Dated 02-12-2019
Why Central Government Employees go on Nation
wide One Day Strike on 8th January, 2020
I. Background:
The return of the NDA Government, in
the aftermath of 17th Lok Sabha election with larger and decisive mandate poses
a big challenge for the entire working class movement. The Government which proved its commitment to
the big corporate business houses, international finance and imperialism is
more aggressive and brutal this time.
The hell-bent move for privatisation of resource-rich as well as
asset-rich public sector undertakings including Bharat Petroleum Company Ltd.
(BPCL), Airports etc. massive outsourcing, aggressive corporatisation of
Railway Production Units, major ports, and Ordnance Factories, closure of
Government of India Printing Presses and Railway Printing Presses, complete
deregulation of mining sector, handing over oil fields with huge investment for
private exploration, legally writing off of major part of huge default of
Corporates of around ten lakhs crore rupees, concessions in direct taxes to the
corporates to the tune of 5.84 lakhs crore in the last five years, aggressive
labour law reforms to impose conditions of slavery on the working people,
facilitating expropriation of national assets and resources including land by
the private corporate lobby, are some of the examples of this “big bang”
pro-corporate and anti-people, anti-working class reforms. Government has made it clear that more
reforms are in the pipeline.
National economy is
pushed towards a greater disaster, towards perpectual dependence on
international finance capital and imperialist powers. Country’s economy has been slipping into
continuous slow down with virtual stagnation in employment generation. Unemployment rate in the country has been
sky-rocketed to a 45 years high. Domestic
markets, both industrial ,and consumer, are squeezed because of declining
demand and consumption level owing to deepening impoverishment of the common
people. The manufacturing sector is at
its lowest. Job losses due to closure of
industries and sales-outlets and also due to deep slump in automobile and
construction sector is alarming. Income
inequality and disparity between rich and poor has taken to an obscene
level. Multiplication of the landless,
hapless rural prolitariat is taking place in a big way.
The crisis in the
economy has put the mass of the populace across the sector in tremendous
sufferings and they are coming out in protest through various agitations,
actions and mobilisation all over the country.
The ruling class is getting increasingly intolerant to democratic expression
of the masses. To divert people’s
attention from the real cause of their sufferings, the ruling class is resorted
to aggressive divisive machination and communal polarisation.
Therefore, the challenge
is much bigger before us, but it is not insurmountable. The most crucial task before us, therefore is
to further widen the unity of the working class movement and heighten the
struggle towards offensive intervention.
This broadest alliance is to be built up on the premise of
uncompromising battle against neo-liberalism and its socio-economic and
political instrumentalities. Central
Government employees have a rich history and legacy of heroic struggles and
sacrifices right from the colonial days.
That rich history which we proudly inherit will inspire and give us
confidence to unitedly confront and combat.
We will definitely overcome.
II. Confederation and 10 points charter
of demands:
Confederation of Central Government
Employees and Workers is the class-oriented militant trade union of the Central
Government employees including Gramin Dak sevaks and Casual/Contract
workers. Confederation always stood with
the mainstream of the working class of India.
Confederation is a constituent of the united platform of all Central
Trade Unions (excluding BMS) and independent Federations. Confederation
National Secretariat has unanimously decided to join the 8th January 2020
nationwide General strike in which about 20 crores workers of organised and
unorganised sectors are expected to participate. Strike notice will be served to the Government
and to all Departmental heads by Confederation CHQ and all affiliated
Federations/Unions/Associations on 12th December 2019 with massive
demonstrations and gate meetings. The
following are the demands included in the 10 points charter of demands of Confederation.
1. Scrap New Contributory Pension
Scheme (NPS) and restore Defined benefit Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to all
employees who joined service on or after 0-01-2004. Guarantee 50% of the last pay drawn as
Minimum Pension.
