NATIONAL
JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION.
OF
CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ORGANISATIONS
PARICIPATING
IN JCM.
4.State Entry Road,
New Delhi. 110 001.
Dated: 11th December, 2014.
To
All
Participating organisations in the JCM.
Dear Comrades,
The
Staff Side of the Standing Committee of JCM, National Council, met on 10th
December, 2014. It had long
deliberations in finalisation of the declaration to be placed for the
consideration of the joint Convention scheduled to be held at New Delhi on 11th. The draft declaration along with the charter
of demands and the proposed programme of Action was placed at the
Convention. The Convention adopted the
declaration with minor amendments. We
send herewith copies of the Press Statement along with the copy of the Declaration.
As
per the decision of the Convention, National Joint Council of Action with the
following members have been constituted to spearhead the movement. The National JCA will monitor the
implementation of the programme of action. It has been authorised by the
convention to pre pone the programmes of action if such an exigency arises.
1.
Com.
M. Raghavaiah: NFIR. Chairman
2.
Com.
Shiv Gopal Mishra AIRF. Conventor
3.
Com.
Rakhaldas Gupta AIRF. Member
4.
Com.
Guman Singh NFIR .do.
5.
Com.
S.N. Pathak AIDEF .do.
6.
Com.
Sreekumar AIDEF .do.
7.
Com.
Ashok Singh INDWF .do.
8.
Com.
Srinivasan. INDWF .do
9.
Com.
K.KN. Kutty. Confederation. .do.
10.
Com.
M. Krishnan. Confederation. .do.
11.
Com.
Giriraj Singh. NFPE .do.
12.
Com.R.N.Parashar NFPE .do.
13.
Com.T.N.Rahate FNPO ..do
14.
Com
D.Theagarajan FNPO .do.
The National JCA met formally at the
AIRF Office on 12th after the convention. The meeting took the
following decisions.
(1)
The AIRF leaders in the State capitals will
take the initiative to convene the meeting of all JCM participating
organisations and constitute the State Committees and take steps to convene the
State level Conventions.
(2)
The
State Committees will intimate the names of the CG organisations who have
expressed willingness in the ensuing struggle.
(3)
The
National JCM website(www.ncjcmstaffside.com)
will be used as the Website of the National JCA.
(4)
The
Convenor, National JCA will place a copy of the letter to be sent to
organisations who are not participating in the JCM requesting their
co-operation and participation in the ensuing struggle.
(5)
The
National JCM will have the authority to co-opt members in the National JCA .
(6)
The
National JCA will prepare the campaign leaflet explaining the demands.
(7)
The
State JCA will take steps to translate the declaration and the Explanatory Note
on Demands in the respective vernacular and circulate amongst the mass of the
employees.
(8)
The
expenses required to be spent for the convention, publication of Pamphlet etc.
will be borne by the participating organisations in a pre determined ratio.
(9)
Apart
from the State JCA, JCAs will also be formed in important Centres, especially
where the Defence and Railway workers
are concentrated.
10. The Convenor, National JCA will issue circular letters as
and when it is necessary and the same will be placed in the website of National
Council JCM.
11. The National JCA will communicate to
the Government the declaration adopted at the convention and seek settlement of
the demands.
12. Negotiation on the demands will be conducted
by the National JCA.
13. National JCA will meet again on 11th
January, 2015 at New Delhi.
Copy of the Explanatory Note on each of the
demands included in the charter is sent herewith.
With greetings,
Yours fraternally,
SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.
Convenor.
NATIONAL
JOINT COUNCIL OF ACTION.
OF
CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ORGANISATIONS
PARICIPATING
IN JCM.
P R E S S S T A T E M E N T.
4.State Entry Road,
New Delhi. 110 001.
Dated: 11th December, 2014.
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES INCLUDING
RAILWAY AND DEFENCE
WORKERS
DECIDES
TO ORGANISE INDEFINITE
STRIKE
A National
Convention of Central Government Employees Organisations participating in the
Joint Consultative Machinery was held at New Delhi today (11.12.2014) at MPCU
Shah Auditorium, Civil Lines, New Delhi to deliberate upon the demands and
problems of Central Government Employees remained unsettled for several years.
