2nd NATIONAL WOMEN’S CONVENTION
OF CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
2nd National Women’s
Convention of Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers was
held from 25th November, 2013 to 26th November,
2013 at Multi purpose hall, Civic Centre, New Delhi.
Prof. Usta Patnaik
Professor Emeritus,
Jawaharlal Nehru University inaugurated the Convention.
Com. Amarajit Kaur
Secretary, AITUC
delivered the key-note address.
The inaugural Session is presided by
Com. Gita Ghosal, Chairperson of the Women’s Committee.
Com. C. P. Shobhana, Convenor of Women’s
Committee,
Com.S.K. Vyasji, Advisor, Confederation
of Central Government Employees & Workers,
Com. KKN Kutty, President of CCGEW
Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General,
CCGEW were on the Dias.
The Convention commenced with progressive
songs by West Bengal delegates.
Chairperson announced the constitution
of the Credential Committee consisting of
Com. Seetha Lakshmi (NFPE),
Com. Manisha Mazumdar (Printing &
Stationery)
Com. Jyothi Samal (Atomic Energy)
Com. Jaitha (Audit & Accounts), Com.
Nirmala (ITEF)
and also the Minutes Committee
consisting of
Com. Mausumi Majumdar (NFPE) and
Com. Laxmi Swaminathan (Civil Accounts).
Prof. Usta Patnaik, in her inaugural
address provided a bird’s eye view of the economic model designed by the neo-liberal
policies and the resultant misery heaped on the mass of Indian population. In
her classic presentation she demolished the arguments of some economists, who
glorified the benefits of neo-liberal policies, by quoting the statistics from
the database of the National Sample Survey. Undoubtedly top 25% of Indian
population enjoyed the goodies as enjoyed by their counterparts in USA and
Europe due to the EMI (equated monthly instalments). This is one of the rosy
pictures the hegemonists of neo-economic policy present in support of this
economic model. If income distribution is analyzed, it will be clear, that
majority of the population is exploited for the benefit of the miniscule. The
mass of the rural and urban population is pushed to malnutrition. The required
calories per day in the rural areas and urban areas are 2200 and 2100
respectively. But the 90% of people living in urban areas are sustaining with
below 1800 calories. Compared to the year 1983 the mass of the population is
cutting down their food intake of their families and diverting their incomes to
meet the raising cost of health, education and transport. This reflects the
disgraceful state of affairs even after more than 60 years of Independence. The
women employees working in garment factories in the Export Zones are being
exploited to the hilt. The daily targets of work are high and hence, the women
employees are forced to work for more than 10 hours per day to complete the
targets. The toilet break is only for 10 minutes. Frequently drinking of water
is not allowed so that no more toilet breaks. No identity cards are
given, so that no one establishes the permanency of the job. All these woes
came out in a public hearing of women employees who work in garment export
zones of Tamilnadu. Agrarian crisis is compounded since the implementation of
these neo-liberal economic policies. Compared to the years 2004-05 the economic
growth by the year 2009-10 collapsed. Unemployment is in raise. The FRBM Act
(Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act) introduced in the year 2003
at the behest of World Bank led to the cut in Governmental expenditure. It is
estimated that every Rs.100 less spent by Government will result in Rs.500 less
in the income of the people. That means the budgetary support will spurt the
economic growth. This was killed by FRBM. Agrarian crisis worsened due to
non-availability of easy credit for agriculture. Even the nationalized banks
replicated the US model of easy credit to buy the consumer goods. Thus the
consumer credit is pushed. It aggravated the crisis. All these policies
directly or indirectly affected the common people of rural and urban areas
including the women. Prof. Usta Patnaik called upon all the women employees to
realize these aspects and fight to stop these policies.
With her fiery and powerful keynote
address Com. Amarjit Kaur, Secretary, AITUC made a strong case for more and
more participation of women employees in Trade Union activities. Taking the cue
from Prof. Usta Patnaik speech, she reminded the participants of the Convention
of their role as a privileged class in emancipation of the drudgery of large
mass of women employees working in unorganized sectors. The women and children
working in the slate-manufacturing units of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
are deprived of their basic necessities of life. The children are driven out of
schools in search of daily lively hood for the family. The silicosis disease
engulfed the prime age of the people of these regions. No health-care for them.
