INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY GREETINGS ::

English me kahate hai-         Labour Day

Hindi me kahate Hai-             Kamgar Din
Gujarat me Kahate hai-         Gujarat Day
Maharashtra me kahate hai- Maharashtra Day
But Ham ise kahte hai-         “Full On Masti Day”
Happy Labour day to my all working friends!!

International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the May 4, 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago. The police were trying to disperse a public assembly during a general strike for the eight-hour workday, when an unidentified person threw a bomb at the police. The police responded by firing on the workers, killing four demonstrators. "Reliable witnesses testified that all the pistol flashes came from the center of the street, where the police were standing, and none from the crowd. Moreover, initial newspaper reports made no mention of firing by civilians. A telegraph pole at the scene was filled with bullet holes, all coming from the direction of the police.

In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests. May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891

Subsequently, the May Day Riots of 1894 occurred. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers.

In many countries, the working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday, and their efforts largely succeeded. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups. In Germany, May Day coincides with Walpurgisnacht. May Day has been an important official holiday in countries such as the People's Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries^.

In the United States and Canada, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day in September. A September holiday was first proposed for the United States in the 1880s, before the Haymarket affair. Groups in Canada were already celebrating a Labour Day. In 1887, Oregon was the first state to make it a public holiday. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labour Day. After the Haymarket affair, US President Grover Clevel and feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the affair. Thus, in 1887, it was established as an official holiday in September to support the Labor Day that the Knights favored.

In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". Saint Joseph is for the Church the patron saint of workers and craftsmen (among others). 

::: in INDIA:::

The first May Day celebration in India was organised in Madras (now Chennai) by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on 1 May 1923. This was also the first time the red flag was used in India. The party leader Singaravelu Chettiar made arrangements to celebrate May Day in two places in 1923. One meeting was held at the beach opposite to the Madras High Court; the other meeting was held at the Triplicane beach. The Hindu newspaper, published from Madras reported,

The Labour Kisan party has introduced May Day celebrations in Madras. Comrade Singaravelar presided over the meeting. A resolution was passed stating that the government should declare May Day as a holiday. The president of the party explained the non-violent principles of the party. There was a request for financial aid. It was emphasized that workers of the world must unite to achieve independence.

May Day is a nationwide bank and public holiday in India. The holiday is tied to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. 

Labour Day is known as "Kamgar Din" in Hindi, "Kamgar Divas" in Marathi and "Uzhaipalar Dinam" in Tamil. On this day, banks and other public organizations in Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Pondicherry, TamilNadu, Tripura,  West Bengal and Orissa observe a holiday. In North India, Labour Day is mostly not given its previous importance as a holiday now.

May 1 is also celebrated as "Maharashtra Day" & "Gujarat Day" to mark the date in 1960, when the two western states attained statehood after the erstwhile Bombay State was divided on linguistic lines. Maharashtra Day is held at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. The Governor of the state takes the salute at the ceremonial parade, comprising members of the state reserve police force, Brihanmumbai Commando Force, home guards, civil defence, fire brigade and city police. Schools and offices in Maharashtra remain closed on May 1. A similar parade is held to celebrate Gujarat Day in Gandhinagar.

 Recognition is not a licence to cheat the GDS employees.  

Recognised GDS Union has signed an agreement with the Department accepting separate committee and admitting that GDS are not civil servants.  

Thus recognized GDS Union’s role is over and it has no other role to play hereafter.  

NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) is challenging in the Delhi High Court the stand taken by the Department of Posts and the Recognised GDS Union (Mahadevaiah). 

          NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) calls upon all GDS Departmental Employees be ready to finish the “Recognised GDS Union” in the next membership verification.  

            We are sure that AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) shall become the NUMBER ONE  recognised GDS union in the next membership verification with flying colours. 

Days are not far away.

===============

Join

AIPEU GDS (NFPE)

(An Associate Member of National Federation of Postal Employees)

Only Union which can safeguard the interests of GDS and    struggle along with NFPE and affiliated unions.

***

Struggle with unity & unity with struggle

United we stand, divided we fall

We are united & we conquer together

Let us march together

***

Our ensuing programmes :

= 5 days Hunger fast program with 50,000 GDS in front of Parliament from 15 th 19 th September, 2014.

= “GDS Shoshan Mukthi Yatra (GDS Liberation March) is scheduled before hunger fast.

= series of  Struggles with indefinite strike call by Confederation & Postal JCA for inclusion of GDS in 7^th CPC.

AIPEU GDS (NFPE) is already recognized

by all working class & unions

and

 recognition from the Dept. is only a formal one.

Strengthen this union which is always at your service.