The Joint Consultative Machinery conceived as a forum for negotiation of
demands of Central Government Employees in the wake of the indefinite strike
action of 1960s has almost become defunct as its National Council which was to
meet thrice in a year has not met even once for the last four years. The wage
revision which was due in 2011 has not come about even though 7 CPC was set up
a few months back. The demand for Interim Relief, merger of DA with Pay which
normally accompanies the announcement of the pay commission were not granted by
the government, the demand for inclusion of Gramin Dak Sevaks within the
purview of 7th CPC was also rejected. Immediately on assumption of
power, the new government has declared a
total ban on recruitment, 100 % FDI in Railways and its privatisation,
increasing FDI to 49% in Defence sector, closure of the Printing Presses,
Publication, Stationery and forms offices and Medical Store Depots,
corporatisation of Postal Services, amended the labour laws against the
interest of workers and many other anti-worker policies. The Convention has
adopted a declaration (copy enclosed) and decided upon various programmes of
action culminating in indefinite strike if settlement is not brought about on
the 10 point charter of demands adopted by the Convention. More than 800
delegates representing the two Federations in Railways (AIRF and NFIR), two
Federations in Defence (AIDEF and INDWF), two Federations in Postal Services
(NFPE and FNPO), Confederation of Central Govt Employees & Workers and many
other organisations participated in the Convention. The indefinite strike
decision and various other action programmes were approved by the Convention
unanimously. The Convention set up a 14 member National Joint Council of Action
with Shri M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary, National Federation of Indian
Railwaymen as its Chairman and Shri. Shivgopal Mishra, General Secretary, All
India Railwaymen Federation as Convener to spearhead the indefinite strike and other action programmes.
The convention was conducted by a Presidium consisting of S/s Rakhaldas Gupta
(AIRF), Guman Singh (NFIR), SN Pathak (AIDEF), KKN Kutty (Confederation),
Giriraj Singh (NFPE) and Ashok Singh (INDWF).
SHIVGOPAL MISHRA
CONVENOR
Enclosure: Copy
of Declaration
NATIONAL
CONVENTION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES’ ORGANISATIONS PARTICIAPTING IN JCM
11TH
DECEMBER 2014
NEW
DELHI
The National Convention of Central
Government Employees organizations participating in the JCM, being held at New
Delhi on 11th December, 2014, adopted the following declaration
after detailed deliberations and discussions.
D E C L A R A T I O N
2. The
Central Government employees have a glorious past of struggles and
sacrifices. The first indefinite strike
action in the independent India by employees and workers of Central Civil
Service was in the 1960s. The July 1960
strike was due to the denial of the legitimate demand of the Central Government
employees for the grant of Minimum wage as per the norms laid down by the 15th
ILC. Brutal repression, unheard in the
history of workers struggles, was unleashed by the then Government of India to
suppress the movement. It was in the
wake of that unprecedented strike action, the Government recognised the need to
have a negotiating machinery to look into the grievances of the Central
Government employees and set up the JCM.
3. After
the 1968 one day strike and the 1974 tumultuous indefinite strike by the
Railwaymen and others, the organisations participating in the JCM strived their
best to create a conducive and peaceful atmosphere to settle the demands and
grievances through discussions at the JCM.
The continuous dialogue in the forum of JCM helped immensely in avoiding
confrontation, struggles and strike actions as the discussions brought about
settlement on issues, thanks no doubt to the positive role and attitude of the
Government in power then.
4. Unlike
the provincial Civil Service, 85% of the Central Government employees are
industrial or operational workers, covered by the Industrial disputes Act. Peace and tranquillity in workplaces provided
for increased production, productivity and efficiency. The Railways, the defence production units,
the postal services and other industrial establishments and employees of
administrative offices played a vital role in bringing about the significant turnaround in the
employer-employees relationship.
5. However,
the scenario underwent a vast change in the latter part of 1990s. Government promulgated the new Recognition
Rules making it necessary for the Unions to seek fresh recognition. After the initial hiccups, the employees’
organisations abided by the Government directive and carried out all
stipulations and conditions required for the grant of recognition. Despite that, the recognition has eluded some
organisations while in the case of many others Government took years to grant
recognition. During this period, the JCM
was virtually closed down at the Departmental levels. The National Council which as per its own
constitution is to meet thrice in a year seldom met in the last four
years. Even when the Standing Committee
or the Anomaly Committee met, it was an exercise in procrastination. The Government unilaterally took various
decisions viz. closure of departments, outsourcing, banning recruitment and
creation of posts, untenable restriction on compassionate appointments;
referring the decisions of the Board of Arbitration to the Parliament for
rejection; introduction of large scale contractorisation and above all
withdrawal of the age old defined benefit pension scheme and introduction of a
defined contributory annuity scheme etc.
