Thursday, August 30, 2012

MOVEMENT  AGAINST  OUTSOURCING  OF  RMS  WORK  AND  ANTI-PEOPLE / ANTI-EMPLOYEE  MAIL SCHEDULE : CIRCLE  LEVEL  JCA  WITH  FNPO  CALLS  FOR  EVERYONE'S  PARTICIPATION 

    The flag of legacy of struggle-movement of Postal Employees in West Bengal Circle has once again been held high as a new series is launched by Circle JCA comprising of all federated unions of NFPE & FNPO with respective GDS unions. This is against the outsourcing of RMS work, which could have easily be done by available manpower, and unilateral implementation of a new mail schedule from 6th August 2012 which is practically dismantling the delivery system.

WHY WE ARE PROTESTING :
Automated Mail Processing CentreAMPC at New Delhi, reportedly costing about 42 crores.
  •  Against outsourcing and contractorisation of Postal work : Most of the letter-traffics are supposed to be sorted through two AMPC (Automated Mail Processing Center) machines installed at Kolkata Airport Sorting. But a segregation is required to differentiate between machinable and non-machinable articles. This originally is the work of departmental RMS staffs like Group-D. IF sufficient numbers of Group-D (MTS) staffs are not available, the staff-sides agreed to accept engagement of DRMs for this work due to prevailing reality. Already there are good numbers of DRM engaged in the RMS for different work due to shortage of staff. But the Circle Administration is engaging contractors (and their labours) to get this work done instead of departmental staffs or DRMs. As segregation work is a permanent nature of work of RMS, all unions have agreed not to accept the plan of making the door open for contractors inside our department. Already we have halted the practice at Airport Sorting. 
  • Against the new mail schedule : The Circle Administration has unilaterally introduced a new mail schedule in Kolkata and adjacent areas from 6th August which is absolutely unrealistic and detrimental to the delivery system. In many Post Offices Mail Van has ceased to ply and those offices have been directed to collect their mail by deputing their office Group-D (MTS) staff to a transit office. As a result, offices already suffering from staff-shortage are being deprived from the service of the Group-D staff for a good period of time. In many offices where mail vans are still plying, mail is reaching before or even after the closing hour of the office, resulting in overstayal of the office-staffs without justified reason. In some of the offices, especially at the periphery of the city, transit of mail has been increased by one day. At different RMS offices, huge number of bags of letters have been piled up due to faulty system, which is also drawing attention of the media. The news  and report of the demonstration program by Circle JCA on 27th August at Yogayog Bhavan has been published in 'GANASHAKTI' on 28th August. The news can be read by clicking the link below :
          http://bangla.ganashakti.co.in/patrika/2012/8/28/cache/20120828_6_2666_32470.jpg

     Actually, the administration wants to lead to privatise the mail motor. If we let the contractorisation of permanent work and the new mail schedule to work, gradually more work will be outsourced and this will ultimately invite a PPP-model in our department, thereby leading more posts to abolition and contributing to the increasing unemployment. 
      Against these attacks and conspiracies, West Bengal Circle NFPE and FNPO have successfully formed a JCA under the convenership of Com. Samir Bardhan (NFPE) and Sri Panchu Gopal Dutta Banik (FNPO). All Circle Unions of both sides are proud to be the part of this historic JCA. Alreday JCA has organised demonstration at C.O. on 27th August, daily programs at RMS units from 28th August and in all divisions on 29th August. Call has been announced to hold gate meetings / meetings at public places to reveal the reason of delayed delivery of articles. Comrades are also requested to display posters at all offices.
     On 4th September 2012, a four-hour sit-in protest demonstration has to be organised at all divisions on the basis of the above discussion and a resolution has to be adopted and sent to the Chief PMG and PMG(MM). All these programs have been called both by NFPE & FNPO under the banner of the Circle JCA. So our comrades are requested to please build up broader unity in each division for the sake of protecting the department. Even if at some places there are local issues, please go on with the movement on our own strength.
      On the same day, our All India Part-Time Contingent-paid workers' Union has also called a sit-in demonstration. Both programs will run simultaneously, but the resolution for the Part-time organisation will be signed by only our union as it is our All India program.
       THERE IS NO TIME LEFT TO SPARE OR THINK. PLEASE DEPLOY ALL OF OUR ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTH, WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THIS STRUGGLE.        
     