P.Pandurangrao

General Secretary

NPS funds for government workers gave worst ever returns in 2013-14

NEW DELHI: Aggressive equity investors in the NPS made hay in 2013-14 but the funds for Government workers churned out their worst ever performance during the year. The Central government schemes of the NPS gave average SIP returns of 5.37% while State government employees had to be content with 4.96%. These calculations are based on SIP returns on monthly contributions from April 2013 till March 2014. 

More than 28 lakh central and state government employees who joined service after 1 January 2004 have to compulsorily invest in the NPS. Their retirement savings account for 93% of the total NPS corpus of roughly Rs 45,000 crore.

On the other hand, private sector NPS investors who put the maximum 50% in equities earned an average 13.7% during 2013-14. Balanced investors who split the corpus equally between stocks, corporate bonds and gilts made 10.64%. But ultra-safe investors who abstained from equities and binged on government bonds earned only 3.2% on average. Private sector workers account for only Rs 2,265 crore, or 5% of the total NPS corpus.

NPS votaries have often argued that stock investments give the scheme a distinct advantage over the 100% debt-based EPF. However, the pension funds managing the savings of Government workers tend to shy from stocks. As on 30 November 2013, the Central Government scheme of SBI Pension Fund had only 7.15% of its corpus in stocks while the fund managed by UTI Retirement Solutions invested only 7.72% in equities.

As the returns of the funds for the general public show, a higher allocation to stocks would have proved beneficial, because the Nifty rose 18.4% during 2013-14. "Young Government workers should ask the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority why they are being forced to invest in schemes that put only 6-7% in equities," says Gautam Bharadwaj, co-founder and Managing Director of Invest India Micro Pension Services.

The disappointing performance of the funds for Central and State Government workers comes a year after the schemes posted spectacular double-digit returns in 2012-13. The poor show during 2013-14 has dragged down the long-term SIP returns of these funds to below 8%.

Experts say the unexpected downturn in Government bonds is to blame for the poor showing by the NPS funds. Bond yields rose sharply in July 2013, resulting in significant marked-to-market losses on the long-term bonds in the portfolios of these funds. The SBI Pension Fund, which has been the worst performer with 4.12% (Central Govt) and 3.93% (State Govt), also had to contend with poorly chosen bonds that turned NPAs. A senior official of SBI Pension Fund says the NPAs constitute only a minuscule fraction of the total corpus. He contends that the dip in the NAVs is temporary and the funds will do well when interest rates decline. "In any case, we intend to hold the Government bonds till maturity so the losses will get recouped," he told Economic Times.

Worst ever performance by NPS funds

Year	Central Govt workers	State Govt workers
2010-11	6.91%	7.91%
2011-12	7.28%	8.04%
2012-13	11.24%	11.82%
2013-14	5.37%	4.95%
Since launch	7.55%	7.87%

Figures are average SIP returns of the three pension funds that manage the Govt workers retirement savings. 

Source:Economic times

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CHITRADURGA DIVISION (KARNATAKA CIRCLE) - AIPEU GDS (NFPE) FORMED - 27-04-2014

A general body meeting of GDS comrades of Chitradurga Division (Karnataka Circle) has been held on 27-04-2014 in Chitradurga HO.

The meeting addressed by Com.K.S.Kalpesh, Circle Secretary, AIPEU GDS (NFPE), Com.Chowdappa, Divl. Secy. AIPEU Gr.C., Com.Mattapathi, Divl. Secy, P4.

More than 200 GDS comrades participated in the meeting and consented to join in the AIPEU GDS (NFPE) union on the day itself.

A new set of office bearers were elected unanimously for the divisional Union. 

(all details will be published on receipt).

AIPEU GDS (NFPE) conveyed heartfelt thanks  and congratulations to the comrades of Chitradurga division for their support & cooperation to AIPEU GDS (NFPE) in Karnataka Circle.

SRIKAKULAM DIVISION (AP CIRCLE) - DIVISIONAL CONFERENCE - 27-04-2014

A joint divisional conference of AIPEU Gr.C., AIPEU PM&MTS/Gr.D & AIPEU GDS (NFPE) has been held on 27th April 2014 in Bapuji Kalamandir, Srikakulam Town.

The meeting presided by Com.Veerabhadrarao, Com.B.Gouri, Com.V.S.R.Murthy Naidu, Presidents of Gr.C., P4 & GDS respectively.

Com.P.Pandurangarao, General Secretary, AIPEU GDS(NFPE),Com.K.Narayanarao, President, AIPEU Gr.C., A.P Circle, Com.D.A.S.V.Prasad, Circle Secretary, AIPEU Gr.C., Com.M.Nageswararao, Asst. Circle Secretary, Gr.C are attended and addressed.

Shri J.Prasadbabu, Supdt. of Post Offices, Srikakulam Division attended as Chief Guest and addressed the conference.

