NFPE MARCH AHEAD WITH TOTAL UNITY AND DETERMINATION 9TH FEDERAL COUNCIL – A MEMORABLE EVENT

The 9^th Federal Council of National Federation of Postal Employees was held in the land of the great legendary Leader, Late Com. K. Adinarayana, the Ex-Secretary General of NFPE at Sundaraiah Vignan Kendra, Hyderabad from 9^thJune to 13^thJune, 2013 under the presidentship of NFPE Vice Presidents Comrade S. P. Mukherjee and Com K. K. Sharma. The Reception Committee headed by its Chairman Dr. K. Nageswar, MLC, Com. D. A. S. V. Prasad, Working Chairman (Circle Secretary, AIPEU Group ‘C’, Andhra Pradesh) and General Secretary Com. Ramachandram [Circle Secretary Admn. Union, Andhra Pradesh] had made very excellent arrangements for the conduct of the Federal Council. The inaugural session commenced with the unfurling of both the National Flag and the NFPE Flag by Com. B. G. Tamhankar, Ex-President, NFPE and Com. D. K. Rahate, President, NFPE and after that floral tributes to the Martyrs Column were held.

On the eve of 9th Federal Council of National Federation of Postal Employees, on 9.6.2013, as the first programme, the AP Postal Women Employees Convention was held. Com. T. Sakuntala, Convener, Women Subcommittee, NFPE presided the convention. Ms. Sandhya Rani, IPoS, Post Master General (BD & Technology) was the Chief Guest and delivered a valuable oration. Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General, as the chief Guest of Honour has dealt all the work undertaken by the Federation for the welfare of women comrades and its commitment to form All India body in all the affiliated unions exclusively for the women comrades. The other speakers on the occasion were Com. Pushpeswari Devi, Member, All India Women Committee, P3 NFPE, Com. K. Swaruparani, General Secretary, AIDWA, Com. K. Dhanalakshmi, State Convener, Working Women’s Co-ordination Committee, Andhra Pradesh, Com. C. P. Sobhana, Convener, CCGEW Mahila Committee, Com. R. Seethalakshmi, Asst. Secretary General, NFPE and Com. Nalini, (R-III).

In the afternoon, a big rally from Indira Park was organised with the participation of more than 3000 comrades along with the Leaders, Federal Councillors and Visitors at 3.30pm and reached Sundarayya Vignana Kendram at 5.00pm.Thereafter the open session was held under the presidentship of Com. D. K. Rahate, President. The open session was inaugurated by Com. B. V. Raghavulu, CPI (M) Polit Bureau Member. The other prominent leaders Viz; Com. R. Sudha Bhaskar, General Secretary, CITU, Com. P. J. Chandra Sekhar Rao, MLC & Secretary AITUC, Com. P. Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com. P. Venkatramaiah, General Secretary, BEFI, Com. I. Venkateswararao, UTF, Com. M. N. Reddy, General Secretary, Pensioner's Association addressed the open session.Com Sukomalsen, Senior Vice President AISGEF inaugurated the Delegate session on 10.06.2013. Com. K. K. Sharma, Vice President, NFPE presided. Comrades S. K. Vyas, Advisor, Confederation; K. K. N. Kutty, President Confederation; C. C. Pillai, Former Secretary General NFPE;  Com K. Ragavendran, Ex Secretary General, NFPE, Com K. V. Sridharan, Ex General Secretary, AIPEU Group C, Com B. G. Tamhankar, Ex President NFPE, Des Raj Sharma, former Deputy Secretary General NFPE, Com. R. L. Bhattacharjee, Ex-Deputy Secretary General, NFPE, Com. T. Narasimhan, Vice President, Confederation, Com. Kannaiyyan, Ex-AGS, R-3 and Com. Y. Nagabhushnam, Working President, Casual Labour Federation addressed the session.Com D. K. Rahate, President, NFPE, Com R. Sivannarayana, President P3 CHQ,  Com. Ishwar Singh Dabas, General Secretary, P4 & Deputy Secretary General, NFPE Com. Giriraj Singh, General Secretary, R3, Com. P. Suresh, General Secretary, R4, Com. T. Satyanarayana, General Secretary, AIPAEA, Com Ramachandram, Deputising General Secretary, AIPAOEU,  Com P. Pandurangarao, General Secretary AIPEU GDS (NFPE), Com  Virendra Tiwari, General Secretary, AISBCOEA, Com. S. A. Raheem, General Secretary, Civil Wing Employees Association and Com P. Mohan, General Secretary, Casual Labourers Federation, Com. S. K. Humayun, President, P4 CHQ participated in the discussions and addressed the session. Other office Bearers of NFPE Com. R. N. Parashar, Asst. Secretary General, Com. K. Ragupathy, Asst. Secretary General, Com. R. Seethalakshmi, Asst. Secretary General, Com. Raj Kumar, Finance Secretary also addressed the delegate session. Com. S. P. Mukherjee, Vice President, NFPE, Presided over the delegate session.

