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MOST IMPORTANT

URGENT

Circular Dated 16.02.2019

DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT MEETING OF CONFEDERATION

National Secretariat Meeting of Confederation held at New Delhi on 15.02.2019, after detailed deliberations, took the following important decisions. Com. K. K. N. Kutty, National President, presided.

Confederation National Secretariat Strongly Condemned the barbaric attack on Indian security forces by Pakistan sponsored terrorists, killing 40 Jawans. Confederation conveys its deepest Condolences to the bereaved family members of the Jawans who sacrificed their life for the nation.

CONFEDERATION DECLARES THREE PHASE CAMPAIGN AND STRUGGLE.

FOR WORKING CLASS, ELECTIONS ARE ALSO PART OF STRUGGLE.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.

The BJP-led NDA Government is going to complete its five years tenure. General Elections to the Parliament is going to be declared shortly. Based on our five years experience, Central Govt. Employees and Pensioners and their families have to take a position and use our right to vote to protect our interest and the interest of the Nation at large. We should remember that “Ballots are more powerful than bullets” in a democratic country.

As far as 32 lakhs Central Government employees and 33 lakhs Central Govt. Civilian Pensioners are concerned this five year period is the worst in the post-independence period. None of our demands are favourably considered by the NDA Government, rather we have been betrayed and our hopes ended is despair. The same is the case with three lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks of the Postal department and thousands of casual, contingent and contract workers.

Even though the Group of Cabinet Ministers headed by Shri Rajnath Singh, Home Minister and Shri Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister had given categorical assurance on 30.06.2016 that Minimum Pay and Fitment formula will be increased, in 2018 December, Govt. made it clear in the Parliament that “no such proposal is under consideration of the Government, at present”. Much publicity was given for the Constitution of “NPS Committee”, but the demand to “Scrap NPS &; Restore OPS” is rejected and even the demand for ensuring guaranteed Minimum Pension (i.e., 50% of the last pay drawn or Rs.9000/- whichever is higher) was also turned down. Again, Govt. replied in Parliament that the demand to scrap NPS & Restore OPS cannot be considered favourably due to various reasons. NPS employees are retiring every month with a megre amount of Rs.1000/- to 3000/- as annuity pension. Retirement of each NPS employee is just like a death due to uncertainty about the future life of NPS Pensioner and the family dependent on him/her.

HRA arrears from 01.01.2016 to 30.06.2017 was denied and each employee lost an average Rs. One Lakh. MACP Bench mark, date of effect from 01.01.2006, promotional hierarchy, everything fell on deaf ear. None of the anomalies of 7^th CPC are settled. Option-I parity recommended by 7^th CPC to Pensioners is mercilessly rejected. Revison of wages and pension of many Autonomous bodies are still pending. Compassionate appointment has become a cruel joke, as majority of the cases are rejected. Trade Union rights are under attack and pro-BJP Unions are given undue favours. All negotiating forums including National Council JCM are either defunct or ineffective.

More than six lakhs posts are lying vacant due to undeclared ban on recruitment. Three lakhs low-paid Gramin Dak Sevaks are cheated by denying arrears of pay for 30 months to be calculated proportionately on the basis of pay scales recommended by the Kamalesh Chandra Committee. Many positive recommendations are either rejected or diluted. Thousands of Casual, part-time, contingent, daily rated mazdoors and contract workers are denied equal wage for equal work. Regularisation of GDS and Casual/Contract workers has become a mirage. None of the 10 points demands of Confederation is settled including sectional demands of various cadres. None of the demands raised by JCM National Council Staff Side and National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) are also settled.

More and more attacks on existence of Central Govt. departments and employees are made. Privatisation of various functions of Railway department, outsourcing of more than 200 items in Defence sector, fast move to corporatize Postal, Closure of 12 out of 17 Govt. of India Printing Presses etc. are threatening the very existence of thousands of employees.

In short, under the BJP led NDA Government our wages and allowances are under attack, our job security and existence is under attack, our social security and pension is under attack, and our trade Union rights and facilities are under attack. Shall we vote for continuation of aggressive implementation of this destructive policies. No, not at all. It is in the above background Confederation National Secretariat has decided to implement the following campaigns and agitational programmes.

I.    CAMPAIGN FORTNIGHT FROM 2019 MARCH 15^TH TO 30^TH CULMINATING IN MASS RALLIES AT ALL STATE HEADQUARTERS AND DISTRICT HEAD QUARTERS.

Intensive campaign among the employees, pensioners and their families and also among the public should be conducted during the fortnight. General body meetings, conventions, group meetings, office to office campaign, seat to seat campaign etc. are to be organized by each COC and each affiliated organization. As a culmination of the campaign programmme mass rallies of employees and pensioners are to be organized in an impressive manner at all state Head Quarters and District/Divisional Head Quarters. Notices, leaflets, posters, boards etc. are to be printed and widely circulated. Maximum publicity through print and electronic media and also through websites and other social media is to be given. 10 point charter of Confederation, of which the 1^st and the most important demand is “Scrap NPS & RESTORE OPS”, shall be the basis of the campaign and mass rallies. Wherever Confederation units (COC) are not there, NFPE Divisional Secretaries shall jointly take the responsibility to organize the above programme and also below mentioned other programmes.