Com.V.G.K.Murthy, General Secretary, CITU inaugurated the conference. Com.Venkatarao Panigrahi, Secretary, Telecom Officers Association, Srikakulam graced the meeting.

Divisional Secretaries of NFPE Unions, Com.D.K.Naidu, Former President, Gr.C., and many other leaders witnessed the divisional conference.

The delegatesnexpressed their deep grief and condolences on the demise of Com.T.Apparao, President, AIPEU GDS (NFPE) and other departed comrades of the division. 

Com.Chakrapani, Former Divisional President, P4 & Mail Overseer felicitated by the Reception Committee & Chief guests of the meeting on his retirement.

More than 300 GDS comrades attended and some participated in the deliberations on various issues related to organization and GDS problems.

General Secretary made an interaction with GDS comrades to clear all their doubts regarding organization and pay commission issues.

A set of new office bearers were elected uanimously for the ensuing period for the divisional Unions.

President : V.S.R.Murthy Naidu

Secretary: V.Vijayakrishna

Fin.Secy : M.V.Jayarao.

GDS COURT CASE - HEARING ON 07-05-2014

DEPARTMENTALISATION OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (GDS)  

AND 

INCLUSION OF GDS UNDER 7th CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION.

*********

 HON’BLE DELHI HIGH COURT ISSUED NOTICE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF POSTS.

*****

          As already reported (13-01-2014) the Hon’ble Delhi High Court has issued notice to Government and Department of Posts in the Writ Petition filed by NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India which stands transferred to Delhi High Court for grant of Civil Servant status and inclusion of GDS in 7th Central Pay Commission.  

Next hearing of the case is posted for 7th May, 2014.  In the Writ Petition filed by NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) following are the main prayers:

(1)Give direction to the Government of India and Department of Posts to grant Civil Servant Status to GDS as per the 1977 Supreme Court Judgement and grant all the benefits of the Departmental Employees.

(2) Include GDS under the purview of 7th CPC.

(3) Quash the GDS conduct & Engagement Rules 2011.

          Government of India, Department of Posts shall have to file its reply in the High Court.  Now the files have started moving in the Directorate and DoP&T.

Recognised GDS Union (Mahadevaiah) has no role to play:

          Recognised GDS Union (Mahadevaiah) has already signed an agreement with the Department of Posts accepting separate committee for GDS and accordingly Government has EXCLUDED  GDS from the purview of the terms of reference of the 7th Central Pay Commission.  NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) is fighting both organisationally and legally for Departmentalisation and for inclusion of GDS under 7th CPC.

          Shri. Mahadevaiah wrote in his journal (April 2014 Issue) and website supporting separate committee for GDS and claimed that separate committee is better than 7th Pay Commission.  

In his journal and website he wrote as follows:

          -  “One man GDS committee more independent than a judge heading a pay commission with other members” (!!!!).  Thus Shri. Mahadevaiah has fully justified separate committee for GDS and he claimed that he has signed a “respectable agreement” by accepting separate one-man committee!!

          Let Shri.Mahadevaiah and his Recognised GDS Union support the Government and Department of Posts, by cheating three lakhs GDS by signing their “ death warrant ” in the name of “ respectable agreement”.  

NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) will not compromise with the Government and shall continue its struggle both legally and organizationally.

SHRI MAHADEVAIAH DON’T WANT THE SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYEES

            Shri.Mahadevaiah, General Secretary of the recognised GDS Union has requested the Department of Posts NOT TO ALLOW other Federations and Unions to take up the issues relating to the Gramin Dak Sevaks.  As Shri. Mahadevadevaiah has helped the Government and Department by accepting separate committee for GDS, the Department accepted the request of Shri. Mahadevaiah and issued orders.  

          It shows that Shri Magadevaiah don’t want the support of Departmental employees who are members of NFPE & FNPO.  NFPE & / AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) believes that the GDS demands can be achieved only with the full support and joint struggle of both GDS & of the Departmental employees. 

          This is the difference between the recognised GDS Union (Mahadevaiah) and AIPEU-GDS (NFPE).  LET THE GDS employees decide which union stands for the cause of GDS.

ALL GDS & DEPARTMENTAL EMPLOYES  BE READY TO FINISH THE RECOGNISED GDS UNION IN THE NEXT MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION

          Recognition is not a licence to cheat the GDS employees.  

Recognised GDS Union has signed an agreement with the Department accepting separate committee and thus admitting that GDS are not civil servants.  

Thus recognized GDS Union’s role is over and it has no role to play hereafter.  

NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) is challenging in the Delhi High Court the stand taken by the Department of Posts and the Recognised GDS Union (Mahadevaiah). 

          NFPE & AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) calls upon all GDS Departmental Employees be ready to finish the “Recognised GDS Union” in the next membership verification.  

