EDITORIAL Postal crusader february-2013
WE ARE NOT going to surrender.
Join the two daYs strike on February 20
& 21
We, the Postal employees,
have a proud and inspiring history of participating in the freedom struggle of
our country against the British imperialism and in the post-independent India against
the onslaughts of the retrograde policies of the Government of India. Many of our leaders and comrades have
sacrificed their life for the cause of the coming generation. Job security, wages, pension and other
service benefits are all the outcome of the struggle and sacrifice of hundreds
and thousands of such comrades. They
faced dismissal, removal, suspension, increment cut, transfer to remote places,
break-in-service and other severe victimisations. Dies-non was not at all a punishment for
them. They never complained about
wage-cut due to dies-non. Not even a single benefit was given by the Government
without struggle and consequent heavy victimisations. 1st to 6th Pay Commissions were appointed by
the Government only after the united struggle of the employees, each time.
Now we are
facing a very crucial
and critical situation. The ill-effects
of the neo-liberal economic policies of the Central Government has
become the
greatest threat to the survival of the entire working class, especially
Central
Government employees including five and a half lakhs Postal, R M S and
Gramin
Dak Sevaks. The question before us is
-Are we able to protect our job security and hard-earned benefits? Are
we ready to fight or are we going to
surrender before this attack? The answer
is - No. We are not going to surrender.
We will continue our fight till the imperialist globalisation policies
are thrown to winds, just as we have thrown the British imperialism out
of our
country. We are not alone, crores and
crores of workers and employees are with us in this fight. We are ready
for sacrifice. We are not going to run away from our
responsibilities. We shall face the challenge and continue our
fight to change the system in our favour.
Ultimate victory will be ours.
It is this uncompromising spirit
and the readiness for sacrifice, that made National Federation of Postal
Employees (NFPE) to join the two-days historic strike of the working class on
2013 February 20, 21. The strike is
being organised by the entire trade unions including INTUC, BMS and the left
trade unions. In the Postal, the strike
is organised by Central JCA, including NFPE
and the INTUC affiliated FNPO. This is
the first time in the history of India a cent per cent united strike
of 48 hours by all the Unions and Federtions is taking place. More than ten crores workers will participate
in the strike. The working class of India, in one
voice, demand the UPA Government to change the imperialist globalisation
policies.
Central Government employees are
the first victims of the neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Central
Government from 1991 onwards. During the
last twenty years about eight lakhs posts are abolished. Still five lakhs posts are lying vacant in
various departments. Many departments
are closed or privatised. More and more
casual and contract workers are engaged.
Social security schemes, including statutory Pension scheme are given a
go-bye. Instead, share market oriented
contributory Pension scheme is introduced.
Three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Postal department are denied of
their legitimate rights. Casual,
Part-time, contingent employees are not given their due wage revision. Even compassionate appointments are denied
imposing arbitrary restrictions. Bonus
ceiling not raised. Further the
Government has declared the National Postal Policy 2012 which is nothing but a
road-map to privatisation of Postal Services by granting licences to the
multi-national courier services.
The demand for appointment of 7th
Pay Commission is not yet accepted, inspite of the thundering success of the
12th December 2012 strike organised by Confederation of Central Govt. Employees
& Workers. As an impact of the
strike, all the Central Trade Unions have submitted a memorandum to the Finance
Minister to announce constitution of 7th CPC in the February 2013 budget
itself. Still the Government is silent
on Pay Commission and merger of 50% DA.
February 20, 21 strike is a continuation of 12th December strike.
The steep rise in prices of
essential commodities, disbanding of the public distribution system, deregulation
of petrol and diesel prices , disinvestment of public sector, rise in
unemployment, shrinking of employment opportunities, proposed move to amend the
labour laws in favour of the employers, attack on social security, denial of
assured pension for all, introduction of contract and casual labour system in
all sectors, denial of minimum wage of Rs.10,000/- to industrial workers,
refusal to remove bonus and PF ceilings etc. are all due to this neo-liberal
economic policies.
The attack is all round. To save the Postal, to save the Central Govt.
departments, to save the public sector, to save the common people and workers
of our country including Postal employees the only way out is to fight back
these policies. Let us wholeheartedly
join this struggle and make it a historic success.