NFPE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE DECISIONS - CIRCULAR

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES

1^st Floor, North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110001

PF – 01(e)/05/2009 Dated 8^th December 2009

To

All NFPE Office Bearers

All General Secretaries of Affiliated Unions

All Circle Secretaries of NFPE Unions

Dear Comrades,

NFPE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE

The Federal Executive of NFPE was held for two days from 6^th to 7^th December 2009 in New Delhi immediately after the close of the National Council session of the Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers. Comrade D.K.Rahate NFPE President presided over the Federal Executive. The Executive was inaugurated by Comrade C.C.Pillai former Secretary General and was greeted by Comrade S.S.Mahadevaiah General Secretary GDS and Comrade Des Raj Sharma former General Secretary P4.

The following are the decisions of the Federal Executive and the Circle Secretaries are kindly requested to circulate this in their regional languages to all divisions and branches under their jurisdiction:

1. Review of decisions of last Federal Executive held in July 2009:

The last Executive had directed for exploring all avenues to forge unity with the GDS Union and also with FNPO for taking up struggle agenda culminating in one-day Strike on a common Charter of Demands. However while the process was on the undue delay on implementation of GDS Report and the release of second instalment of arrears to CG Employees cause intense anger amongst the GDS employees, the NFPE took initiative with the FNPO and GDS Unions which resulted in a full fledged JCA Meeting and the decision to serve notice for Indefinite Strike from 7^th October 2009. The strike decision was called off following the Cabinet approving the implementation of GDS. It was a victory to the collective efforts of Postal JCA. The next JCA meeting held on 28^th October resulted in a decision of RMS Unions going on Indefinite Strike from 15^th December 2009 against attempts to abolish the RMS. A common strike action could not be decided in the background of GDS and some other Unions desiring some more time to coin their demands. These are the factors that led to our inability to organise a strike action on a common charter of demands by the JCA.

2. All India and Circle level Trade Union Study Camps:

The Federal Executive authorised the NFPE Federal Secretariat to take all measures for a sustained campaign amongst the entirety of postal employees for creating full awareness and preparedness against the dangers anticipated in the near future. As a first step the All India Unions of P4 and R3 are organising All India Study – cum – Work Shop as like P3 did last month in Thiruvananthapuram and other all India unions also organise similarly. After this the Circle Unions will organise collectively such Study – cum – Work Shop Camps at Circle level on selective subjects like 'P&T Trade Union History'; 'Staff Rulings'; 'Globalisation's Impact on Postal and the structural changes ; 'Disciplinary Proceedings'; 'RTI Act and how to use it'. The names of leaders who will take classes on these subjects will be supplied by the Federation and CHQs.

3. Situation arising out of RMS Strike Settlement:

The NFPE Federal Executive noted with satisfaction that the united action of RMS Unions of NFPE & FNPO under the banner of Postal JCA created sufficient pressure on the Postal Administration to come for a negotiated settlement on the intended attacks on RMS & MMS. Marathon negotiations between the Postal JCA and the Member [O] and Secretary [P] on three days continuously on 27^th, 28^th and 30^th ended in a victory for the Postal JCA wherein all the new attacks planned are held in check. The acceptance of the Department of Posts to maintain status quo means no more merger or closure of RMS Offices including merger of SROs with HPOs as suggested by the PMG Kurnool. It was decided that when the Mail Consultant 'Mckinsey' give out opinion on the structural changes to take place on, we will react appropriately taking into account the type of changes they propose and their suitability to Indian Postal and RMS System. It was also decided by the Federal Executive that deep study should be made by us on certain aspects of structural changes including interaction with knowledge sources and study of international experiences.

4. Union Network International:

The Executive noted the increasing international interaction between the Union Network International and our Federation wherein the Secretary General NFPE is being invited to various Seminars organised by UNI and one representative every year to Thailand Seminars. Three representatives from Karnataka Circle attended the Bangalore Seminar of UNI also in November 2009. The UNI Global Union has invited NFPE to formally become an affiliate of UNI Global Union. After a detailed discussion on this matter the Executive authorised the Secretariat of NFPE to take a final decision.

5. National Council of Confederation:

The National Council of Confederation that was held from 4-6 December, 2009 has decided to build a stronger movement and an appropriate Policy & Programme resolution has been adopted. NFPE was represented by 12 Delegates and three Observers. The strengthening of bonds with State Government Employees and like minded organisations and discussing with them for exploring the possibility of protest against PFRDA Bill if tabled in Parliament; strengthening of relations with the Sponsoring Committee in order to carry forward the joint movement against the neo-liberal policies; to take initiative for mobilizing the entirety of CG Employees against downsizing, contractorisation, privatisation, outsourcing etc; to bring into focus the choking of JCM Organisations by the Government to the centre stage of discussion and demanding negotiations with the Group of Ministers and organising Programme of Action including strike after discussions in the National Executive to bring about a satisfactory settlement etc are the decisions of the National Council. The Confederation decided to take up the issue of inclusion of Postal representatives in National Council with the Cabinet Secretary.

