Postal Trade Union movement has always been in the forefront of the struggle
against the anti-labour and anti-people policies of the ruling class.
During the Britishraj it fought many a battle against imperialism and for the
freedom of our great nation. Many Postal leaders and workers sacrificed
their entire life for the nation and for the workers. Right from freedom
struggle, the Postal trade union movement has been a part and parcel of the
progressive forces of our country and always solidly stood with the mainstream
of the working class upholding the traditions of progressive, democratic,
socialist and secular forces and also for the principles enshrined in the
Constitution of India. We are proud that NFPE still keep up this tradition.
After Independence we have been fighting for the cause of the working class in
general and Postal employees in particular. In that saga of struggle many
of our comrades lost their lives, many dismissed from service and severely
punished for participating in strikes against the policies of the
Government. We learn lessons from our past experiences and move forward
uniting the entire postal employees including Departmental employees, Gramin
Dak Sevaks and Casual, Part-time, Contingent and Contract workers. We
always fought for changing the policies of the Government and are still in the
battle field.
All of us are aware that unless and until we succeed in our attempt to change
or defeat the neo-liberal globalisation policies of the ruling class, the
future of the Central Government Employees including five lakhs postal
employees will be in danger and ultimately the private sector may take over
major portion of the service sector and Government functions, just as it
happened in Telecom sector.
It is a fact that we have defeated the attempt of the Government to close down
9797 Post offices and about 300 RMS offices by putting up stiff resistance
under the banner of Joint Council of Action. We succeeded in compelling
the Government to lift the ban on recruitment and to fill up all the direct
recruitment vacancies and promotional quota vacancies. But we should not
forget that the policy of downsizing, outsourcing, contractorisation and
privatisation is still hanging as a Damocles sword over our head. The
draft bill for amendment to the Indian Post Office Act to grant licence to the
multi-national private couriers is still kept pending and not dropped.
Our demand for inclusion of Gramin Dak Sevaks under the purview of Seventh
Central Pay Commission is not accepted, though the recognised GDS Union leader
has signed an agreement with the Department of Posts accepting separate
committee for GDS thereby admitting that GDS are not Government employees
(Civil Servants). Our demand for DA merger, Interim Relief etc. are also
pending. Revision of wages of casual labour is long overdue. The New Pension
Scheme introduced by NDA Government and legalised by UPA Government has
snatched away the right for statutory pension to those employed on or after
01-01-2004.
When it comes to the question of implementation of imperial neo-liberal
globalisation policies, those supporting the capitalist class join together to
protect their class interest. Our past experience has taught us that
change of Government alone cannot change the plight of the working class and
common people and it is the change of policies that matter. We believe
that only those forces which oppose the anti-labour, anti-people neo-liberal
imperialist gloablisation policies can safeguard the interest of the working
class and the common people of our country. Let us strengthen those
progressive, democratic and secular forces and strive hard for a better
tomorrow along with the mainstream of the working class.