II. TWO PROGRAMMES EXCLUSIVELY ON NPS

(1)  Day Long Mass Dharna on 11^thApril 2019 (Thursday) at all Centres – state and District Head Quarters.

(2)  “Candle light protest” on 23^rd April 2019 (Tuesday) at all Centres at state and District head Quarters.

In the Central Government employees sector Confederation is the only organisation which has been continuously organizing struggle programmes against NPS, including strikes. It is decided to organize the above two programmes, exclusively on one demand i.e., “Scrap NPS & Restore OPS”. These programme are to express our protest and anger against the totally negative attitude of the NDA Government and also to build pressure on other political parties to compel them give top most priority to the above demand. In both the programmes, maximum participation of employees and pensioners is to be ensured. Candle light programme is to be arranged in such a manner, so that maximum public attention and media attention will be received. In both the above programmes, like-minded political Leaders, trade Union leaders, important personalities etc. may also be invited to participate and address.Candle light procession is not required. Maximum mobilization at a selected place is enough on the evening of 23^rd April 2019 (Tuesday).

III.   NJCA PROGRAMMES

National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) met after a long gap. Eventhough Confederation Leadership reiterated our earlier stand i.e; revival of the deferred indefinite strike, the Railway Leadership (AIRF & NFIR) are reluctant to give a call for strike, for their own reasons. Finally it is decided to organize the following two programmes.

      1.   13^th March 2019 – NPS Dharna and Demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

A massive demonstration – cum – dharna will be organized under the auspices of National JCA to highlight and focus the demand for the withdrawal of New Pension Scheme and restoration of old Pension Scheme for Central Govt. Employees. The National JCA will simultaneously write to all Political parties to make their stand clear on the issue of New Pension Scheme in their respective manifestos. The National JCA will spearhead a campaign amongst the employees for acceptance of the demand by the Political Parties. The dharna will be at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, and the same will be participated by the employees of Railways, Defence and Confederation working in and around Delhi besides NJCA Leaders. On the same day similar dharnas and demonstration will be held in front of the all Central Govt. offices throughout the country. The employees will also be requested to wear black badges projecting the demand for withdrawal of NPS.

Confederation National Secretariat calls upon all COCs and affiliated organisations to mobilise maximum number of Central Govt. employees from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar on 13.03.2019.Dharnas and demonstrations may be organized in all major centres of other states, if possible jointly with Railways and Defence or Confederation alone.

     2.   28^TH MARCH 2019 – FOR REVIVAL OF JCM FORUMS

A protest day long dharna will be organised at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 28.03.2019, in which all National Council Members will take part, to highlight the need to revive the JCM forums, thus ensuring constant and continuous interaction between the Government and the employees. It will also focus the intolerable attitude of the official side even in issuing orders, where Supreme Court has given the verdict in favour of the employees. The Cabinet Secretary will be informed of this decision well in advance. A huge demonstration will also be organized on the same day in front of dharna venue in which employees working in and around Delhi will participate.

National Secretariat of Confederation calls upon the Delhi C-O-C and affiliated organisations to ensure maximum participation of employees from Delhi in the above programme on 28.03.2019.

IV.NCCPA PROGRAMME – PENSIONERS DEMANDS – 15^TH MARCH 2019 – NEW DELHI

National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Associations (NCCPA) will be organizing a mass dharna at New Delhi on 15.03.2019 demanding early settlement of Charter of demands submitted by NCCPA to Govt. National Secretariat Members of Confederation, COC Delhi and all affiliated organisations are requested to mobilise maximum employees from Delhi to participate in the NCCPA dharna on 15.03.2019.

V.   A resolution on important demands of Central Govt. employees and Pensioners

is adopted in the National Secretariat meeting which is to be circulated widely among the Central Govt. employees and Pensioners during the campaign fortnight. Copy of the resolution will be exhibited in the Confederation website shortly.

VI.INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY ON 8^TH MARCH 2019

National Secretariat decided to celebrate International Womens Day on 8^th March 2019 in a befitting manner alongwith likeminded organisations wherever possible or separately by Confederation. Confederation Womens Sub Committee office bearers Com. Usha Bonepalli (Chairperson) Com. R. Seethalakshmi (Convenor) Com. Gita Bhattacharjee (Joint Convenor) had attended the National Secretariat meeting. An article written by Com. Usha Bonepalli on the theme of the 2019 Women’s Day and also about the importance of International Womens Day will be published shortly in the Confederation website.

VII.    NEXT NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CONFEDERATION

National Secretariat decided to conduct the next National Conference of Confederation at Nagpur (Maharashtra). COC Nagpur will convene their meeting immediately and fix the dates and venue of the Conference. A preparatory committee will also be formed at Nagpur shortly to commence the preliminary work in connection with the National Conference.

VIII. ALL INDIA TRADE UNION CAMP

All India Trade Union Camp, as already decided in the last National Secretariat meeting will be organized after General Elections.

IX.  FINANCIAL REVIEW

National Secretariat decided to request all affiliated organisations and COCs to remit their quota arrears before 15.03.2019. Details of quota and arrears is already sent to all by Financial Secretary Com. Vrigu Bhattacharjee. As the Financial position of Confederation CHQ is precarious, all affiliates and COCs are once again requested to remit the quota and arrears before 15.03.2019.

Fraternally yours,

(M. Krishnan)

Secretary General

Confederation