Thursday, May 22, 2008

Ref: P/4-1/Cadre review Dated - 22.05.2008

To,

All Circle Secretaries,

All CHQ Office Bearers

Dear Comrade,

Sub: - Proposal for cadre review - Suggestions sought for.

The draft proposal for 'cadre review' prepared by the CHQ is enclosed herewith for suggestion, correction, and final approval.

You are requested to read the draft carefully and send your views, suggestions etc before 01.06.2008. if no communication is received from you, it will be presumed that you have approved the draft. I request your wisdom and knowledge to improve the enclosed proposal for cadre review at the earliest. Only collective wisdom will strengthen the demand.

Please expedite reply.

With greetings,

Comradely yours,

(K V Sridharan)

General Secretary

PROPOSAL FOR CADRE REVIEW

1. Submission on justification for cadre review

1.1 The Cadre restructuring exercises have been done by the various departments in large scale. In many departments like Railways, Audit & Accounts, the cadre restructurings were exercised in Group C many times and the ratio of promotional avenues between the feeder and promotional cadre were prevailing under the ratio of 20:80.

1.2 The Staff of the Postal Accounts have also been blessed with this beneficial scheme of eighty percent upgradation of posts during Sep 87 based on the Fourth Pay Commissions recommendations on cadre restructuring to Postal Accounts.

1.3 So far, in respect of Postal department, the postal Board has not exercised any cadre restructuring to the Clerical (Group C) cadres but has resorted to other schemes like TBOP, BCR on matching Savings.

1.4 The conception of TBOP/BCR was to ensure that an employee does not stagnate in the maximum of the pay scale of the Cadre and promote to next grade (Selection grade) in two spells (i.e) one first after 16 years and second after 26years of service. The agreement for TBOP and BCR were signed by providing matching savings for the schemes to the extent of 20% in supervisory and 6% in operative Posts and withdrawal of special Pay and so on.

1.5 Prior to introduction of TBOP, in May 1974, by an agreement in the JCM Departmental Council, 20% of the posts in the operative grade were placed in the next higher grade of LSG. This was withdrawn at the time of introduction of TBOP, as the LSG promotions were granted on the length of service of individuals and not by the existence of posts under the TBOP scheme.

1.6 The Department has issued various clarifications on TBOP/BCR and in almost all the clarifications the TBOP and BCR promotions were equated with LSG & HSG II. HSG I promotions were accorded during the years in between 1995-1998 based on the BCR Gradation list. Suddenly in 1999, the TBOP & BCRs were termed as financial upgradations and they were denied the equal with LSG & HSG II. Thus the benefits arrived after the TBOP/BCR in the years 1983/1991 were freezed and those promotions were lost its identity and sanctity.

1.7 Thus all the three previous reviews made under matching savings in the years 1974, 1983 & 1991 become infractuous and the benefits were taken back resulting the review process a mockery.

1.8 The Sixth Pay Commission did not recommend separate pay scales for LSG & HSG II and the Pay Band applicable to TBOP & BCR is thus be applied to LSG & HSG II promotions. After equating the TBOP & BCR with the similar Pay Band to LSG & HSG II, the contention of the Department that they are financial upgradations has lost its relevance.

1.9 Similarly, the switching over to ACP promotions at this juncture will not be an advantageous one. Further, the matching savings we offered for TBOP/BCR promotion to the extent of 6% operative & 20% supervisory should also reflect in the benefits on promotions to Group C cadres.

1.10 Meanwhile, the Sixth CPC in its recommendations under para 3.3.17 maintained that it has refrained from conducting cadre review of individual services and left the job to the respective departments. Thus we propose the following proposal for cadre review for consideration.

2. Postal Assistants: -

2.1 The Sixth CPC has recommended in para 3-1-10 and 3-1-12 of its report and emphasis the need on recruiting multi skilled personnel at Assistant levels who will discharge the functions of the present day requirement and he may be designated as Executive Assistants.

2.2 The Postal assistant are also employed in the similarly situated Circumstances and their functions are also multi skilled as in the case of Stenographer as observed by the 6^th CPC cited in the para supra. They are performing multifarious duties and having higher responsibilities while comparing the other services.

2.3 In our memorandum, submitted to Sixth Pay Commission we suggested to enhance the minimum recruitment qualification for Postal Assistant as Graduation.

2.4 There are two factors which have to be reckoned with for laying down the minimum Qualification for the posts in the Group C cadre.

(i) The educational opportunities have been enlarged enabling many to study in the universities and colleges and acquire a degree.

(ii) The general decline in the standard of SSLC/plus II in comparison with the standards which were obtaining one or two decades ago when this qualifications was laid down as minimum qualification for the direct recruitment of Candidate to Group C Cadre.

In our view the minimum qualification for direct recruits to Group C cadre may be raised to the level of a Degree of the recognised university. In addition the qualification in computer application may be made compulsory since there is total computerisation taking place in the department.

2.5 The Administrative reforms commission has repeatedly reiterated as interalia: -

"If on the basis of job evolution the job index is the same - the same salary should be attached to the job."

-Page 31-Para 1 - Chapter IV. Volume - I

2.6 The staff working in Post offices both supervisory and non supervisory perform a qualitatively & quantitatively higher nature of work in comparison with other C G employees.