Com. D. Theagarajan, Secretary General FNPO addressed the delegate session of the Federal Council and elaborately dealt with the problems faced by the Postal and RMS employees and stressed the need for total unity to resist the attack on Postal services. Com. K. Venugopal, General Secretary, All India Insurance Employees Association, made valuable and educative special address on 11.06.2013 on the subject “Neo liberal Policies – Role of employees”. The Chief Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh, Circle, Sri. B. V. Sudhakar, IPoS addressed the Federal Council on 12.06.2013 as Chief Guest. He stressed the need to improve the efficientcy and productivity of the Department of Posts for its survival.

The triennial report which in itself is a valuable and comprehensive document and audited accounts were unanimously approved and adopted by the delegates and thereafter the election of office bearers was held. The 9^th Federal Council unanimously elected the following team of Office Bearers:

The Federal Council decided to form a Mahila Committee of NFPE at the apex level with two Mahila representative from each affiliated union.

There were 110 Federal Councillors; Ex-officio Office Bearers and Federal Executive Members, 21 fraternal delegates and 45 visitors in the Council. Total 176. About 61 participants took part in the deliberations and debates. There was all round appreciation about the functioning of the Federation which exhibited their confidence and faith in the leadership of the mighty organisation. The Federal Council approved the decision of according associate membership to AIPEU GDS NFPE by its executive and decided to champion the cause of the GDS employees through all its actions and Programmes. The resolution on policy and programme was unanimously adopted at the Federal Council. The following other resolutions were also adopted unanimously. The details will be published in the ensuing Postal Crusader.

1.       Resolution on common demands of Central Government Employees

2.       Resolution on scrapping of new pension scheme

3.       Resolution on cadre restructuring

4.       Resolution on departmentalisation of Grameen Dak Sewaks and other issues

5.       Resolution on issues of Casual Labour

6.       Resolution on the sectional demands of the Postman and MTS

7.       Resolution on the issues of RMS and MMS Group ‘C’ staff

8.       Resolution on issues of Mail Guards & MTS in RMS

9.       Resolution on the issues Administrative Offices Employees

10.   Resolution on the issues of Postal Accounts

11.   Resolution on the issues of SBCO staff

12.   Resolution on augmentation of adequate posts for new services

13.   Resolution on Postmaster Cadre

14.   Resolution on System Administrators

15.   Resolution on Marketing Executives

16.   Resolution on modified ACP Scheme

17.   Resolution on PO & RMS Accountants

18.   Resolution on counting of past services as R.T.P. for promotion

19.   Resolution on the grant of Naxalist Threat Area allowance to the Postal Employees working in Naxalist Threat Areas

20.   Resolution on upward revision of cash handling allowance to treasurers of post offices

21.   Resolution on bureaucratic excesses

22.   Resolution on monetary recovery and disciplinary action on contributory negligence factor

23.   Resolution on problems of Women Employees

The Reception Committee has organised cultural programmes on two days, viz: “Veera Telangana Armed struggle” an inspiring play by Praja Natya Mandali, Nalgonda and another programme by Guruswamy and Team. Welcome song was sung by the singers of PNM Hyderabad.

The Federal Council placed its appreciations on record the services rendered by the outgoing office bearers Com D. K. Rahate, President, Com C. Chandrasekar, Working President, Com. S. P. Mukherjee, Vice President and Com. K. V. Sridharan, Ex-General Secretary of AIPEU Group ‘C’. The Federation is fully confident that with the total cooperation of all, the huge task and the challenges posed to us by the neo liberal reforms and the proposed National Postal Policy etc will be met with by building up rock-like unity and resisting it with all forces at our command. We assure that we will strive hard to live up to the expectations of all our comrades in the rank and file at the grass root level and march ahead, keeping in mind always the legacy of sacrifice, determination and commitment of our founder leaders and martyrs.

The following are the most important decisions of the 9^th Federal Council.

1.       To Celebrate the 60^th year of NFPE as Diamond Jubilee year for one year and convene a Diamond Jubilee All India Convention of NFPE at Jamnagar, Gujarat, on 24^th November 2014.

2.       To conduct indefinite strike along with other Central Government Employees organisations under the banner of Confederation., if the demands raised by Confederation in its 15 points charter of demands including setting up of 7^th Pay Commission and 50% merger of DA are not accepted by Government.

3.       To conduct joint indefinite strike, if Government refuses to include the GDS employees under the purview of the 7^th Pay Commission.

4.       To oppose and defeat the National Postal Policy which envisages opening up of postal services to private sector.

5.       To organise agitational programmes including indefinite hunger fast for settlement of the demands raised by the Postal Joint Council of Action (NFPE & FNPO) in the memorandum submitted to Secretary, Department of Posts, including the issues of GDS and casual labourers.

6.       To take initiative to form and build up an All India organisation for Postal and RMS pensioners.

7.       To make maximum effort to organise women employees including GDS in all circles and Divisions.

8.       To conduct Trade Union Education Camps.

9.       To Form Circle co-ordinating committees in all Circles.

With fraternal greetings,

(M. Krishnan)

Secretary General