2nd National
Women’s Convention of Confederation of Central Government Employees &
Workers was held from 25th November, 2013 to 26th November,
2013 at Multi purpose hall, Civic Centre, New Delhi. Pro. Usta Patnaik,
Professor Emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University inaugurated the Convention.
Com. Amarajit Kaur, Secretary, AITUC delivered the key-note address. The
inaugural Session is presided by Com. Gita Ghosal, Chairperson of the Women’s
Committee. Com. C. P. Shobhana, Convenor of Women’s Committee, Com. S.K.
Vyasji, Advisor, Confederation of Central Government Employees And Workers,
Com. KKN Kutty, President of CCGEW and Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General,
CCGEW were on the Dias. The Convention commenced with progressive songs by West
Bengal delegates. Chairperson announced the constitution of the Credential
Committee consisting of Com. Seetha Lakshmi (NFPE), Com. Manisha Mazumdar (Printing
& Stationery) Com. Jyothi Samal (Atomic Energy) Com. Jaitha (Audit &
Accounts), Com. Nirmala (ITEF) and also the Minutes Committee consisting of
Com. Mausumi Majumdar (NFPE) and Com. Laxmi Swaminathan (Civil Accounts).
Prof.
Usta Patnaik, in her inaugural address provided a bird’s eye view of the
economic model designed by the neo-liberal policies and the resultant misery
heaped on the mass of Indian population. In her classic presentation she
demolished the arguments of some economists, who glorified the benefits of
neo-liberal policies, by quoting the statistics from the database of the
National Sample Survey. Undoubtedly top 25% of Indian population enjoyed
the goodies as enjoyed by their counterparts in USA and Europe due to the EMI
(equated monthly instalments). This is one of the rosy pictures the hegemonists
of neo-economic policy present in support of this economic model. If income
distribution is analyzed, it will be clear, that majority of the population is
exploited for the benefit of the miniscule. The mass of the rural and urban
population is pushed to malnutrition. The required calories per day in the
rural areas and urban areas are 2200 and 2100 respectively. But the 90% of
people living in urban areas are sustaining with below 1800 calories. Compared
to the year 1983 the mass of the population is cutting down their food intake
of their families and diverting their incomes to meet the raising cost of
health, education and transport. This reflects the disgraceful state of affairs
even after more than 60 years of Independence. The women employees working in
garment factories in the Export Zones are being exploited to the hilt. The
daily targets of work are high and hence, the women employees are forced to
work for more than 10 hours per day to complete the targets. The toilet break
is only for 10 minutes. Frequently drinking of water is not allowed so that no
more toilet breaks. No identity cards are given, so that no one
establishes the permanency of the job. All these woes came out in a public
hearing of women employees who work in garment export zones of Tamilnadu.
Agrarian crisis is compounded since the implementation of these neo-liberal
economic policies. Compared to the years 2004-05 the economic growth by the
year 2009-10 collapsed. Unemployment is in raise. The FRBM Act (Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget Management Act) introduced in the year 2003 at the
behest of World Bank led to the cut in Governmental expenditure. It is
estimated that every Rs.100 less spent by Government will result in Rs.500 less
in the income of the people. That means the budgetary support will spurt the
economic growth. This was killed by FRBM. Agrarian crisis worsened due to
non-availability of easy credit for agriculture. Even the nationalized banks
replicated the US model of easy credit to buy the consumer goods. Thus the
consumer credit is pushed. It aggravated the crisis. All these policies
directly or indirectly affected the common people of rural and urban areas
including the women. Prof. Usta Patnaik called upon all the women employees to
realize these aspects and fight to stop these policies.
With
her fiery and powerful keynote address Com. Amarjit Kaur, Secretary, AITUC made
a strong case for more and more participation of women employees in Trade Union
activities. Taking the cue from Prof. Usta Patnaik speech, she reminded the
participants of the Convention of their role as a privileged class in
emancipation of the drudgery of large mass of women employees working in unorganized
sectors. The women and children working in the slate-manufacturing units of
Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are deprived of their basic necessities of
life. The children are driven out of schools in search of daily lively hood for
the family. The silicosis disease engulfed the prime age of the people of these
regions. No health-care for them. No permanent employment for them. The plight
of women workers in the Export Zones of Fisheries is horrible. Continuous and
untimely work in the saline and cold seawaters has even disturbed the
biological order. These contract workers have no rights and even attempt to
unionize will not be spared. The women employees working in many such sectors
have no maternity leave, not to think of Child Care leave. The crisis in
agrarian sector pushed the life of rural population below animal state of
living. The “gobar anaj” the grain collected from the dung of the animals for
human consumption in areas like Bundhelkhand is the reflection of the shattered
Indian economy under the neo-liberal policies of the Rulers. The entire Working
Class, keeping the banner inhibitions aside, came together and is waging a
battle to defeat these policies. The Women has inherited a rich tradition of
fighting spirit from the First Independent battle fought by Rani Jhansi and
from the Indian freedom movement. They should assert their role and fight not
only for their rights but also fight for the under privileged. Com.