If a fair comparison of Postal Assistant cadre with that of Executives of various departments, we are confident that it will prove that the job content, responsibilities and nature of duties are not very different. The multifarious responsibilities and performance required for the Postal Assistant is unique with more arduous nature of job, they can be placed in the pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 4500/- and present pay band 1 with Grade pay of Rs. 2800/- and called them as' Executive Postal Assistants.

This may please be considered.

3. TBOP/BCR, LSG, HSG II/HSG I

3.1 According to us, there is no need to keep five layer of promotional Posts. Let it be minimised to three with the nomenclature of supervisors, Senior Supervisors and Chief Supervisors.

3.2 The Supervisors/Postmasters have omnibus task of management, providing guidance and supervision in all activities including the various marketing/Business activities.

3.3 The scope and functions of Postmasters/Supervisors may broadly be categorised as follows.

(i) They are responsible for drawal/remittance of funds involving huge financial responsibility.

(ii) They have to enforce efficient supervision office and Postal operations.

(iii) They have to enforce the orders strictly in maintaining the office and its day to day functions.

(iv) They have to plan and execute the orders and promote more business and improve the mail functioning.

(v) They have to supervise the subordinates as on administrator and in some cases act as disciplinary authority also.

(vi) They should possess a through knowledge on all Postal transactions with updated rulings in order to run the office smoothly with the customer satisfaction.

(vii) They have to take all efforts for prompt delivery of mails besides averting any public complaints.

(viii) They have a thorough knowledge about their powers, responsibilities, duties and also to acquaint himself with all departmental rules and procedures.

3.4 In nutshell, they should function as a Manager, Public Relation Officer, Bank Officer, Welfare Officer and also a good Administrator. Based on the job content, the responsibilities and specialised knowledge needed for efficient functioning, there is a sound case for upgradation of all the posts of Postmasters into supervisory cadre. After the decentralisation of various works at S. O. levels like RD/MIS works, there is a qualitative change in the supervisory duties of the single/Double handed offices which require a better senior officials to supervise the work.

3.5 The Department is having a total number of Postal Assistants to the extent of 83,696 Posts. We are having 6904 LSG Posts, 1624 HSG II & 1624 HSG I Posts. While comparing the existence of Postal Assistants, the present number of LSG Posts is just only 8.25% Even the assured 20% operative posts in LSG during May 74 and implemented is no where in letter & spirit.

3.6 Our union therefore requests to consider the following proposals in the case of supervisors.

(i) Considering the more nature of supervisory work now available in B & C Class offices, the posts of SPMs of those offices may be upgraded to the present status of LSG with the revised nomenclature of 'Supervisor'.

(ii) The SPMs working in present 'A' class and LSG offices & other LSG supervisory posts may be upgraded to the present status of HSG II and called them as 'Senior Supervisor'.

(iii) The present post in HSG II & HSG I may be amalgamated and called as 'Chief Supervisor' with the present HSG I status.

(iv) The present Gazetted postmaster (Senior PMs) may be declared as promotional posts to the present HSG I status officials on the basis of merit which may be suitably assessed.

3.7 If the above process of elevation of more supervisory posts considering the requirement of more supervisory job is carried out, it will provide more supervisory posts atleast to the extent of 20 % of the total operative posts.

4. Miscellaneous

4.1 Since we are demanding the basic pay of Postal Assistant in the Pre-revised pay scale of Rs.4500-7000, the following pay scales for other Supervisory cadres may be considered.

Postal Assistant - 4500-7000 - 4860-20200 + Grade Pay 2800

Supervisor - 6500-10500 - 8700-34800 + Grade Pay 4200

Senior Supervisor - 7450-11500 - 8700-34800 + Grade Pay 4600

Chief Supervisor - 7500-250-1200- 8700-34800 + Grade Pay 4800

4.2 In order to provide more promotional avenues to the youth possessing more skills & qualifications, the following establishments may be upgraded and elevated to the standards of supervisors.

(i) PO & RMS Accountants- In all departments, this cadre is treated as a promotional cadre. Considering the responsibilities and more works, these posts can be upgraded.

(ii) Similarly, a separate channel of promotions to the PO & RMS Accountants cadre may be created.

(iii) The posts of Systems Administrators may be elevated to the standard of Supervisors with separate establishment wing and declared as a promotional cadre to Postal Assistants, possessing the qualifications in computer appreciations.

(iv) The Marketing Executives may also be declared as promotional supervisory posts as is done in the case of Town Inspectors in to LSG.

An element of examination to the extent of 20% may be introduced for these cadres and the remaining may be filled up on seniority cum fitness.

4.3 Even under the unbearable staff shortage prevailing in Group 'C' cadre, the staff carried out the all new ventures in Business arena and improved the service a lot. However their sufferings have not been mitigated. They met with a raw deal by the Sixth CPC in case of TBOP & LSG.

4.4 It is therefore requested that the proposal for cadre review may please be considering with due attention and Group C employees may be granted with due attention and the Group C employees may be granted with the promotional avenues. Satisfies Employees will perform well and do more satisfied work.