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.