Government of India has implemented
New Contributory Pension Scheme (NPS) for all Central Govt. employees entering
service on or after 01-01-2004. The monthly pension amount being received under
the Insurance Annuity Scheme under NPS varied from Rs.700 to Rs.3000/- per
month, to those NPS employees who had already retired from service during 2018
and 2019, after completing 14 to 15 years of service, whereas as per the Old
Pension Scheme an employee who completes minimum ten years qualifying service
will get 50% of the last pay drawn as Minimum Pension which in any case will
not be less than Rs.9,000/- for a lowest level employee with ten years service
in Central service. In effecet the “New
Pension Scheme” (NPS) has become a “No Pension Scheme (NPS). Thus the very
principle laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India that “Pension is a
social welfare measure rendering socio-economic justice to those, who in the
hey day of their life ceaselessly toiled for the employer on an assurance that
in their old age, they would not be left in lurch”, stands defeated. 10% of pay plus DA is recovered as monthly
contribution fron NPS employees. After
retirement they will not get any Dearness Relief, No Pension revision at the
time of wage revision by Pay Commissions, No GPF but only voluntarily deposit
in Tier-II account, No family pension on death after retirement, Pension not
paid by Government but insurance companies are paying based on Annuity
Insurance Scheme to be opted by the NPS employee and No additional pensions on
attaining the age of 80 years or above.
As per PFRDA Act there is no implicit or explicit guarantee by the
Government regarding Pension. By discriminating between the Central Government
employees who joined service before 01-01-2004 and after 01-01-2004, the
Government has created a “class within the class”.
Further there are
provisions in the PERDA Act to bring under the purview of Pension Fund, the
existing OPS employees and also Pensioners through a Gazette notification. Seventh Central Pay Commission headed by
Retired Justice of Supreme Court Shri. Ashok Kumar Mathur, in its report made
the following observations about NPS:
“Almost a whole lot of
Government employees appointed on or after 01-01-2004, were unhappy with the
New Pension Scheme. Government should take a call to look into their
grievances”.
Govt. appointed a
Secretary level committee called “NPS Committee” for streamlining the NPS, but
that committee was not mandated to look into the main demand of the NPS
employees ie; scrap NPS, restore OPS and guarantee 50% of the last pay drawn as
monthly pension. It is true that as per
the recommendations of the NPS Committee, Govt’s. contribution to NPS is
increased to 14% from 10% and some other cosmetic changes are also made in the
NPS Rules. But the basic grievance still
remained unattended and unsettled, as a result uncertainity about the social
security and Pension looms large over the head of every NPS employee and the
discontentment among the NPS employees (as correctly observed by 7th CPC) is
growing day by day. We demand that NPS
should be scrapped and OPS should be restored and at least 50% of the last pay
drawn should be guaranteed as Minimum monthly Pension on retirement.
2. Honour the assurances given by
Group of Ministers on 30-06-2016 to National Council (JCM) Standing Committee
members regarding increase in Minimum Pay and fitment factor recommended by
Seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC):
All the
Federations/Unions/Associations in the Central Govt. Employees sector including
Railways, Defence and Confederation had given a call for nationwide indefinite
strike from 11th July 2016, demanding increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment
formula recommended by Seventh CPC and other 7th CPC related issues. A goup of Cabinet Ministers including Shri.
Rajnath Singh, then Home Minister, Shri. Arun Jaitley, then Finance Minister,
Shri. Suresh Prabhu, then Railway Minister discussed the demands with the
leaders of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) and assured that Minimum Pay
and Fitment formula will be increased and a High Level Committee will be appointed
to submit recommendations in this regard.
The assurnces were reiterated by Shri. Rajnath Singh, then Home Minister
on 6th July 2016 in the second round of discussion and Finance Ministry issued
a press statement confirming the assurances.
Accordingly, the proposed indefinite strike call of the NJCA was
deferred, taking in good faith the assurances given by the Group of Ministers.
Evenafter a lapse of three years,
neither the promised High Level Committee is constituted by the Govt. nor the
Minimum Pay and fitment formula is increased.
The entire employees and Pensioners are betrayed. We demand the Government to take immediate
necessary action for implementing the assurances given by the Group of
Ministers.
