Let’s prove “United We Stand”

Dear All

As you know, the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has decided for one day all India Strike on 12.12.12  on 15 Point Charter of Demands.  To mobilize the CG Employees, the Confederation in the mean time have organized several meetings / campaign programmes nationwide with the help of all the state COCs.  The first phase programme was concluded with march to Parliament on 26.07.2012. More than 20,000 employees and workers of various organizations of Central Government from all over India marched to Parliament on 26^th July, 2012  and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister with brief notes on the charter of demands.  From India Post, the National Federation of Postal Employees in its Federal Secretariat  and in the National Convention endorsed the decisions of the Confederation to launch a strike on 12.12.2012 to win the 15 Point Charter of Demands  and called upon the entire rank and file of NFPE organizations to take all organizational efforts for the total success of the strike action and accordingly   the leadership of all the affiliates of NFPE  have  now been involved in rigorous campaign nationwide with extensive tour programmes.

In addition, requesting everybody’s cooperation, moral support and solidarity, the Confederation in the mean time has requested to all the central Trade Unions, several political parties, sister organizations, Secretary Generals of AIDEF, INDWF, AIRF, NFIR FNPO and Confederation of Central Government Gazetted  Officers organizations. Simultaneously, the Confederation’ CHQ has also requested all its state General Secretaries and Circle Secretaries of affiliated organizations to confederation to organize meeting with the local MPs, state political parties and state committees of national parties as well as state organization of central trade unions seeking their intervention and support to our 12.12.12 strike. Accordingly NFPE is on the move.

Now question arises :

• Is it the only responsibility of NFPE in Postal Wing to carry forward the decision of the Confederation for one day strike on 12.12.12 ?
• Won’t the members of other unions and associations of India Post and employees who are not members of any Union / Association be benefitted if some positive results are there ?
• Aren’t they interested for their wage revision with formation of 7^th CPC and merger of D A with pay ?  
• Haven’t they any moral responsibility to fight for removing the restriction imposed on compassionate appointment for the welfare of  the family members of their deceased colleagues?
• Don’t they want revival of JCM and that the National Council Meetings be convened as per constitution?
• Don’t they want the ban on recruitment be lifted and new post created for the cause of reducing unemployment problems from the nation ?
• Won’t they be happy if downsizing, outsourcing, contractorization, corporatization and privatization are stopped?
• Aren’t they affected with price rise and worried on imbalanced public distribution system?
• Won’t they be satisfied if the daily-rated, contingent-paid and casual workers  are regularized?
• Shouldn’t they struggle for the benefit of their fellow underemployed GDS brothers and sisters suffering for years ?
• Won’t they accept the awards of the Board of Arbitration ?
• Don’t they want the Bonus Ceiling to be removed, OTA and Night Duty Allowance to be revised , trade union victimizations to be vacated and Right to Strike  be a legal right ?
• Don’t they want 5 promotions during the entire service career ?

If the answer is simply “No”, then we have nothing to say. ( But we don’t believe that the answer may be “No” under any circumstances.)

But, if the answer is “Yes”, we have many things to say.

For the proposed strike on 12.12.12 at the call of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, NFPE has started its campaign programmes in a planned way to mobilize the grass root level members and make all understand the justification of all the 15 point charter of demands starting from formation of 7^th Central Pay Commission to 5 promotions in the entire service career of an employee. No doubt, NFPE is the biggest in the Postal wing and the major share-holder of the Confederation. If no one will come forward to join hands  for this noble cause intended to bring justice for the entire working class, NFPE keeps the capability to walk alone. We feel extremely proud to analyze the history of NFPE with several instances of fighting alone for the working class, the last being  the one day strike on 14^th December, 2006 for 16 point Charter of demands.  

Since the present demands are common to all the Central Govt. employees, success in true sense can be achieved only when the entirety of workers and employees from all Central Govt. establishments irrespective cadre and wing will participate enmasse. For the purpose we have to realize the strength of unity in real sense. We have no hesitation to admit here that we have not been succeeded properly and satisfactorily in many strikes / agitational programmes conducted earlier. Agreements signed between the Official Side and Staff Side have not been honoured properly and written assurances have been grossly ignored / delayed on the plea of some reasons or other. We mean that this has happened only due to lack of unity amongst the workers and employees of all the Central Govt. establishments.

 Confederation has earlier conducted several agitational programmes in association with either NFPE or with both NFPE and FNPO from postal wing. Further, as we have experienced in Odisha during the past agitational programmes, except a few Central Govt. establishments, most of the organizations don’t participate in any manner. Even, we have noticed gross absence in the preparatory meetings, dharana and demonstration programmes. Thus, we have not been succeeded properly only due to want of unity in real sense. We all know it very well that since long the Government has already adopted the successful corporate strategy of ‘Divide et impera’ with multiplicity of service unions / associations making the situation tailor-made so that the unions and associations will work at cross purposes  and the management will find it easy to deal with the employees. The sooner we understand the evolvement of such strategies by the Govt. to break our unity, the more beneficial we will be.

Our special appeal to all the GDS Comrades to open their eyes. They should not be disunited under any pressure. NFPTE / NFPE was / is there for them and will continue to work effortlessly to bring their desired results. The sacrifice and contribution of Com. Dada Ghosh, Com. K L Moza and  Com Adi Narayan will never be allowed to go futile under any circumstance.  

Ideological disparities may be there. But united struggle is the only alternative to achieve our demands. Either accept it to enjoy or avoid it to suffer. The choice is yours. We have witnessed several incidences in our lives depicting unity is strength. We have heard several stories about it. Nothing more is required to make our learned and able colleagues understand the power of unity. Only thing required is to apply the same principle here. Shading crocodiles tears will yield nothing.

We are within the mass. If we think for the mass in general, our individual problems will automatically be solved. So, without beating about the bush, let’s really feel the spirit of unity and prove “United We Stand” being assembled under one umbrella to make the 12.12.12 one day strike successful.

Workers’ Unity, Zindabad.

With Struggle Greetings.

 Bruhaspati Samal

Divnl. Secy., AIPEU, Gr.-C

Bhubaneswar