No permanent employment for them. The plight of women workers in the Export
Zones of Fisheries is horrible. Continuous and untimely work in the saline and
cold seawaters has even disturbed the biological order. These contract workers
have no rights and even attempt to unionize will not be spared. The women
employees working in many such sectors have no maternity leave, not to think of
Child Care leave. The crisis in agrarian sector pushed the life of rural
population below animal state of living. The “gobar anaj” the grain collected
from the dung of the animals for human consumption in areas like Bundhelkhand
is the reflection of the shattered Indian economy under the neo-liberal
policies of the Rulers. The entire Working Class, keeping the banner
inhibitions aside, came together and is waging a battle to defeat these
policies. The Women has inherited a rich tradition of fighting spirit from the
First Independent battle fought by Rani Jhansi and from the Indian freedom
movement. They should assert their role and fight not only for their rights but
also fight for the under privileged. Com. Amarjit Kaur exhorted the women
employees to take this challenge. She advised the women employees to strengthen
the unions and work in the unions. She suggested to organize the women employees
by conducting exclusive trade union classes to equip them with the
knowledge of the various legislations enacted to safe guard the women
employees.
Com. S.K. Vyasji, the Advisor of the
CCGEW also opined that the women employees should have the knowledge of all the
Acts to defend them selves against the harassment in work places. The grievance
cell formation for women in each establishment should be insisted. The
unity among the employees is important to fight out the harassment of women employees.
He wished the Convention a great success.
Com. KKN Kutty, President, CCGEW has
extensively spoken on the charter of demands including the wage revision and
merger of D.A. He delved on the situation after the announcement of
constitution of 7thCentral Pay Commission. Com. KKN gave a
Clarion call to all women employees to unite and participate in the future
struggles under the banner of CCGEW to realize the Charter of Demands.
Com. Shobana, Convenor, Women’s
Committee submitted her report. She told that the Confederation is a strong
organization representing the 13 lakh Central Government employees. The
restrictions imposed on the grant of CCL are removed to some extent because of
the efforts CCGEW. Whatever achievement so far made is possible because of the
united struggles waged under the banner of CCGEW. She narrated how the GDS,
Casual and Contract workers in the Postal Department are discriminated. The
decisions taken in the first Women’s Convention held at Kolkata have been
implemented. She requested all the women employees to participate in large
number in the ensuing March to Parliament at Delhi on 12-12-2013 and also in
all the campaign and struggle programmes of Confederation.
Com. K. P. Rajagopal, Secretary General,
Income Tax Employees Federation,
Com. M.S.Raja, Secretary General, All
India Audit & Accounts Association ,
Com. I.S.Dabas, Deputy Secretary
General, NFPE,
Com. Brigu, Secretary General, Civil
Accounts Employees Association,
greeted the Convention.
About 117 women delegates representing
various Organisations from the nook and corner of the country participated in
the Convention.
The remarkable feature of this 2nd Convention
as observed by Com. S.K.Vyasji, is that the women representatives have become
more vocal and assertive. In the discussions more than 20 delegated
participated and given their suggestions and brought the problems to the notice
of the leadership. Removal of age restriction of the children under CCL,
extension of CCL on remarriage, grant of CCL to look after the grand children,
providing basic amenities at the work place, problems of casual, contract and
out-sourced women employees, attacks on women employees in West Bengal,
enhancement of minimum age of employment, inclusion of two women
representatives from casual and contract workers in the mahila committee,
posting women in day shifts, apart from the policy demands of reservation for
women in all All India Committees, holding of periodical meetings of the Mahila
Sub-Committee are some of the issues raised by the women delegates. Many Women
delegates emphasized the need for strengthening the unions and need for
inculcation of union spirit among the women employees.
Karnataka Women delegates led by Com.
Chandramma Linga Raju, AIPAEA, honoured Com. S.K. Vyasji over a standing
ovation given by the entire delegates and guests present in the Convention.
Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General,
CCGEW, summed up the entire proceedings and told that the aim of formation of
Mahila sub committee is to encourage the more and more women employees to
participate in the decision making process. The Chairperson and the Convener of
the Mahila Sub-Committee are members of the National Executive of the
Confederation and they are part of decision-making body. He assured that in the
coming days more and more women members will be included in the Executive
Committees of All India Organisations. He touched all the issues raised in the
discussion by the delegates and assured that each and every problem and demand
raised by the delegates will be discussed in the Confederation and a separate
Women Charter of Demands will be prepared along with the Memorandum to be
submitted to the Government and 7th CPC. This Charter and
Memorandum will be circulated and published on all the web sites of all
organisations and will be given wide publicity and a feedback will be obtained
before finalization. He thanked the Delhi CoC for the excellent arrangements
made to conduct the Convention in a very good environment.
