REPORT ON 2ND NATIONAL
WOMEN’S CONVENTION
OF CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES & WORKERS
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 Employees Assn (Delhi)
23.
Com. Aparajitha
Roy Choudhari, Civil Accts Employees Assn (West Bengal)
24.
Com. Swathi
Mangrulkar, Civil Accts Employees Assn (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
25.
Com. N. Durga,
Civil Accts Employees Assn (Tamilnadu)
26.
Com. Beena
Ravishankar Nair, NFAEE Atomic Energy (BARC, Mumbai)
27.
Com. Nilakshi Y.
Gaikward, Civil Accts Employees 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. Angel Sathyanathan, 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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