EDITORIAL POSTAL CRUSADER:
MARCH-2013
The two days historic strike that shook the country is over.
About twelve crores workers participated in the strike. About ten lakhs Central
Government employees including five lakhs postal and RMS employees joined the mass
upsurge of the Indian working class. In many states the strike turned into
total bundh and in other parts of the country also it affected all the sectors
of industry and other service sectors.
The total unity and commitment exhibited
by the entire trade unions has no parallel in the history of our country.
The Central Government tried to ignore or underestimate the strike in the
initial stage. But the largest mobilistaion of the workers throughout the
length and breadth of the country, compelled the Government to negotiate with
the leaders at last minute. The first round discussion held with the cabinet
Minister for labour, Sri Mallikarjun Kharge and second round discussion with
the Group of Cabinet Ministers headed by Sri. A. K. Antony, Defence Minister,
failed as the Government simply sought more time and was not ready to settle
any of the demands raised by the unions and appealed the leaders to call off
the strike.
The Secretary, Department of Posts also made a similar appeal to
call off the strike, even when the main demands raised by the Postal JCA (NFPE
& FNPO) remained unsettled.
In addition to the demands raised by the Central Trade Unions, the
Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers and the Postal JCA
has raised the demands of constitution of seventh Central Pay Commission,
merger of 50% DA with pay, removing the restriction on compassionate
appointments, filing up of all vacant posts, Departmentalization of GDS and
related issues, Revision of wages of casual labourers and regularization,
scrapping of PFRDA bill, raising the bonus ceiling limit, grant of five
promotions, OTA revision, abolition of posts, outsourcing, contractorisation,
privatization, cadre restructuring etc. also in the strike notice served to the
Government and the Department of Posts. Government was not ready to settle any
of the above demands and hence the question of calling off the strike did not
arise at all.
In the Postal the strike was conducted under the banner of Joint council of
action (JCA) comprising NFPE & FNPO. The Strike was near total in majority
of the circles and about 60 to 80% in the remaining circles. The entire Postal
and RMS services were paralysed for two days. Both Departmental employees and
Gramin Dak Sevaks exhibited perfect unity in the strike. NFPE and its
affiliated unions including GDS had already conducted a one day strike on 12th December 2012.
Naturally, there was
apprehension about successfully organizing two days strike within a short span
of two months. But the mass scale participation of the employees in the two
days strike proved that workers are ready even for still higher form of action,
if the Government is not ready to settle their genuine and legitimate demands.
What next is the question before us and working class of our country. Even
though the two days strike is over, we have no other go, except carrying
forward the struggle with added vigour taking inspiration from the mass
sanction and determination of the workers at large.
There is no short cut.
As
correctly pointed out by Late Com. K. G. Bose who revolutionized the P&T
Trade union movement- “the organized trade union
movement has drawn lessons that all illusions about the Government policies
should be given up and has come to the conclusion that it is not a question of
appealing to the sense of injustices of the Government, but the relative
strength of the organized movement and the forces combating it, which will
decide their future”.
The Government and the ruling class will try their best to implement their
policies by retaining the power and their supremacy over the people of the
country and working class. But history has taught us that they cannot continue
their anti-people, anti-worker policies forever. A day will come and the
balance of power will definitely change in favour of the toiling masses of this
country and the ruling class and their neoliberal policies will be thrown to
the dustbin of history and an alternative force with alternative policies shall
emerge defeating the policies of the present day ruling class. The alternative
policy will never be the imperialist globalization polices. It will be a policy
which will lead us to the path of socialism. That day shall come, no sooner
than later. Such a change is not easy. We have to suffer and be ready for
bigger sacrifices. NFPE is committed to this task.
The power-that-be should not be under the illusions that the working class will
not go for another strike in the near future. They should clearly understand
that-“the fire that is burning with flames and the fire that is burning beneath
the ashes, are both fire”. The fire beneath the ashes may burst out at any time
again as a wild fire. The growing anger, protest and discontentment among the common
people and workers may burst out at any time. No Government on earth can
withstand such a mass upsurge of the common people and the toiling masses.
Government should take note of the writings on the wall. Brutal killing of the
workers, severe victimizations and using the force to suppress the protest, may
not succeed.
Comrades, the path before us is not full of roses, but full of obstacles and of
sufferings. But we are sure that at the end of the tunnel, there will be light.
If winter comes, can they prevent the onset of the spring? Let us move forward
unitedly with the working class of our country and let us loudly proclaim
without any hesitation that –
“We are on the right path”.
Reproduced from nfpe.blogspot.com