The new panel for the Mahila
sub-Committee has been elected unanimously.
Com. Usha Bonepalli, ITEF, Andhra
Pradesh has been elected Chairperson and
Com. Seetha Laksmi, NFPE, Karnataka, has
been elected Convener.
The 2nd National
Convention of Women ended successfully with a resolve to work for the
strengthening of the Confederation and mobilize the entirety of women employees
in the future activities of the Confederation. The confidence and strong determination
generated among the women comrades will go a long way for the success of all
the future struggles.
NEWLY ELECTED OFFICE BEARERS &
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairperson : Com. Usha Boneppalli (ITEF) Andhra Pradesh
Vice Chairperson : Com.
Manisha Mazumder (Printing & Stationery) West Bengal
Convenor : Com. R. Seethalakshmy (P4-NFPE) Karnataka
Asst. Convenors : Com.
Jyoti Girish Samel (NFAEE Atomic Energy) Mumbai
Com.
Gita Bhattacharjee (P-3 NFPE) Delhi
Executive Committee: -
1. Com.
Rina Saha, P-3 NFPE (West Bengal)
2. Com.
Mausumi Mazumder, P-3 NFPE (Assam)
3. Com.
Anitha Thakur, P-4 NFPE (West Bengal)
4. Com.
Usha, P-4 NFPE (Kerala)
5. Com.
Swathi Roy Bera, R-3 NFPE (West Bengal)
6. Com.
Anu Dadiyal, R3 NFPE (Delhi)
7. Com.
Meera Vithal Kamble, R4 NFPE (Maharashtra)
8. Com.
D. K. Bharathi, Admn Union NFPE (Karnataka)
9. Com.
Chandramma Linga Raju, Postal Accts, AIPAE, NFPE (Karnataka)
10. Com.
Asha Ben Joshi, AIPEU GDS Union, NFPE (Gujarat)
11. Com.
Janaki, AIPEU GDS Union, NFPE (Kerala)
12. Com.
Reba Gupta, ITEF (West Bengal)
13. Com.
Beena Sharma, ITEF (Delhi)
14. Com.
Mandira Ganguly, ITEF (Karnataka)
15. Com.
Anju P. Nair, ITEF (Kerala)
16. Com.
Neelu Gautham, ITEF (Uttar Pradesh)
17. Com.
Jaitha, Audit & Accts Association (Kerala)
18. Com.
Vidya Sinha, Audit & Accts. Association (Karnataka)
19. Com.
Somas Das, Audit & Accts. Association (West Bengal)
20. Com.
Romila Xess, Audit & Accts. Association (Delhi)
21. Com.
Nina Kumari Kujur, Audit & Accts. Association (Odisha)
22. Com.
Kamalesh Kumari, Civil Accts Emplyoees Assn (Delhi)
23. Com.
Aparajitha Roy Choudhari, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (West Bengal)
24. Com.
Swathi Mangrulkar, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
25. Com.
N. Durga, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (Tamilnadu)
26. Com.
Beena Ravishankar Nair, NFAEE Atomic Energy (BARC, Mumbai)
27. Com.
Nilakshi Y. Gaikward, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (BARC, Mumbai)
28. Com.
T.Bhakiavady, Health Department (Confdn of Pondicherry State Govt Emp. Assn)
29. Com.
A. S. Baby, Sreechitra Medical Centre Staff Union, Trivandum, Kerala
30. Com.
Ambika Devadas, Employees Provident Fund Employees Union, (Kerala)
31. Com.
Subhadra V. K, Central Industrial Machinery Employees Assn. (Kerala)
32. Com.
Jyothi Naidu, IBM Employees Association (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
33. Com.
Pushpeshwari Devi, C-O-C, Andhra Pradesh
34. Com.
C. Lilly, C-O-C, Kerala
35. Com.
Rosamma Thomas, C-O-C, Kerala
36. Com.
Angle Satyanathan, C-O-C, Tamilnadu
37. Com.
Chanchal Kumar, C-O-C, Jammu & Kashmir
38. Com.
Manju Srivastava, C-O-C, Madhya Pradesh
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The AIPEU GDS (NFPE) CHQ conveys its hearty congratulations & greetings to all the Office bearers of Mahila SubCommittee & Members elected on behalf of Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers.
