Thousand lies can never become a truth
nobody can break the unity of postal workers
* lessons of the fragmented strike *
The GDS strike
of Mahadeviah group ended on 22.10.2012. In fact it was fizzled
out. Eventhough from 16.10.2012 onwards the leaders claimed 100%
participation in all circles, the truth was entirely different. Out of 22
circles, in 10 circles it was less than 5% and 6 circles only less than 10% of
the Gramin Dak Sevaks went on strike. In the remaining six circles it
varied from 12% to 27% of the GDS. All India average of the strike is 18.1% of
the total GDS. This is the real picture of the strike. All other
claims are false and naked lies. The percentage came down day-by-day and
on 22 nd
the All India average was only 5% of the total of about three lakhs GDS.
Thus the strike fizzled out without any settlement. (Those who have doubt
about the figures can get it under RTI from all Circles and verify the
truth). Senior officers of the Department including Secretary,
Department of Posts, Member (Personnel) and Minister Communications and
Minister of State for Communications also rejected the request of the leaders
for a last minute face-saving settlement.
NFPE has not made any adverse comment or statement against the strike or
against the false claim of the leaders regarding All India Strike percentage,
eventhough the Mahadevaiah group spread canards against NFPE and its leaders
before the strike and also during the strike. If NFPE had put it in its
website the actual percentage of the strike in each circle, the strike would
have fizzled out in the second day itself. But NFPE never wants to break
any strike, whether percentage is less or large. Breaking the strike is
not the tradition of NFPE. So we tolerated every malicious attack against
NFPE and its leaders till the strike is over. Even now, while exposing
the lies and hidden agenda of the Mahadevaiah group, we respect the sentiments
of the GDS who participated in the strike without knowing the evil designs of
the leadership. We hope that those GDS who are misguided by the leaders,
shall join the united struggle of the Central Govt. Employees on 12th
December 2012 and also join the united
movement of the Postal Employees led by National Federation of Postal
Employees.
Everybody knows that the attack against the Postal Employees, whether it is GDS
regularization or New Postal Policy 2012, is due to the neo-liberal economic
policies pursued by the Central Government. To fight against these
policies, the largest unity of the employees and workers is the need of the
hour. Other than united struggle there is no shortcut. When NFPE
is trying to build up such a united struggle, unfortunately everytime the
Mahadevaiah group is trying to break the unity at any cost. During
2008 when NFPE and all its affiliated unions decided to go on indefinite strike
from 06.01.2009, against the retrograde recommendations of the Natarajamurthy
Committee, Mahadevaiah gave a call for indefinite strike from 17.12.2008,
i.e., 20 days ahead of the joint strike of NFPE. Now again, due to
our efforts when all the employees unitedly decided to go on strike on 12th
December 2012, in which GDS demand is also one of the main demands, Mahadevaiah
gave another sudden indefinite strike call from 16.10.2012. He is playing
in the hands of the ruling class and deliberately trying to break the unity
among the departmental employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks. The leader is
behaving as an agent of the Government and poor GDS are the victims. GDS
are not going to be benefited by such sectarian strike. Realising this
majority of the GDS refused to join the ill-motivated strike this time.
On 10.05.2012, Sri. Mahadevaiah made following
comments in his signed circular, copy of which is available with us:- “The
AIPEDEU is the single largest Postal Union, larger than all other Postal organisations,
including NFPE...... They are afraid of AIPEDEU” (!!!). When
somebody claims that I am bigger than everyone else and all are afraid of me,
we can imagine the mindset of such a person. NFPE leaders will never make
such egoistic statements. Again in another circular which was circulated
among the GDS throughout the country without putting name, the following
derogatory and insulting comments are made against the legendary leader of the
Postal Trade Union movement Late Com: K.Adinarayana - “Nobody including the
great person repeatedly mentioned as the messiah of Postal workers including
EDAs could even stir. What was he doing?” Thus it is very clear
that the intention of Mahadevaiah is to project himself above all the leaders
of the Postal Trade Union movement right from Tarapada to Adinarayana. In
fact he was elected in the year 1999 and became the General Secretary of the
only recognised Union with the help of Com. Adinarayana and NFPE. But
after 1999, there was no gain for GDS, eventhose benefits achieved by NFPE
through several years of struggle upto 1999, was taken away by the Government
during the tenure of Mahadevaiah. He continued his attack against
NFPE. His number one enemy is NFPE. This time the leader thought
he can score through making it a fragmented game. He want to avoid larger
unity of entire Postal employees (Departmental and GDS) and also he want to
avoid NFPE as he thought that if he join the joint struggle with NFPE he cannot
become the hero. He wanted to play one-upmanship over NFPE.
Naturally those who loved NFPE said “goodbye” to such a leader who is
undemocratic, anti-NFPE, egoistic and decided to form separate GDS Union called
AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) declaring themselves that they will work under the banner of
NFPE and will be a part and parcel of NFPE. NFPE decided to give
associate membership to the new GDS Union led by Com. Panduranga Rao.
After formation of the new NFPE GDS Union Gramin Dak Sevaks of majority of the
Circles joined the new union enbloc. Remaining circles also GDS stated
deserting Mahadevaiah group in a big way and joined NFPE GDS Union. The
very existence of the so-called recognised union was challenged due to the
mass-scale exodus of the GDS. Even in Karnataka which is the home-circle
of the leader, 60% of the GDS joined the new union. (Anybody can collect
the strike percentage of Karnataka Circle under RTI and verify the fact).
It is at this moment the leader decided to declare a sudden strike from
16.10.2012 for his own existence and to prevent remaining GDS from deserting
him. But majority of the GDS realised his hidden agenda and refused to
join the ill-motivated strike. That is why the strike fizzled out and
ended without any settlement.
NFPE calls upon the entire Postal Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks to draw
lessons from this fragmented strike and guard against those elements who are
trying to break the unity of Postal employees again and again by spreading
hatred among Departmental employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks. Let us defeat
such forces of destruction and unite together under the banner of our great
organisation, National Federation of Postal Employees. Let us strengthen
the new GDS Union, AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) and ensure cent per cent unity among all
Postal employees. Let us work unitedly to make the historic strike of 12
December 2012 a grand success.
Remember, we are fighting against the anti-people, anti-working class policies
of the Central Government. Only a class oriented militant trade union
like NFPE can alone build the unity of the entire Postal Workers and lead such
a struggle in the Postal department. Fragmented strike will create
disunity and disappointment and will weaken the striking potential of the
Postal employees and ultimately the Govt. will take advantage of it. Our
enemy is the ruling class and all the toiling masses are our comrades-in-arms
in the struggle against the imperialist neo-liberal globalization policies of
the ruling class. Let us not allow anybody to break this unity.
25.10.2012 M.
KRISHNAN, SECRETARY GENERAL NFPE
