7th Pay Commission News – Confederation decides to proceed with Strike

1.         The National Secretariat of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers met at New Delhi on 28.11.2013 and reviewed the situation arising out of the Government’s announcement of Seventh Central Pay Commission and the subsequent developments thereon.

2.         Eventhough Government has announced constitution of 7th Central Pay Commission, the appointment is yet to take place. In the meanwhile one round of discussion was held with Secretary, DOP&T on terms of reference. Subsequently, the staff side, JCM National Council has submitted a unanimous proposal on the items to be included in the terms of reference of the 7th CPC, which includes (i) date of effect as 01.01.2014 (2) merger of DA with pay (3) grant of interim relief (4) inclusion of GDS under the ambit of 7th CPC (5) statutory pension for those entered into service on or after 01.01.2004 (6) settlement of anomalies of 6th CPC (7) cashless/hassle-free medicare facilities etc.

Government while announcing the 7th CPC has made it clear that the date of effect will be 01.01.2016. Further nothing has been mentioned about DA merger and interim relief. Regarding GDS the declared stand of the Government is that GDS are not civil servants and in the past also every time when CPC is appointed, the Government refused to include them in the Pay commission. Last time also inspite of the strong protest and agitational programmes conducted by NFPE and Postal JCA, the Government has appointed a bureaucratic committee. Regarding statutory pension to those who entered into service on or after 01.01.2004, the Government’s stand is well known and it may refuse to include this item also in the terms of reference.

This being the position, our past experience shows that unless and until the demands raised in the staff side proposal submitted to Government on terms of reference of the CPC is backed by serious agitational programmes, rallying the entire Central Government Employees and create compulsion on the Government to accept our justified stand, there is every possibility of Government rejecting the above proposal.

Further all of us are aware that the political situation in the country is gradually getting in election mode. This is bringing forth before the working class movement a crucial task of front-loading our class issues in the ensuring political battle. We have to keep in mind that the corporate class and corporate controlled media has started making effort for relegating the working class issues and the economic policy related issues in particular to the background. It is our duty to bring the demands of the working class to the fore-front and conduct intensive campaign against those policies and also against those who are supporting the neo-liberal globalization policies. Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers being the part and parcel of the mainstream of the working class of our country has got an added responsibility to rally the entire Central Government Employees in the joint struggle against the anti-people and anti-worker policies of the Government which shall ultimately lead to a change in the political equation ensuring implementation of pro-people, pro-worker alternative policy.

Taking into Consideration all the above facts and circumstances, the National Secretariat of the Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers met at new Delhi on 28.11.2013 took a unanimous decision to go for strike if the Government refuse to accept the staff side proposal on terms of reference. Confederation further decided to organize series of phased programme of action and campaign from now onwards so that the employees will be ready to go for strike on short notice.

It is further decided that Confederation shall not go for any compromise on the demands raised in the proposal submitted by the JCM Staff side on terms of reference of 7th CPC.

3.      The following are the important decision of the National Secretariat.

1.      The earlier decision to defer the strike ballot after the announcement of the 7th CPC by the Government is ratified. Under the given circumstances the decision taken to defer the ballot was perfectly right.

2.      The modification made in the Confederation Charter of Demands regarding date of effect of the 7th CPC (i.e. from 01.01.2011 to 01.01.2014) is approved as it was necessitated for arriving at unanimity among the staff side on term of reference which will strengthen further the unity of all Central Government organizations including Railways and Defence.

3.      Approved the modified Charter of Demands of the Confederation which includes the terms of reference submitted by the Staff side to the Government (copy enclosed Annexure – I)

4.      Decided to conduct the following phased programme of campaign and agitational programmes.

(a)   Convening the Managing bodies/Executive Committees of all affiliated organizations to discuss and ratify the Confederation decision to go for agitational programmes culminating in strike.

(b)   Sector-wise/organisation-wise intensive campaign among the employees by conducting squad work, General body meetings, conventions, postering and issuing printed pamphlets, lunch hour meetings etc, explaining the demands raised in the charter of demands and also the necessity to go for strike if our demands on terms of reference are not accepted. All India/State Leaders of the affiliated organizations shall under-take extensive tour as part of campaign programme.

(c)    The campaign tour programme finalized by the Secretariat meeting earlier is to be implemented. Whereever State level and C-O-C level conventions are yet to be held, it should be held before 20.12.2013. All State Committees and C-O-Cs are requested to organize conventions immediately. The name of the Confederation National leaders who are attending the conventions is given in the enclosed circular. Date of the Conventions may be fixed in consultation with the concerned comrade.