Amarjit Kaur exhorted the women employees to take this challenge. She advised
the women employees to strengthen the unions and work in the unions. She
suggested to organize the women employees by conducting exclusive trade union
classes to equip them with the knowledge of the various legislations
enacted to safe guard the women employees.
Com.
S.K. Vyasji, the Advisor of the CCGEW also opined that the women employees
should have the knowledge of all the Acts to defend them selves against the
harassment in work places. The grievance cell formation for women in each
establishment should be insisted. The unity among the employees is important to
fight out the harassment of women employees. He wished the Convention a great
success.
Com.
KKN Kutty, President, CCGEW has extensively spoken on the charter of demands
including the wage revision and merger of D.A. He delved on the situation after
the announcement of constitution of 7th Central Pay
Commission. Com. KKN gave a Clarion call to all women employees to unite
and participate in the future struggles under the banner of CCGEW to realize
the Charter of Demands.
Com.
Shobana, Convenor, Women’s Committee submitted her report. She told that the
Confederation is a strong organization representing the 13 lakh Central
Government employees. The restrictions imposed on the grant of CCL are removed
to some extent because of the efforts CCGEW. Whatever achievement so far made
is possible because of the united struggles waged under the banner of CCGEW.
She narrated how the GDS, Casual and Contract workers in the Postal Department
are discriminated. The decisions taken in the first Women’s Convention held at
Kolkata have been implemented. She requested all the women employees to
participate in large number in the ensuing March to Parliament at Delhi on
12-12-2013 and also in all the campaign and struggle programmes of
Confederation.
Com.
K. P. Rajagopal, Secretary General, Income Tax Employees Federation, Com.
M.S.Raja, Secretary General, All India Audit & Accounts Association, Com.
I.S.Dabas, Deputy Secretary General, NFPE, Com. Brigu, Secretary General, Civil
Accounts Employees Association, greeted the Convention.
About
117 women delegates representing various Organisations from the nook and corner
of the country participated in the Convention. The remarkable feature of this 2nd Convention
as observed by Com. S.K.Vyasji, is that the women representatives have become
more vocal and assertive. In the discussions more than 20 delegated
participated and given their suggestions and brought the problems to the notice
of the leadership. Removal of age restriction of the children under CCL,
extension of CCL on remarriage, grant of CCL to look after the grand children,
providing basic amenities at the work place, problems of casual, contract and
out-sourced women employees, attacks on women employees in West Bengal,
enhancement of minimum age of employment, inclusion of two women
representatives from casual and contract workers in the mahila committee,
posting women in day shifts, apart from the policy demands of reservation for
women in all All India Committees, holding of periodical meetings of the Mahila
Sub-Committee are some of the issues raised by the women delegates. Many Women
delegates emphasized the need for strengthening the unions and need for
inculcation of union spirit among the women employees.
Karnataka
Women delegates led by Com. Chandramma Linga Raju, AIPAEA, honoured Com. S.K.
Vyasji over a standing ovation given by the entire delegates and guests present
in the Convention.
Com.
M. Krishnan, Secretary General, CCGEW, summed up the entire proceedings and
told that the aim of formation of Mahila sub committee is to encourage the more
and more women employees to participate in the decision making process. The
Chairperson and the Convener of the Mahila Sub-Committee are members of the
National Executive of the Confederation and they are part of decision-making
body. He assured that in the coming days more and more women members will be
included in the Executive Committees of All India Organisations. He touched all
the issues raised in the discussion by the delegates and assured that each and
every problem and demand raised by the delegates will be discussed in the
Confederation and a separate Women Charter of Demands will be prepared along
with the Memorandum to be submitted to the Government and 7th CPC.