In the process of this hegemonic approach of the Government, the common
employees lost confidence in fair play and the efficacy of JCM as a forum to
settle their demands. Consequently,
litigation is being resorted to by the common employees with high degree of
success. Despite four rounds of discussion in the National Anomaly Committee,
which was set up after the 6th CPC recommendations were implemented,
no settlement could be brought about on any issue. They found the situation
elsewhere not different and aligned themselves with the common trade union
movement of the country in fighting against the new economic policies.
6. The
workers in general and the Central
Government employees in particular were and continue to be the victims of severe economic offensive of the
successive Governments that came to power in the country since the new economic policies were ushered in 1991. Systematic downsizing and outsourcing of
Governmental functions; closure of
Government departments;; privatization of public enterprises, amending labour
laws to facilitate exploitation; lowering interest rate, unbridled inflation,
allowing the foreign and domestic
monopoly capital to loot and plunder the indigenous resources had been
some of the visible characteristics and impacts of the reforms undertaken.
7. The
liberalisation and globalisation policies of the successive Governments, which
came to power since 1991 and which
received the backing and support of the dominant opposition parties and elite
in the society accentuated unemployment, dismantled the Public Sector
Undertakings, allowed unhindered entry of foreign capital, destroyed the livelihood of the farmers and
agricultural labourers; raised the
prices of all essential food items beyond the purchasing capacity of the common
people; granted huge tax concessions to corporate houses;; siphoned off the
poor man’s earnings into the hands of a few rich; These measures ultimately drove the majority
of Indians to be below the poverty levels.
Indian youths were driven to be beggars at the doorsteps of
transnational corporations of the developed Nations.
8. At
the General elections for the 16th Lok Sabha, the Indian Common men
handed the Indian National Congress, who led the UPA II regime the worst ever
defeat in its history. Those who came to
power over the defeat of the century old party, i.e. the NDA led by the
Bharatiya Janata Party have no different approach on policies or
governance. They had in fact supported
the UPA Government to intensify the neo liberal policies. But for their solid support the PFRDA bill
could never have been passed by the UPA.
The conglomeration of Corporate houses
and the corporate controlled media supported the BJP to the hilt in the
election process for they were certain that BJP shall be more pliant and
compliant to them. Through various
policy pronouncements the new Government has made its intentions clear and
loud. A complete ban on recruitment in Governmental
organizations has been instituted; privatization of the Railways and Defence is
on the anvil; FDI has been allowed to have its entry into these two vital
sectors, which had been excluded due to public opinion by the UPA; decided to
corporatize the Postal Services; the New pension scheme will replace all
existing defined benefit pension dispensations; decided to close all Government
of India Printing Presses (including the publication, Stationery and forms
stores); handed over the functions of the Medical Depots to private contractor
firms rendering thousands of workers redundant and jobless; withdrawn the
guidelines regulating the prices of essential and life saving medicines;
proposed to reduce the number of subsidized
gas cylinders; announced the PPP model of infrastructure development in
Railways; declared further disinvestment of the profit making PSUs and closure
of all loss making enterprises;
introduced legislation to drastically amend the labour laws to harm the
interest of workers especially in small establishments; indicated to give
further concessions to corporate houses on taxation and to increase the
indirect taxes to reduce fiscal deficit;
made legislation to increase the FDI in Insurance and effect further
reforms in the Banking Sector; dismantled the Planning Commission and above all has taken tacit steps to disrupt the secular
social fabric of the country.