(d)   Decided to conduct nationwide day-long dharna programme at maximum centres, particularly at the state capitals on 2013 December 19th (19.12.2013) with massive participation of employees. Effort is to be made for maximum media coverage of the programmes.

(e)   Decided to organize mass rallies at all State capitals (and if possible at District Capitals also) before 31.12.2013. National leaders of the Confederation and other trade Union leaders may be invited to address the rallies. All effort should be made to make the rally a grand success ensuring maximum participation of employees.

(f)     Decided to conduct press conferences at all State capitals (other centres also if possible) by the State committees/C-O-Cs to explain the justification of demands and also the proposed strike action.

(g)   Decided to organsie nationwide five days relay dharna at various centres of each city during the period from 30thDecember 2013 to 3rd January 2014 (30.12.2013 to 03.01.2014)

(h)   Mass dharna at New Delhi on 9th January 2014 by All India Leaders of Confederation and leaders of all affiliated organizations and C-O-Cs and also maximum number of employees from Delhi and nearby states.

(i)     Extended National Executive meeting of Confederation will be held at New Delhi on 10.01.2014 (10th January 2014) for declaration of the strike date and also the duration of the strike. All the National Secretariat members of the Confederation, All the C-O-C Representatives and all the Chief Executives of the affiliated organizations of Confederation shall attend the mass dharna on 9th January and the Extended National Executive meeting on 10thJanuary 2014 WITHOUT FAIL. (Please book the up and down ticket immediately to ensure the participation on both days i.e. on 9th & 10th January 2014) If any organisation or C-O-C wants participation of more comrades in the extended National Executive as observers it will be allowed subject to a maximum of five) Participation in the Dharna is allowed without any limit.

5.      Decided to extend full support and solidarity to the proposed strike action of NFPE & FNPO on demands of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) and Casual, Part-time, Contingent employees. It is decided to request the Postal JCA to adjust the date of the strike so that it will be a strike of all Central Government Employees.

6.      Decided to file a case in the Kolkata High Court challenging the PFRDA Bill passed by the Parliament jointly with the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF). The methodology for raising funds for meeting the expenses for the conducting of the case up to Supreme Court will be decided in the next meeting. C-O-C West Bengal is authorized to assist the National Secretariat in completing the formalities for filling the case in the Kolkata High Court in consultation with AISGEF.

7.      Decided to mobilize maximum employees for participating in the 12th December Parliament March organized by the Central Trade Unions against the anti-people, anti-worker policies of the Central Government. C-O-C Delhi and C-O-Cs of nearby states and also all affiliated organizations are requested to ensure large scale participation of the employees in the 12th December Parliament March. It is decided that each organisation shall conduct workers meeting at all important centres in Delhi and nearby states for mobilizing maximum employees to participate in the march.

8.      Decided to extend maximum support and solidarity to the 11th December 2013 Parliament March organized by the AIPEU-GDS (NFPE) demanding settlement of GDS demands. Delhi C-O-C is requested to extent maximum support for the successful conduct of the GDS Parliament March.

9.      The National Secretariat placed on record its sincere thanks to all the state committees/C-O-Cs and also all the affiliated organisations for making the All India Trade Union Education Camp conducted at Mumbai on 14th & 15thNovember 2013 and also the All India Women’s Convention held at Delhi on 25th & 26th November 2013 a grand success, especially to the C-O-C Mumbai and C-O-C Delhi for providing all the infra-structural facilities in an excellent manner.

10.  Decided to appeal to all affiliated organisations to clear the quota dues towards Confederation CHQ before 31.12.2013.  Financial Secretary shall issue separate notices to each organisation indicating the total dues to be remitted.

11.  It is decided that Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General shall represent the Confederation as an official delegate in the International Congress of Southern Initiative on Globalisation and Trade Union Rights (SIGTUR) to be held at Perth, Australia from 2nd to 6th December 2013.

The National Secretariat meeting was presided over by Com. K. K. N. Kutty, the National President. Com. S. K. Vyasji, Advisor, was present and gave his valuable guidance for arriving at correct conclusion and decisions on each agenda items. Com. M. Krishnan, Secretary General, presented the organizational report.

Yours Comradely,

(M. Krishnan)

Secretary General