Charter of Demands and Present Status – FNPO

Charter of Demands and Present Status – FNPO

Trade Union action call was given by Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) in support of their demands

Replay from the Department – FNPO

No. 08-12/2017-SR

Government of India

Ministry of Communications

Department of Posts

(SR Section)

Dak Bhawan, New Delhi

Dated: 01st August 2017

To,
The Secretary General,
Federation of National Postal Organisations,
T-24, Atul Grove Road,
New Delhi- 110001.

Subject: Trade Union action call was given by Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) in support of their demands.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to your letter No. Strike/2017 dated 20.06.2017 on the above mentioned subject. The charter of demands has been examined by the concerned Divisions and replies to each item of demands showing the present status are enclosed herewith.

2. As many of your demands have been settled and few are under active consideration of the Department, it is requested that the proposed agitation may be called off.

Encl. As Above

Yours faithfully,

sd/-

(P.S. Verma)

Director (SR & Legal)

Sl.No.	Demands	Reply
1.	Filling up of all vacant posts in all cadres of Department of Posts i.e. PA, SA, Postmen, Mailguard, Mailmen, Drivers,  and Artisans in MMS, MTS, PACO and GDS.	GDS: Process of online engagement of GDS has already been started to fill up vacant post of GDS in 17 Circles. Due to technical snags in the online engagement software, process in remaining Circles will be started only after process in 17 Circles will finalize. PA/SA: Result of PA/SA for the year 2015 is kept in abeyance as the matter is subjudice. Vacancies of PA/SA for the year 2016 have already been intimated to SSC. LGO exam for promotion to the cadre of PA/SA for deputation to APS has been conducted on 04.06.2017. LGOs exam for promotion to Assistants in MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO has been held on 16.07.2017. In r/o other exams, viz. IP Exam 2016-17, PM Grade I and PS Group B 2017-18, LGOs to PAs/SAs 2016-17 and 2017-18, engagement of new approved Agency is in the pipeline. MoU between Department and Agency is to be signed. For the Postman/Mail Guard and MTS cadre exams, instructions have been issued to all the Circles to fill up the vacancies by giving top priority. Calendar of departmental Examinations scheduled to be held in the year 2017-18 has already been issued to all the Circles by giving tentative schedule for filling up the vacancies of decentralized examination i.e. PO & RMS Accountant Examination, LDCs to Junior Accountants in PAOs (Exam has been conducted by respective Circles), LGOs examination for promotion to Assistants of other wings i.e. MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO and other exams.
2.	Implementation of positive recommendations of GDS Committee Report. Grant of civil servant status to GDS. Request to ‘Removal of 3-A (I) of GDS Conduct & Engagement Rules, 2011, Grant pension to all GDS without absorption as regular Group D – As per Principle CAT, New Delhi Judgement, Request to count service to all erstwhile GDS service to who have been absorbed as Group D/Postman – As per Principle CAT, New Delhi Judgement.	The recommendations of the Kamlesh Chandra Committee have been considered by the Department of Posts and mandatory approval is being obtained in this regard. As far as grant of civil servant status to GDS is concerned, it is stated that according to Rule 3-A (v) of GDS Conduct Rules 2011, a Sevak shall be outside the Civil Service of the Union. Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Superintendent of Post Offices Vs PK Rajamma (1977) (3) SCC held that the Extra Departmental Agents {now called Gramin Dak Sevaks} are holders of the civil post outside the regular civil services. Moreover, they are part time employees being engaged for maximum of 5 hrs a day. In the light of above legal position demand of the union cannot be acceded to.
3.	Request to grant of a new scale to the temporary status MTS on par with 7th CPC. Conversion of temporary status casual labourers into permanent as per the Directorate letter No. 25-07/2017-PE-I dated 16.05.2017.	In pursuance of the instructions issued by the Department of Expenditure, vide its O.M. No. A-11012/11-EG dated 19.12.2016, all the HoCs have been instructed, vide this office letter dated 16.05.2017, to convert the temporary posts into permanent ones up to the level of Dy. Secretary (i.e. having Grade Pay of Rs. 7600/- or less in the pre-revised scale excluding GDS posts), subject to the condition that these posts have functional justification and are in existence for more than three years. Thus, Casual labourers don’t come under the purview of this order.
4.	Stop all types of harassment and victimization in the name of new schemes and technology induction and under contributory negligence factor and Trade Union victimization.	FS Division has informed that no new schemes are launched by that Division on behalf of DoP. The DoP is operating Small Savings Schemes on behalf of MoF. PLI Directorate has informed that they have completed roll out of Core Insurance Solution (CIS) as on 25.01.2016 to 808 HOs and 24598 Sub Post Offices as per the information provided by Circles. Roll out of RICT has not been initiated so far. They have also informed that at no point of time any case of harassment & victimization of staff has come to their notice.
5.	Payment of revised wages and arrears to the casual, part-time, contingent employees and daily rated mazdoors as per 6th & 7thCPC and settle the other issues of casual labourers.	The orders in respect of minimum pay for calculation of pay of casual labourers (without temporary status) has already been issued vide this office letter no. 7-10/2016-PCC dated 31.03.2017.
6.	Implement cadre restructuring for left out categories i.e. RMS, MMS, PACO, Postmaster Cadre Postal Civil wing etc. and accept the modifications suggested by NAPE-C before implementation of cadre restructuring in Postal Group ‘C’ & demands of National Union of Postal Civil Wing Employees.	The cadre restructuring of left out cadres, i.e. RMS, PACO and PASBCO is currently under examination in consultation with the Department of Expenditure. The matter of cadre restructuring of Postmaster Cadre will be examined thereafter. A Committee has been constituted, vide this office letter no. 25-04/2012-PE-I dated 09.06.2017, under the chairmanship of Shri Charles Lobo, CPMG Karnataka Circle, to examine the issues arising out of implementation of Cadre Restructuring of Group C employees. Cadre review of MMS is under active consultation with Ministry of Finance, DoE.
7.	Provision of CGHS facilities to Postal Pensioners also as recommended by 7th CPC.	The CGHS facilities have been extended to the pensioners of Post and Telegraph Department by the M/o Health & Family Welfare vide O.M. No. S-11016/2/2015-CGHS(P)/EHS dated 19.07.2017 and the same has been circulated by the Dte. To all the Circles vide letter no. 2-3/2009-Medical dated 25.07.2017. The issue of merger of 33 Postal Dispensaries is under consideration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
8.	Withdraw NPS (Contributory Pension Scheme). Guarantee 50% of last pay drawn as minimum pension.	The demand for withdrawal of NPS (Contributory Pension Scheme) is outside the purview of this Department. As regards guarantee of 50% last pay drawn as minimum pension, it is mentioned that govt. has already enhanced minimum pension to Rs. 9000/- w.e.f. 01.01.2016. The pension of retiring employees is fixed at 50% of emoluments or average emoluments, whichever is more beneficial under Rule 49(2) of CCS (Pension) Rules. Government has also decided to revise pension of pre-2016 pensioners to 50% of notional pay in pay matrix of 7th CPC by fixing pay on notional basis during each intervening Pay Commission.
9.	Implement five days week working for operative staff in the Postal Department.	Since the Department of Posts is a service oriented Department, decision of 5 days week lead to public inconvenience and further, to public complaints. This decision will also results in revenue loss to the Department as customer will go for other alternatives when Post Offices are closed on Saturday.
10	Stop Privatization, Contractorization and outsourcing.	There is no proposal of corporatization/privatization at this juncture.  The Department is making efforts to give better and competitive services to the customers specifically in the areas of insurance, banking and parcels

Source: FNPO