CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES AND WORKERS.
Manishinath Bhawan
A/2/95 Rajouri Garden
New Delhi. 110 027.
Phone: 2510 5324
Dated: 30th October, 2008
Website: confederationhq.blogspot.com
E mail: confederation06@yahoo.co.in.
Dear Comrade,
Placed hereunder is a brief summary of the GDS Committee's report as is obtaining at the NFPE website. The report is yet to be analysed in its entirety. A glance through does not indicate any significant improvement. The GDS are not treated as Government employees even though they constitute the largest chunk of Postal Workers. The sad fact is that a postal employee in whatever capacity he functions in rural post offices is to bear the brunt of a heavy workload, which is not capable of getting discharged even if he functions for <8 hours a day. He is paid for much less than what ought to have been and the injustice has been perpetuated further. Those who are in the trade union movement had no expectation from this Committee for they know that the political ambience in the era of neo liberal economy does not nurse any egalitarian pretensions.
For more details we advise our comrades to visit the NFPE website. The Confederation will hear from the NFPE leaders shortly on this issue and then formulate its reaction.
With greetings,
Yours fraternally,
K.K.N. Kutty
Secretary General
GDS COMMITTEE REPORT – AN ANALYSIS
Dear Com
rades! The GDS Committee headed by Shri.Nataraja Murthi has submitted its recommendations to the Honourable Minister of Communications & IT on 29.10.2008. The Report contains more than 450 pages. A detailed study of the whole report is being undertaken by the Federation and the GDS CHQ. It may take some time to make a complete evaluation. However here we place our immediate reaction to the GDS Committee Report. NFPE is unhappy over the denial of basic issues of Status and Statutory Pension even though a social security scheme is suggested by the GDS Committee in lieu of lump sum grant of severance amount. Comrades are requested to send comments on their opinion and analysis by clicking on the 'comments' at the end of this article.
Wage increase from 1.1.2006.
Arrears will be paid by two instalments @ 40% this financial year and 60% next financial year.
1.86 times of multiplication factor as like regular government employees is not recommended but only 1.74 times. Even the 5% increased TRCA in lieu of 50% DA Merger is to be adjusted in future increments. This is a heavy blow.
Even Prorata wages not recommended. The minimum wage of 7000/- implemented for upgraded Group C and for other cadres not reflected in TRCA computation.
Allowances are with prospective date of effect only.
Many Allowances like HRA, Transport Allowance, SDA, Compensatory Allowances etc are virtually denied.
Great discrimination on DA is being recommended.
PLB Bonus – Discrimination against GDS is introduced.
Performance Related Incentives Concept is introduced like 6th CPC instead of grant of time factor to facilitate departmentalisation of GDS.
Despite Court Verdicts, Statutory Gratuity is rejected by GDS Committee.
GDS is considered as Part Time only by the GDS Committee.
Even the GDS Conduct and Employment Rules is recommended to be changed as GDS Conduct and Engagement Rules.
Some improvement on Welfare Measures recommended.
Group Insurance Cover very meagre increase only.
No improvement in Leave except 3 months maternity TRCA + DA for two child births, which is also denied if abortion or miscarriage occurs.
Retirement age reduced from 65 to 62.
Recruitment methods tightened.
Existing transfer rights also snatched – Only for spouse women employee and compassionate appointee to be considered for transfer.
Disciplinary Rules not democratised – no classification of major and minor penalties.
Attack on 1946 settlement of 50% PA vacancies to Postmen by reducing it to 25% and offering remaining 25% vacancies to outsider quota.
Trade Union rights curtailed – Monthly meetings at divisional level reduced – No right to affiliate with Federations etc. – ID Act coverage being removed -
TRCA Determination:
Nomenclature of TRCA will continue.
74% DA as on 1.1.2006 has been taken into account for arriving at the hourly rates of GDS as follows:
GDS BPM: Rs.915/- per hour
GDS MD/SV: Rs.888/- per hour
GDS MC etc: Rs.765/- per hour.
The above per hour amount will be multiplied by the number of working hours of the respective GDS for arriving at the minimum of the TRCA.
BPM
BPM Minimum Working Hours 3 Hours
For 3 Hours the Points will be 75 = Minimum TRCA is Rs.2745/-
For 3 Hours 30 Min. will be 87.5 Points = Minimum TRCA is Rs.3200/-
For 4 Hours the Points will be 100 = Minimum TRCA is Rs.3660/-
For 4 Hrs 30 Min the Points will be 112.5 = Minimum TRCA is Rs.4115/-
For 5 Hours the Points will be 125 = Minimum TRCA is Rs.4575/-
But for estimating the workload of BOs the present norm of Rs.1000/- = 1 Point is changed adversely into Rs.20,000 = 1 Point on ad-hoc basis. This is too high. This will affect the work load of BOs resulting in lower TRCA.
