE Postmen & Group ‘D’
Giriraj Singh R. Theayagarajan
General Secretary General Secretary
AIRMS & MMS EU Gr’ ‘C’ R-3, FNPO
P. Suresh A. H. Siddique
General Secretary General Secretary
AIRMS & MMS EU MG & Gr’ ‘D’ R-4, FNPO
Pranab Bhattacharjee S. S. Mahadevaiah
General Secretary General Secretary
AIPAOEU Group C & D AIPEDEU
T. Sathyanarayanan S. Appanraj
General Secretary, General Secretary
AIPAEA AIPSBCOEA
S. A. Rahim
General Secretary
AIPCWEA
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