The Executive noted that the share of the NFPE leaders in the Office Bearers list of Confederation has increased and in the new set of office bearers there are eight comrades. Almost all General Secretaries of affiliated unions including the Secretary General are office bearers and the General Secretary of Administrative Union is a National Executive Member as per the amended constitution of Confederation. In this background the Executive decided to play a more responsible role in the organisational activities of Confederation. The Executive noted that there are no State Committees of Confederation of Central Government Employees in several Circles and the Circle Secretaries of NFPE Unions shall take the responsibility of interacting with other Affiliates of Confederation like ITEF, Audit etc for forming State Committees and District level Committees of Confederation all over India. In the meanwhile it is also decided that all the programmes of Confederation will be adopted by NFPE Unions for effective implementation in all places. The Executive also decided that the All India Affiliates will ensure remittance of 1/= per member per year subscription to Confederation either in the month of January each year or at the time the AIC of the Affiliates without fail to maintain the actual strength of membership of NFPE inside Confederation.

6. Reverification of Membership:

The NFPE Executive noted that even though the Jodhpur High Court case filed by BPEF Unions is dismissed, there is another case of contempt filed against the Department of Posts in Chennai High Court. The repeated court cases of BPEF is aimed at simply stalling any meaningful verification process and stalling major Federations getting into JCM negotiating machinery and deal the problems of Postal Employees effectively. The action on the part of the Department of Posts is also not so serious to frustrate the efforts of BPEF and put finality to such efforts and ensure functioning of all negotiating forums effectively. This aspect will be looked into deploy by the Secretariat of NFPE for appropriate remedial measures.

7. Anomaly Committee and other forums of Departmental level:

The Federal Executive decided to write to the Secretary [P] to immediately convene the meetings of Departmental Anomaly Committee, Departmental Council JCM, Periodical Meeting and also for directing the Chief PMGs to convene the Regional Council JCMs without any further delay. The Secretariat is authorised to chalk out any specific programme needed in the matter of convening of the above meetings.

8. PLB Formula:

The 6^th CPC has recommended dispensing with the practice of Bonus and replace the Bonus with Performance related Incentive. The Government has not taken any decision still on this matter. The Executive deliberated deeply on the pros and cons of replacing the existing PLB Scheme with a new formula and the feasibility of getting a better PLB Formula in replacement of existing formula that will ensure bonus more than 60 days. It is finally decided that we will react against any incentive linked schemes if proposed by Government and to continue with the present PLB Formula to ensure our present level of 60 days of bonus and try to remove the present cap of 60 days.

9. System Administrators:

The Executive noted with satisfaction that the System Administrators have reacted well to the call of the Federation for attending the National Seminars on Technology and System Administrators in New Delhi on 21/12/2009. The entire deliberations of the Seminars both in the Open Seminars in which the Member Technology and DDG Technology participated and in the Subjects Committee Session in which a number of System Administrators took part were considered by the Executive. It has been decided that the demand for creation of a separate cadre for System Administrators and that all the present System Administrators should be absorbed into the new stream as one time measure should be our demand. It is also decided that the Federation will continue to find a solution for this demand through continuous interactions with the Department and in future all our charter of demands shall include this demand also for solution.

10. Merger of DOP – DOT Accounts and promotion of AAOs & above:

The Federal Executive considered the situation arising out of the orders for merger of DOP- DOT Accounts and the subsequent delay in processing of the promotion of hundreds of waitlisted JAOs and consequential promotions for on the problem of cadre controlling between the DOP and DOT. The process started in various circles have come to a stand still and the delay beyond December end would result in postponement of further promotions by one year in future in addition to postponement of increment by one year. The Federal Executive decided to take up the matter with the Secretary [P] for speedy processing of the promotions before the end of this month by segregating the issue of cadre controlling from that of processing of promotions of AAOs.

11. Publication of books on Comrades Iyer and Adi:

It was earlier announced that the books on comrades N.J.Iyer and Adi would be released on 11^th December 2009. However due to certain problems the same could not be done on the said date. The Executive on discussion decided to release the books in February on the Death Anniversary of Comrade N.J.Iyer by organising a special meeting in headquarters.

12. Building Unity between Regular and GDS:

The Secretary General expressed happiness for the participation of GDS General Secretary in the Federal Executive and expressed confidence that the relations between the Federation and GDS Union would be strengthened and that collective activities for the betterment of postal employees including the GDS would increase in future.

13. Federal Executive recognised the contributions of Comrade C.C.Pillai:

The Federal Executive acknowledged the contributions of Comrade C.C.Pillai who contributed for the movement of Central Government Employees in his capacity as the President and Working President of Confederation and also to the cause of the Postal Employees as Secretary General NFPE and for the preservation of RMS as the General Secretary of R3 Union during difficult times.

With Warm Greetings,

Comradely Yours,

Sd/-

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

Posted by : Abdul Rahiman T.P, Secretary, PIII