GDS MD:
GDS MD up to 3 Hours is newly introduced in the name of decreasing work load due to fall in mail traffic. This will be applicable only for future recruits.
GDS MD for 3 Hours = Minimum TRCA Rs.2665/-
GDS MD for More than 3 Hrs but upto 3 Hrs 45 Mins = TRCA Rs.2870/-
GDS MD for more than 3 Hrs 45 Mins but upto 5 Hrs = TRCA Rs.3635/-
ANNUAL INCREASE:
Not even the 3% annual increment allowed by Government for regular employees is recommended to GDS. Only an Annual Increase in TRCA for 1.74% to 1.96% is permitted as follows:
DEARNESS ALLOWANCE
A new consumer basket based on rural area to be worked out for payment of DA to GDS. Till such time the present All India Consumer Price Index [Industrial Workers] be continued for payment of DA. This is a negative approach to deprive the present rate of DA available to GDS on par with regular employees.
PRODUCTIVITY LINKED BONUS
Committee wants to reduce the Bonus Act guaranteed bonus ceiling to GDS. It has recommended to fix only 50% of the ceiling fixed to the lowest category of regular employee until a new formula is worked out as recommended by 6th CPC for Postal PLB. This is very negative in character and need to be resisted.
PERFORMANCE RELATED INCENTIVES
GDS Committee gives emphasis on performance related incentives as recommended by the 6th CPC. Recommends continuation of incentives for all type of savings and PLI/RPLI work and marginally increasing incentive percentage in some cases but refusing time factor for any such work.
EX-GRATIA GRATUITY
From 18,000/- increased to a maximum of 60,000/- or 16.5 months of basic allowance whichever is less. The minimum service is reduced from 15 to 10 years for entitlement of Gratuity. The GDS Committee discussed about the Punjab & Haryana High Court and Apex Court on the matter or Gratuity and in a callous manner rejected the statutory gratuity ordered by the Honourable Courts by stating that the matter is still open to law.
GROUP IINSURANCE COVER
The present group insurance cover of 10,000/- is increase to a paultry 50,000/- with monthly subscription of 50/-.
WELFARE SCHEMES
Some welfare schemes presently available to GDS are enhanced. The death while on duty by terrorists etc is doubled from 50,000 to 1 lakh and while not on duty from 10,000 to 20000. New benefit of 1,50,000 introduced for death due to enemy action like war or action against terrorism etc. Financial assistance for prolonged illness is increase from 1500/- to 5000/-. Some marginal increases are recommended in some other cases.
MEDICAL BENEFIT
Recommended to Government to consider introducing a contributory health scheme. It has also recommended to consider a contributory insurance scheme. After discharge from service the retired GDS and Spouse may be allowed benefit without any contribution from GDS.
LEAVE
EL etc are denied. The present 10 days per six months is converted into 20 days paid leave in a year instead of 10 days in six months but without permitted to carry over the leave.
Instead of maternity leave a financial compensation of three months TRCA and DA will be considered from the Welfare Fund for female GDS for first two child births. This will not be allowed if there is miscarriage or abortion.
TRADE UNION FACILITIES
1. A channel of correspondence to effectively address the problems of GDS at Divisional, Regional, Circle & Directorate levels needs to be ensured.
2. Formal meetings to discuss unresolved issues through correspondence be held once in 3 months at Divisional level, once in 4 months at Regional level and once in 6 months at Circle and Directorate level.
3. The cost of a substitute wherever it is necessary to engage be met from the Department upto 2 members for periodical meetings subject to the provision that the combination of the duties is not feasible.
4. The present periodicity of holding All India Conference may be revised to 3 years with a grace per six months.
5. Formal regular meetings with Recognized GDS unions once in six months at Directorate Level with Member (P), as Chairman, the participation of concerned Deputy Directors General with Directorate (SR) as the convener be conducted. The unresolved issues in six monthly meeting with Member (P) if any may be placed before Secretary, Posts for perusal and action as deemed necessary.
6. The Department may consider amending the existing Rule 4(d)(i) of EDAs (RSA) Rules, 1995 for the purposes of recognizing second association. The existing percentage of 15% of membership may be revised to 30,000 verifiable membership.
Thus it can be seen though the GDS Committee has gone way away to recommend for changing the ED[RA]Rules for recognizing second union without fulfilment of 15% minimum condition, it has on the other hand taken total negative decisions in matters of affiliation with Federations; Special leave for Conferences, Foreign Service to General Secretaries etc. Even the existing facility of monthly meetings at divisional level is being curtailed.
