Govt. of India, Department of Posts, has issued two important orders relating to Gramin Dak Sevaks. First order is regarding appointment of separate GDS committee headed by retired Postal Board Member (P) Shri.Kamalesh Chandra, Second order is long awaited Membership verification orders of GDS.
Regarding GDS Committee headed by the retired officer Shri. Kamalesh Chandra, NFPE and AIPEU-GDS had already submitted its memorandum on 18-03-2016. Our main demands submitted before the GDS committee are (1) Grant of civil servant status and all benefits of departmental employees on pro-rata basis (2) Pay scale, increment and all other allowances admissible to departmental employees on pro-rata basis (3) Fixation of minimum five hours and maximum eight hours wages (4) Pension and other pensionary benefits like Family Pension, Commutation Pension, Leave surrender etc. (5) Time bound promotion or Assured Career Progression (ACP) on completion of 10,20 and 30 years of service (6) Medical reimbursement facilities and (7) Grant of all kinds of leave including CL, EL, Commuted Leave, Maternity Leave, Child Care Leave and Special Casual leave etc. There are many other demands also which we have included in the memorandum.
Chairman, GDS Committee has written a letter to General Secretary, AIPEU-GDS for submission of memorandum to the Committee. The Committee has assured NFPE and AIPEU-GDS that they will be given an opportunity to give oral evidence before the Committee. We will try our best to get our demands accepted by the GDS Committee.
NFPE and AIPEU-GDS has already filed a case in the Supreme Court for implementation of the 1977 judgement and grant of Civil servant status to GDS. Supreme Court has transferred the case to Delhi High Court and High Court has transferred the case to Principal Bench, Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Delhi. The case is posted for final hearing on 4th April, 2016.
Regarding membership verification, all of us are aware that AIPEU-GDS was formed in the month of April, 2012. For the last four years we are working without any recognition from the Government and Department. Majority of the GDS in all 22 circles have joined AIPEU-GDS. We have conducted two All India Conferences at Chennai and Shimla. Full-fledged democratic functioning is ensured from Branch/Divisional level to Circle and All India. We have conducted two All India strikes jointly with NFPE and AIPEU-GDS in December 2012 and February 2014 in which the main demands are GDS issues.
Recognised GDS union is functioning for the last seventeen years, with all the help and patronage of the Department and Govt. including Department provided Union office in Delhi. Talwar Committee report was implemented partially and in a distorted manner in the year 1998 and GDS was granted TRCA, Increment, Paid leave, Ex-Gratia Gratuity, Severance Amount etc. The recognised GDS Union was formed in the year 1999 ie. after partial implementation of Talwar Committee recommendations. After the formation of the recognised union not even a single demand of GDS was settled. Natarajamurthy Committee made most retrograde recommendations including change of cash handling point from Rs.1000/- to Rs.20,000/-. This time also recognised GDS union signed an agreement with the department for appointment of separate GDS committee. All the main demands of GDS such as Civil Servant status, Minimum and maximum wage, promotion, pension, medical facilities still remained unsettled. What is the balance sheet of the recognised GDS Union for the last seventeen years? It is a big zero. Whatever benefits achieved for GDS was only because of the struggle conducted by NFPE in the past. Recognised GDS Union went on accusing NFPE and tried its best for dividing GDS and Departmental employees. AIPEU-GDS always believed in united struggle of GDS and Departmental employees. Thus it can be seen that AIPEU-GDS is the only GDS union which is fighting, both organisationally and legally, for the cause of GDS. Recognised GDS Union is spreading lies and always cheating the GDS and failed miserably to settle any of the demands of the GDS.
GDS want change and this is the time for change. In the coming membership verification, it is the duty of every GDS and all NFPE members to defeat the recognised GDS Union and make AIPEU-GDS the only one recognised GDS Union. We should get the membership authorisation letter signed by all GDS in favour of AIPEU-GDS and submit it to the concerned authorities duly countersigned by the Divisional Secretary or authorised representative of AIPEU-GDS. There are some divisions where the Branch of AIPEU-GDS is not yet formed. In such Divisions we should form an Adhoc Committee immediately and intimate the name and designation of the authorised representative or convenor/secretary to General Secretary AIPEU-GDS.
Let us declare that we will make AIPEU-GDS, the only one recognised GDS Union of GDS in the membership verification.