            We are sure that AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) shall become the NUMBER ONE  recognised GDS union in the next membership verification with flying colours. 

Days are not far away.

M.KRISHNAN

SECRETARY GENERAL

NFPE         

 *********************

.....

An example for postal working class ... if privatized ..... !!!

Here's The Story Behind The Strike that got 250 UPS Workers Fired :

UPS recently fired 250 Queens, N.Y. workers for staging a 90-minute strike in February to protest the dismissal of one of their coworkers, Jairo Reyes.

The story has been widely reported, but little has been said about why Reyes - a 49-year-old longtime employee of UPS and a union activist - was fired in the first place.

UPS claims it dismissed Reyes on Feb. 14 because he repeatedly clocked in earlier than his shift was set to start, which resulted in him being paid overtime for hours that he allegedly didn't work.

"There was a disagreement over the hours he clocked and the hours he actually worked and we discharged him after several warnings," UPS spokesman Steve Gaut told Business Insider.

The early clock-ins were reported over a period of five days, Gaut said. Reyes was officially fired for "admitted dishonesty."

Reyes claims, however, that he had a manager's approval to clock in early, beginning around Jan. 6. That same manager later denied giving approval for the new schedule, and Reyes was subsequently fired, he told Business Insider in an interview.

Reyes alleges the manager was retaliating against him for signing a grievance in early February about senior workers' hours. He also claims that he was never given a warning before he was fired.

"It broke my heart," said Reyes, a married father of two and 24-year UPS veteran. "I was out on disability for a year and I come back thinking I'm going to be able to get back on my feet. Now my daughter is getting ready to go to college and I'm worried. I still have a $13,000 payment to make for her to go to school."

According to the union, Teamsters Local 804, the firing violated an "innocent until proven guilty" clause that allows terminated employees to continue working until they have had a chance to defend themselves in a hearing with union and UPS officials.

That hearing was eventually held on Feb. 26 at the Maspeth distribution facility where Reyes worked, and his termination was upheld. Immediately following the meeting, Reyes walked out of the facility with roughly 250 workers in tow.

Alleged video of the walkout shows Reyes standing in a circle of UPS workers outside the facility and giving an impassioned speech against UPS.

"Without us, there is no UPS," he's heard shouting to the crowd. "Why do we get kicked down - because we filed a grievance? Because we want things done right?... Are they not creating an environment of hostility? Everything we do is wrong... It's not fair to be kicked around. We gotta unite!"

Toward the end of the video, an unidentified man explains that he's spoken to UPS and union officials and orders all the workers to return to their jobs. The strike lasted 90 minutes.

UPS employs 1,400 workers at the Maspeth distribution center. The company is firing 250 employees who took part in the walkout.

The company maintains that the 250 firings are totally unrelated to Reyes' dismissal.

Strikes are not an approved method of conflict resolution in UPS' contract with the union, so the company has the right to fire employees engaging in a walkout, Gaut said.

"When a group of 250 employees walk out for 90 minutes it is a significant disruption in the delivery of parcels or packages to customers on that day," Gaut said. "We get penalties if we don't deliver on time."

extracted from other website

AIPEU GDS (NFPE) - OTTAPALAM DIVISION - KERALA CIRCLE

Biennial Divisional Conference of Ottapalam Division has been held on 06-04-2014 at Cherpalcheri, Ottapalam Division.

The following office bearers were elected unanimously for the ensuing period.

1	President	Com.Velayudhan, M.C	GDSMP, Srikrishnapuram
2	Vice President	Com.Narayanan, V.T	GDSMD, Kaipuram (NDM)
3	-do-	Com.Ajitha Kumari	GDSBPM, Angadi (KMR)
4	Secretary	Com.Krishnankutty, N.P	GDSMD, Thekke Vavanur (Kuttanand)
5	Asst. Secretary	Com.Ravikumar, P	GDSMP, Manisseri
6	-do-	Com.Mohanan, K	GDSSV, Pattambi
7	-do-	Com. Balakrishnan, P	GDSMD, Pottasseri
8	Treasurer	Com.Sudhakaran, P	GDSMP, Ottapalam HO
9	Asst. Treasurer	Com. Unni, M.K	GDSMD, Mangode (CPL)
10	Orgg. Secretary	Com. P.G.Somarajan	GDSMD, Agali
11	-do-	Com.Sasidharan, M.P	GDSMD, Marayamangalam (Nellaya)
12	-do-	Com.Sridharan, M	GDSBPM, Kandamangalam (Mgt.College)
13	-do-	Com.Abdul Khader	GDSMD, Kumaramputhur
14	-do-	Com. Nainkutty	GDSBPM, Thekke Vavanur
15	-do-	Com. Manu Raveendran	GDSMD, Peringode
Auditor		Com.Gopinathan	OA, o/o SPOs, Ottapalam