3. Grant “Option-I Parity” recommended
by the 7th CPC to all Central Government Pensioners.
7th CPC has recommended a new formula
called “Option-1” for refixing the existing pension of Central Government Pensioners
retired prior to 01-01-2016. Government accepted the recommendation in principle and
constituted a Secretary level committee to examine and recommend regarding the
feasibility of implementing ''option-1'' recommended by 7th CPC. The Committee
was not, ready to heed the valid and scientific pleadings made by the staffside in favour of the
recommendation made by 7th CPC which is an ''Expert Body'' headed by
retired Justice of Supreme Court,
instead viewed the case with a closed mind and gave recommendation to the
Government that implementation of Option-I is not feasible. Govt accepted the
recommendations of the Secretary Level Committee and rejected ''option-I''
recommended by 7th CPC.
The entire Pension community is very
much aggrieved of the decision of the Government. We demand the Government to
review the case dispassionately, so that the ''option-I parity'' recommended by
the 7th CPC will be accepted and implemented
4. Regularisation of Gramin Dak Sevaks
working in Postal Department and casual/contract workers working in all Central
Govt Establishments.
(a)
About 2.76 lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks are employed in the
Postal Department. Govt. appointed a one man committee headed by retired Postal
Board Member Shri Kamalesh Chandra, to
examine their wages and service conditions. The final report submitted by the
Committee includes certain positive recommendations. As abnormal delay took
place in implementing the recommendations of the Committee, the entire Gramin
Dak Sevaks went on indefinite strike for 16 days in 2018. Finally Govt issued
orders, but some of the recommendations are either modified, diluted or
rejected, including payment of arrears from 01-01-2016 as per the formula
recommended by the Committee. We demand
the Government to regularise the services of Gramin Dak Sevaks and also
implementation of the pending positive recommendations of the Kamalesh Chandra
Committee report.
(b) There are thousands of causal/contract
employees and workers engaged in all Central Govt departments and working for
years together. They are not paid equal wages and not extended any benefits of
regular employees. Even after working for more than ten years continuously,
their request for regularisation is not considered favourably. There is no
scheme to absorb them in regular service. We demand the Government to workout
and implement a scheme to regularise all casual/contract workers including
Part-time, Contingent employees and daily rated mazdoors and extend them all
the benefits of regular employees.
5. Stop Corporatisation/Privatisation of
Railways, Defence and Postal Departments. Withdraw the orders for
closure/reorganisation of Govt. of India Printing Presses, Geological Survey of
India (GSI), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Salt Department,Stationery
Offices etc.
The no holds barred big
bang reforms unleashed by the Central Government has given rise to an alarming
situation in the Central Governent
Departments. The proposed move to
Corporatise Railway Production Centres and allowing private passenger trains,
Corporatisation of Defence Ordinance Factories, Life Insurance and Parcel
Sector of Postal department, closure of Govt. of India Printing Presses,
proposed reorganisation of Salt Department, Geological Survey of India (GSI),
Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Stationary Offices etc. has put in
danger the very existence of various Central Govt. Departments and also
the job security of lakhs of Central
Govt. Employees, Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual/Contract Workers. The present fate of the Telecom Department
which was corporatised in 2000 into different companies is a bitter lesson for
all. We demand the Government to desist
from the proposed move to corporatisation, privatisation, closure and
reorganisation of Central Govt. departments.
6. Filling up of seven lakhs vacancies
existing in various Central Govt. Departments:
As per the 7th CPC report (Annexure to Chapter-3) there
are 7,47,171 vacancies in the Central Govt. Departments as on 01-01-2014. More retirements has taken place after
01-01-2014 and now the figure may go upto 8 lakhs. During the period from 2001
to 2008, thousands of posts are abolished in all Departments as per the
downsizing orders issued by the NDA Govenment in 2001. Only very few posts are filled up after 2014
and most of the Departments are running with 30 to 40% shortage of
manpower. This has resulted in heavy
increase in workload on the existing employees and has adversely affected the
efficiency of all Central Govt. Departments to a great extent. We demand the Government to take immediate
necessary action for filling up all vacant posts in all departments of Central
Government.