9. It
is in the backdrop of this National scenario that the Central Government
employees must look up for settlement of their demands. The Central Government employees had been
active participants in the struggles and strike actions of the Indian Working
Class in the last two decades against the neo liberal policies. They have marched to the Parliament house
shoulder to shoulder with other segments of the working people on several
occasions and more recently on 5th December, 2014 to register and
demonstrate the emphatic protest and opposition to the Government’s economic
policies. They will be enthusiastic participants in future struggles and strike
actions chalked out by the united platform of the Central Trade Unions in the
country. While being part of the common
struggles of the working class, they will have to chalk out programmes to ensure that the Ban
on recruitment in Governmental institutions is lifted; the decision to close down the Printing Presses and the Medical stores
is rescinded; growing contractorisation, privatization and outsourcing of the
Governmental functions are halted; the
proposal to allow FDI and privatize the Railways and Defence Establishments is
nipped in the bud itself; the proposed labour reforms are taken back; that the
casual and contract labourers and GDS are paid the minimum wage; a scheme drawn up for their regularisation
within a stipulated time frame and the social security measures presently
available to the workers in the form of
defined benefit pension scheme is retained.
10. They must simultaneously
endeavour to ensure that the JCM functioning is revived; periodicity of its
meeting is increased to conform to the rules; the meeting of the Councils at
the Departmental level are convened; the unions are recognized as per the
rules; the National Anomaly Committee items are taken to its logical end and
the awards of the Board of Arbitration are implemented.
11. Above all, they must strive
immediately that the Government takes a
decision on the date of effect of the Wage revision as 1.1.2014; the ambit of
the 7th Central Pay Commission covers the most exploited segment of
civil servants, i.e the Gramin Dak Sewaks ; that the wage structure of GDS is
not allowed to be at the whims and caprices of Postal bureaucrats; that the
Central Government employees are granted interim relief at the rate of 25% of
their pay plus GP; the Dearness allowance which stood at 100% of pay as on 1.1.2014 is merged to become
Dearness Pay and the 7th CPC adheres to its time frame of 18
months and all the JCM participating
organization are given sufficient opportunity to present their case before the
Commission.
12. The Convention, on the basis of
the discussions amongst the participating organizations, formulates a charter
of demands containing the following important issues. The Convention also adopts the following
programme of action to culminate in an indefinite strike action if the demands
are not negotiated and settled.
13. The Convention sets up a National
Joint Council of action with the representatives of the participating
organizations to spearhead the movement.
The NJCA will prepare a detailed pamphlet to explain each of the demands
in the Charter and to circulate the same amongst the mass of the employees for
an intensive campaign. The NJCA at the
National level will monitor the implementation of the programme. The Convention
authorised the National JCA to pre-pone the entire programmes of action in case
such a decision is warranted due to an exigency. The
Convention directs the participating Federations/Unions and Associations to
form such Joint Committees in all States to ensure that the programme of action
is carried out in all States uniformly.
14. The Convention calls upon all
Central Governments employees and their Unions and Federations to be active
participants in all the programmes of action to bring about a satisfactory
settlement of the demands.
Charter of demands.
1. Effect
wage revision of Central Government employees from 1.12014 accepting the
memorandum of the staff side JCM; ensure 5-year wage revision in future; grant
interim relief and merger of 100% of DA. Ensure submission of the 7th
CPC report with the stipulated time frame of 18 months; include Grameen Dak
Sewaks within the ambit of the 7th CPC. Settle all anomalies of the 6th
CPC.
2. No
privatisation, PPP or FDI in Railways and Defence Establishments and no
corporatisation of postal services;
3. No
Ban on recruitment/creation of post.
4. Scrap
PFRDA Act and re-introduce the defined benefit statutory pension scheme.
5. No
outsourcing; contractorisation, privatisation of governmental functions; withdraw the proposed move to
close down the Printing Presses; the publication, form store and stationery
departments and Medical Stores Depots; regularise the existing daily
rated/casual and contract workers and absorption of trained apprentices;
6. Revive
the JCM functioning at all levels as an effective negotiating forum for
settlement of the demands of the CGEs.
7. Remove
the arbitrary ceiling on compassionate appointments.
8. No
labour reforms which are inimical to the interest of the workers.
9. Remove
the Bonus ceiling;
10. Ensure five promotions in the service career.
PROGRAMME OF ACTION
1.
Organise State/District/Divisional
level Joint convention to popularize the declaration before Feburary, 2015.
2.
To organize massive dharna/rally at
all State Capital/major Defence centres jointly by all the participating Unions
in March, 2015.
3.
To organize campaign fortnight
throughout the country in the first two weeks of April, 2015.
4.
To organize Rally before the
Parliament house in the month of April when the house will be in budget session
to declare the date for the commencement of the indefinite strike action and
the programme and date of serving strike notice.
O0o