This Charter and Memorandum will be circulated and published on all the web
sites of all organisations and will be given wide publicity and a feedback will
be obtained before finalization. He thanked the Delhi CoC for the excellent arrangements
made to conduct the Convention in a very good environment.
The
new panel for the Mahila sub-Committee has been elected unanimously. Com. Usha
Bonepalli, ITEF, Andhra Pradesh has been elected Chairperson and Com. Seetha
Laksmi, NFPE, Karnataka, has been elected Convener.
The
2nd National Convention of Women ended successfully with a
resolve to work for the strengthening of the Confederation and mobilize the
entirety of women employees in the future activities of the Confederation. The
confidence and strong determination generated among the women comrades will go
a long way for the success of all the future struggles.
NEWLY
ELECTED OFFICE BEARERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairperson
: Com. Usha
Boneppalli (ITEF) Andhra Pradesh
Vice
Chairperson
: Com. Manisha
Mazumder (Printing & Stationery) West Bengal
Convenor
: Com. R.
Seethalakshmy (P4-NFPE) Karnataka
Asst.
Convenors
: Com. Jyoti Girish
Samel (NFAEE Atomic Energy) Mumbai
Com. Gita Bhattacharjee (P-3 NFPE) Delhi
Executive Committee: -
1. Com.
Rina Saha, P-3 NFPE (West Bengal)
2. Com.
Mausumi Mazumder, P-3 NFPE (Assam)
3. Com.
Anitha Thakur, P-4 NFPE (West Bengal)
4. Com.
Usha, P-4 NFPE (Kerala)
5. Com.
Swathi Roy Bera, R-3 NFPE (West Bengal)
6. Com.
Anu Dadiyal, R3 NFPE (Delhi)
7. Com.
Meera Vithal Kamble, R4 NFPE (Maharashtra)
8. Com.
D. K. Bharathi, Admn Union NFPE (Karnataka)
9. Com.
Chandramma Linga Raju, Postal Accts, AIPAE, NFPE (Karnataka)
10. Com.
Asha Ben Joshi, AIPEU GDS Union, NFPE (Gujarat)
11. Com.
Janaki, AIPEU GDS Union, NFPE (Kerala)
12. Com.
Reba Gupta, ITEF (West Bengal)
13. Com.
Beena Sharma, ITEF (Delhi)
14. Com.
Mandira Ganguly, ITEF (Karnataka)
15. Com.
Anju P. Nair, ITEF (Kerala)
16. Com.
Neelu Gautham, ITEF (Uttar Pradesh)
17. Com.
Jaitha, Audit & Accts Association (Kerala)
18. Com.
Vidya Sinha, Audit & Accts. Association (Karnataka)
19. Com.
Somas Das, Audit & Accts. Association (West Bengal)
20. Com.
Romila Xess, Audit & Accts. Association (Delhi)
21. Com.
Nina Kumari Kujur, Audit & Accts. Association (Odisha)
22. Com.
Kamalesh Kumari, Civil Accts Emplyoees Assn (Delhi)
23. Com.
Aparajitha Roy Choudhari, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (West Bengal)
24. Com.
Swathi Mangrulkar, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
25. Com.
N. Durga, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (Tamilnadu)
26. Com.
Beena Ravishankar Nair, NFAEE Atomic Energy (BARC, Mumbai)
27. Com.
Nilakshi Y. Gaikward, Civil Accts Emplyiees Assn (BARC, Mumbai)
28. Com.
T. Bhakiavady, Health Department (Confederation of Pondicherry State Government
Employees Association)
29. Com.
A. S. Baby, Sreechitra Medical Centre Staff Union, Trivandum, Kerala
30. Com.
Ambika Devadas, Employees Provident Fund Employees Union, (Kerala)
31. Com.
Subhadra V. K, Central Industrial Machinery Employees Assn. (Kerala)
32. Com.
Jyothi Naidu, IBM Employees Association (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
33. Com.
Pushpeshwari Devi, C-O-C, Andhra Pradesh
34. Com.
C. Lilly, C-O-C, Kerala
35. Com.
Rosamma Thomas, C-O-C, Kerala
36. Com.
Angle Satyanathan, C-O-C, Tamilnadu
37. Com.
Chanchal Kumar, C-O-C, Jammu & Kashmir
38. Com.
Manju Srivastava, C-O-C, Madhya Pradesh
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