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

PROPAGATE  WAVES  OF  JOINT  MOVEMENT  AGAINST  CONSPIRACY  TO  SICKEN  RMS  THROUGH  A.M.P.C.  
      Comrades are already aware of the situation developing after installation and functioning of Automated Mail Processing Centre (AMPC) at Airport Sorting Kolkata, circulated through our journals, circulars and discussed in meetings.
       The demonstration called jointly by NFPE and FNPO Group of Circle Unions yesterday at Yogayog Bhavan was a great success both in terms of participation and spirit. The obvious intention of the department of installation of AMPC is to downsize the RMS severely. Already Kolkata RMS is seriously affected. Though the sufficient staff strength is is available to be deployed at doing the work of segregation, purposefully the work has been outsourced. The assurance of the Circle Administration that the outsourcing would be withdrawn within a month has turned up to be futile. As in the entire process, public service was adversely affected and the interest of the staffs as well as the department was being detrimented, we had no option but to put a halt to it. The new mail schedule resulted from this system also added to the pain of the staff and is delaying the delivery.
     Accordingly from yesterday, both NFPE and FNPO demonstrated at C.O. and the arrangement of outsourcing at AP Stg has been halted. The leaderships have decided to launch series of movement throughout the circle as per the following program:
     At the call of NFPE and FNPO Circle Unions ---
28.8.12meeting at Airport Sorting at 1:30 P.M. in presence of all Circle Secretaries.
29.8.12 : Lunch hour demonstration in all divisional headquarters of Postal, RMS, DA(P), C.O., DPLI. A resolution from the demonstration is to be adopted and sent to the Circle Head and the PMG (MM) demanding implementation of demands placed through joint memorandum dated 24.08.2012 submitted by NFPE & FNPO, West Bengal Circle.
29.8.12 : From the same date, daily demonstration will be floored at Yogayog Bhavan jointly by Circle NFPE & FNPO on the same demand.
Public Propaganda : meetings are to be held at office gates, counters and other public places to form mass awareness among people regarding the adverse effects of the new mail schedule, delayed delivery due to the new system and increasing unemployment that will result from downsizing of RMS.
  All Comrades are requested to jump into action with all seriousness to seriously fight the attack with the unity of NFPE & FNPO as manifested by both the Circle Unions.  

Sunday, August 12, 2012

MEETING  OF  THE  POSTMASTER  CADRE  SUB-COMMITTEE : EXTENDED  ONE  IS  TO  FOLLOW 
     The available members of the Circle Union's Sub-Committee of the Postmaster Cadre has met on Saturday evening at Group-C Circle Union office. The Sub-Committee was formed from the meeting of the comrades in the cadre assembled in Kolkata GPO for such purpose.

     It has been justifiably placed by the comrades that the situation needs a detailed discussion among the comrades diversely posted in the Circle. To meet the Circle Administration, it requires to streamline the problems and suggestions of the staff-side. Accordingly, it has been decided that an extended meeting of the Postmaster cadre will be convened on 2nd September 2012, Sunday, at Tarapada Memorial Hall (Circle Union building), 37, Ganesh Chandra Avenue, Kolkata-13.

      While separate notice will be issued for the meeting with agenda, all Divisional/Unit Secretaries of Group-C union are requested to please widely inform the comrades of Postmaster Cadre in their division/unit to attend the meeting. Secretaries in Kolkata and around divisions will also please attend the meeting themselves in person.