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.
