RECOLLECTION - FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE

  FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE

We are not forecasting. We are much concerned and interested that we should not drift but proceed along the correct path. What is the present position?

            Primary and basic issues are not considered but lodged in cold storage. The blanket ban on creation of posts has continued for twenty-two years even in our operational services since 1985. Adding salt to injury, unscientific reduction of existing establishment is carried out by the Screening Committee over five years and further stands extended for another three years.

            The dominant leadership of the Central Government Employees movement has abdicated their role of exercising compulsions through organized strength and movement but just relying on the meetings of the Joint Consultative Machinery that hardly negotiates seriously and generally accepts the decisions of the Government.

            If the Government has a veto to reject the proposals of the Staff Side in the Council and even to reject the Board of Arbitration Awards and take decision outside the Council, what is the purpose of such negotiating machinery? The ban on creation of posts and formation of Screening Committee are some of the major policy decisions taken ignoring the Staff Side.

            The Awards of the Board of Arbitration, which is vested with the judicial status, are set aside by the Government in a cavalier style. The glaring cases are that of conveyance allowance, encashment of leave and bonus ceiling in the past and now seventeen awards facing the same fate like compassionate appointments, transport allowance, HRA arrears, Cash handling allowance etc.

            The JCM hardly meets once in two years. The items are not discussed and decided when it meets. The rules of JCM are very categorical that decisions must be taken at the same Council meeting. This has never been done.

            The position is much worse in the Departmental Council JCM in the Postal Department. No JCM meeting over years! No periodical meetings too! A total static and stalemate!

            The dilution of the JCM has devalued the efficacy of the body to negotiate. If this lamentable state of affairs is to continue, the Central Government Employees will be rendered impotent in any industrial action. Remember! There is no collective industrial action of the entirety of the CG Employees movement after 1968. Even the 1974 showdown was confined generally to Railway only.

            We must identify issues that are of a common nature and involves all the workers and their class interests and muster their strength to wrest the same. We must challenge the decisions of the Government taken unilaterally without any discussion with the respective representative trade unions. The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has come forward to break the silence and organize one-day token strike on 30.10.2007 with a 12 Point of Charter of demands. The problems confronting the CG Employees, particularly the formation of the Judicial Commission to GDS became the Charter of Demands.

            This is only just a beginning; cutting ice frozen since 1968. Let us sincerely act and organize the rank and file for the massive one-day token strike on 30.10.2007 at all levels. All demands pertain to the Government employees.

            Let us break the stalemate and stagnation persisting since 1968. Let us restore our credibility by challenging the Government to implement its commitments like implementation of arbitration awards, formation of the Judicial Committee to GDS, grant of IR etc. Let us fight for scrapping of New Pension Scheme. Let us liberate the GDS from the clichés of bureaucratic committee and form a Judicial Commission to end the prolonged exploitation. Let us awake from the deep slumber and rise up in this occasion to wrest the demands and establish the workers' mighty.

(Editorial Bhartiya Post September 2007)