7. Revision of Wages from 01-01-2016
and payment of arrears of pay and Bonus from 2016 onwards to the employees of
Autonomous bodies:
Due to the stringent
conditions imposed by the Finance Ministry, the pay revision from 01-01-2016
and payment of arrears is still pending in most of the Autonomous bodies under
Central Government. Further they are denied Bonus from 2015-16 onwards. We demand the Government to take necessary
action to redress the long pending genuine grievances of the Autonomous body
employees.
There are other issues
also which is already submitted to the Government and the Heads of various
Ministries/Departments which are listed in the enclosed Charter of Demands.
Confederation National
Secretariat request each and every Central Government Employee to propogate the
above genuine demands by all means among the entireity of Central Government
Employees. We also request all Central
Government Employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual/Contract Workers, to
whole heartedly participate in the strike on 8th January 2020 and make the
strike a thundering success in the Central Government Employees sector.
Organise, if you want to survive,
Organise, if you want to ensure job security
Organise, if you want to ensure better wages,
Organise, if you want your Pension to be protected,
Organise, if you want your Trade Union Rights to remain.
Strike....... Strike....... Strike....... Strike.......
inquilab
zindanad
january
8th zindabad
all
india strike zindabad
With
struggle greetings,
Yours
faithfully,
M.
Krishnan,
Secretary
General,
Confederation.
Mob:
09447068125
Email:
mkrishnan6854@gmail.com
10
Points Charter of Demands of Confederation
1. Scrap New Contributory Pension scheme
(NPS). Restore Old defined benefit Pension Scheme
(OPS) to all employees. Guarantee 50% of
the last pay drawn as Minimum Pension.
2. Honour assurance given by Group of
Ministers (GoM) to NJCA leaders on 30-06-2016.
Increase Minimum Pay and Fitment formula. Withdraw the proposed move to modify the
existing time-tested methodology for calculation of Minimum wage. Grant HRA arrears from 01-01-2016. Withdraw “Very Good” bench mark for MACP, Grant promotional heirarchy and date of
effect from 01-01-2006. Grant Option-I
parity recommended by 7th CPC to all Central Govt. Pensioners. Settle all anomalies arising out of 7th CPC implementation.
3. Stop corporatisation/privatisation of
Railways, Defence and Postal Departments.
Withdraw closure orders of Govt. of India Printing Presses. Stop proposed move to close down Salt
Department. Stop closure of Govt.
establishments and outsourcing.
4. Fill up all six lakhs vacant posts in the
Central Government Departments in a time bound manner. Reintroduce Regional Recruitment for Group B
& C posts.
5. (a) Regularisation
of Gramin Dak Sevaks and grant of Civil servant status. Implement remaining positive recommendations
of Kamalesh Chandra Committee report.
(b) Regularise
all casual and contract workers including those joined on or after 01-09-1993.
6. Ensure equal pay for equal work for
all. Remove disparity in pay scales
between Central Secretariat staff and similarly placed staff working in field
units of various departments.
7. Implement 7th CPC Wage Revision and Pension
revision of remaining Autonomous bodies.
Ensure payment of arrears without further delay. Grant Bonus to Autonomous body employees
pending from 2016-17 onwards.
8. Remove 5% condition imposed on
compassionate appointments. Grant
appointment in all eligible cases.
9. Grant five time bound promotions to all
Group B & C employees. Complete Cadre Review in all departments within a
time-frame.
10. (a) Withdraw
the anti-worker wage/labour codes and other anti-worker Labour reforms. Stop attack on trade union rights. Ensure prompt functioning of various
negotiating forums under the JCM Scheme at all levels.
(b) Withdraw
the draconian FR 56 (j) and Rule 48 of CCS (Pension Rules 1972.
.................
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