THE  2nd  CIRCLE  TECHNOLOGY  CONVENTION,  WEST  BENGAL  ----  ANOTHER  MILESTONE  ALONG  THE  WAY  OF  STRUGGLE

       THE 2nd CIRCLE TECHNOLOGY CONVENTION OF WEST BENGAL CIRCLE HAS EMERGED AS A GRAND SUCCESS ON 3rd OCTOBER AT SINTHEE CHORUS HALL (COM. MANI BASU NAGAR), KOLKATA (NORTH KOLKATA DIVISION).

        The convention was presided by Com. Tapan Dasgupta, Circle President, Gr-C & Com. Pranab Bhattacharya, Circle Vice-President, Gr-C. The convention was inaugurated by Com. Dr. Debesh Das, Hon'ble Minister of I.T., Govt of West Bengal. He significantly condemned the attitude to use technology only as the tool for job retrenchment and highlighted the unlimited possibility of proper use of the talent available in our country in I.T. sector. He also emphasized the usefulness of Free Software to minimise the recurring expenditure incurred by the Central Govt in this sector. 

        Sri Sarit Kr. Chakraborti, Chief PMG and Sri Sanjeev Ranjan, DPS(HQ), W.B. Circle , graced the convention with their presence and deliberation. Sri Ashok Kr. Maity, SSPOs, North Kolkata Division also addressed the house. They expressed their appreciation to the contribution and supported the demands of better service benefits, pay structure and separate cadre for the Postal Assistants working as System Administrators/ Assistants/ Trainers or Software Developers in the DoP.

        111 delegates and 4 guests attended the convention, among which the house heard the deliberations of 2 comrades from each Circle Zone (Kolkata, Howrah, Presidency, Midnapore & North Bengal). Some of the speakers were ---- Com. Siddhartha Chakraborty (Kolkata Zone), Com. Subhamoy Roy (Howrah Zone), Com. Nripendranath Mahato (Midnapore Zone), Com. Dibakar Rakshit  (Presidency Zone), Com. Abhijit Sarkar (North Bengal Zone).

          The speakers once again revealed severe exploitation of the system assistants by the department . Group-C Divisional Secretaries of almost all divisions accompanied the System Assistant comrades and the Divl Secy of Howrah, Birbhum & Sikkim also spoke their observations & opinions. Com. Soma Sarkar (Nadia North) & Com. Mitali Dey (North Kolkata) apprised the house of the problems faced by the lady system assistants in the department.

          The convention vowed to continue struggle in demands of the System Assistants till it is achieved. A decision was taken that within February 2011, all divisions would hold meetings of working committee with System Assistants and reconstitute divl Technology Sub-committees. Further steps of movements would be finalised in consultation with All India leadership after report of Cadre Restructuring Committee comes out. Few proposals were placed by the delegates (like preparation of division-wise list of S.A.s) which would be taken up by the Circle Sub-committee.

          The convention reconstituted a 21-member Circle Technology Sub-committee with Com. Abhijit Basu (Barabazar H.O.) & Com. Bijan Chakraborty (South Presidency) as Joint Conveners for next two years.

 THE  2nd  CIRCLE  CONFERENCE  OF  POSTAL  WORKERS'  UNION,

WEST  BENGAL  CIRCLE  HELD

   THE 2nd CIRCLE CONFERENCE OF POSTAL WORKERS' UNION, WEST BENGAL ---- THE ORGANISATION OF THE PART-TIME & CONTINGENT-PAID WORKERS ---- WAS HELD AT MUNICIPAL BOYS HIGH SCHOOL (COM. SAMIR BISWAS NAGAR), BURDWAN, ON 2nd & 3rd OCTOBER 2010.

    The conference was inaugurated by Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice-President, Coordination Committee of Central Govt Employees & Workers, West Bengal. The conference was graced by the presence and deliberation by Com. K.Raghavendran, former SG, NFPE & Working President, Gr-C(CHQ) & Working President, Confederation of CG Employees & Workers, Com. I.S.Davas, GS, Postmen & MS Employees Union. Among other distinguished leaders Com. Tapan Dasgupta, President, CGCC (WB), Com. Pijush Roy, G.S., CGCC(WB), Com. Janardan Majumder, Circle Secretary, Postal Gr-C, Com. Nirmal Dey, Circle Secretary, Postmen & MSEU, Com. B.G.Sur, Circle Secretary, AIPEDEU were present. 

        Total 139 delegates & visitors attended the conference including 23 lady comrades. Delegates of 27 divisions spoke before the house. Although comrades were disappointed and aggrieved on the stance of the Govt for not revising their wages or granting due D.A.s, they all expressed complete adherence to the organisation and struggle. From the leadership it was ascertained that the department's view was not against wage revision of the Part-time & contingent-paid Workers, presently a report was being collected from all circles regarding the number of such workers to assess the expenditure required for wage revision and it would take some more time.

       On the second day, the District Sabhadhipati of Burdwan, Com. Uday Sankar Sarkar and the District Convener of the 12th July Committee Com. S.S.Mitra also addressed the delegates. Burdwan divisional unions also felicitated veteran organiser of our union and also of this circle conference, Com. Nirmal Kanti Niyogi, who is presently contributing to build up the Pensioners' Association in Burdwan district.

      From, the circle conference, a circle committee has been elected unanimously with Com. Somnath Mukherjee (South Kolkata) as the President, Com. Goutam Kundagrami (East Kolkata) as the circle secretary, and Com. Pranab Das (Howrah) as the treasurer.