EDITORIAL - POSTAL CRUSADER - DECEMBER 2013
7th CPC – NO COMPROMISE ON TERMS OF REFERENCE
GET READY FOR STRIKE IF GOVERNMENT REJECTS DA MERGER,
GDS INCLUSION & INTERIM RELIEF
Eventhough Government has announced constitution of 7th Central Pay
Commission, the appointment is yet to take place. In the meanwhile one
round of discussion was held with Secretary, DOP&T on terms of
reference. Subsequently, the staff side, JCM National Council has
submitted a unanimous proposal on the items to be included in the terms
of reference of the 7th CPC, which includes (i) date of effect as
01.01.2014 (2) merger of DA with pay (3) grant of interim relief (4)
inclusion of GDS under the ambit of 7th CPC (5) statutory pension for
those entered into service on or after 01.01.2004 (6) settlement of
anomalies of 6th CPC (7) cashless/hassle-free medicare facilities etc.
Government while announcing the 7th CPC has made it clear that the date
of effect will be 01.01.2016. Further nothing has been mentioned about
DA merger and interim relief. Regarding GDS the declared stand of the
Government is that GDS are not civil servants and in the past also every
time when CPC is appointed, the Government refused to include them in
the Pay commission. Last time also inspite of the strong protest and
agitational programmes conducted by NFPE and Postal JCA, the Government
has appointed a bureaucratic committee. Regarding statutory pension to
those who entered into service on or after 01.01.2004, the Government’s
stand is well known and it may refuse to include this item also in the
terms of reference.
This being the position, our past experience shows that unless and until
the demands raised in the staff side proposal submitted to Government
on terms of reference of the CPC is backed by serious agitational
programmes, rallying the entire Central Government Employees and create
compulsion on the Government to accept our justified stand, there is
every possibility of Government rejecting the above proposal.
Further all of us are aware that the political situation in the country
is gradually getting in election mode. This is bringing forth before the
working class movement a crucial task of front-loading our class issues
in the ensuring political battle. We have to keep in mind that the
corporate class and corporate controlled media has started making effort
for relegating the working class issues and the economic policy related
issues in particular to the background. It is our duty to bring the
demands of the working class to the fore-front and conduct intensive
campaign against those policies and also against those who are
supporting the neo-liberal globalization policies. Confederation of
Central Government Employees & Workers and NFPE being the part and
parcel of the mainstream of the working class of our country has got an
added responsibility to rally the entire Central Government Employees in
the struggle against the anti-people and anti-worker policies of the
Government which shall ultimately lead to a change in the political
equation ensuring implementation of pro-people, pro-worker alternative
policy.
It is in this back the National Secretariat of the Confederation of
Central Government Employees & Workers met at new Delhi on
28.11.2013 has decided to go for strike if the Government refuse to
accept the staff side proposal on terms of reference. Confederation
further decided to organize series of phased programme of action and
campaign from now onwards so that the employees will be ready to go for
strike on short notice.
NFPE call upon all the Postal, RMS and GDS employees to implement the
call of the Confederation at all levels and be prepared to go for strike
at any time, if situation warrants. We further make it clear that NFPE
and Confederation will not go for any compromise on the demands raised
in the proposal submitted by the JCM Staff side on terms of reference of
7th CPC.
Source: www.nfpe.blogspot.in
