STRIKE HITS NORMAL LIFE IN SOME STATES

8.2.2012 Strike - News from West Bengal

WORKING  CLASS  AND  POSTAL  EMPLOYEES  OF  WEST  BENGAL  HELD  THE  FLAG  OF  STRIKE  HIGH : SERIES  OF  THREATS  AND ATTACKS  : CONDEMN  THROUGH  DEMONSTRATION  ON  2nd/3rd  MARCH  IN  ALL  DIVISIONS 

            

           The working class including our employees has entered a new era of struggle against the anti-people policies of Central Govt. through unique success in 28^th Feb,2012- strike. In West Bengal the State Govt and the Administration practically took drastic stand against the strike and measures to break strike by any means. Being encouraged the main ruling political forces also induced anarchism throughout the state. But the fact is that in spite of severe threats and mental pressure, the success of to-day’s strike is unprecedented.

            In our jurisdiction, truly speaking we are proud of our employees. We are really happy to convey our comradely greetings and Red Salute to the postal employees. It is mainly our brave comrades, organizers working in different branches/divisions in an alarming state of affairs and our general employees irrespective of unions took part in strike and made it a grand success. As per the official communiqué, 90% of the employees including GDS in out Circle  participated in strike directly. Com M Krishnan, our beloved Secretary General has also conveyed his congratulations and red salute to us.

          It is our experience that for last 4/5 days the ruling political force has been threatening the employees in work-spots and residences to open the Post Offices on 28-2-2012. In the last 30 to 35 years it is new phenomenon that the ruling party has perpetrated hooliganism against the Govt officials who supported the strike. Midnapore H.O., Siliguri H.O., Baruipur H.O., Chinsura H.O., Arambag H.O., Contai H.O., Malda H.O., Burdwan H.O., Purulia H.O. etc. are such examples where the concerned Postmasters were compelled to open the Post Offices under the pressure and threats. But even in these offices almost all the officials refused to attend the office and firmly took part in strike.

Role of Police :

      We are surprised to note that in case of Moynaguri S.O. under Jalpaiguri Dn, the Police behaved as like as ruling political forces. At the dictate of that force, the police rushed to the residence of striking Postmaster, picked him up and paved him to open the office . Here also the employees remained absent from office taking part in strike. Now the serious question is that whether the Police can act in such a manner as they did in Moynaguri. Obviously not. So what will be the future of law and order situation in our state ,we can easily guess. Almost same are the experiences we gathered in PSD Kolkata, Durgapur H.O., Belghoria H.O., Chakdah S.O., Nalikul S.O., Tarakeswar S.O., Mohanpur B.O. ( Contai Dn).

Political Hooliganism 1 :

           In Belghoria H.O. , when the Postmaster was attacked , Com Rina Saha our beloved leader came hurriedly from her house to rescue the Postmaster. We are shocked to mention that she was also attacked and hackled by the miscreants. Finally the office was opened , but neither Com Rina Saha nor concerned Postmaster deviated from their stand and took part in the strike. May be the restraint of Com Rina Saha has been hurt, but her unique role is encouraging to all of us.

Political Hooliganism 2 :

            In Tamluk Divn , 50/60 miscreants rushed to the residence of Com Jitendranath Hatai, President of P-III, Tamluk (NFPE). But at that time he was not available in his house, but other members including his wife and two daughters were available. Without caring the female members those miscreants broke the house of Com Hatai to take revenge only because Com Hatai took part in strike. Red salute to Com Hatai that even after this torture on him or his family , he refused to open Tamluk H.O. and finally, Tamluk H.O. was not opened. Same pressure was also to open Srirampore H.O., but it is our comrades and employees who did not bend down under tremendous pressure and finally kept Srirampore H.O. closed.

Circle Office :

          Yogayog Bhawan, our circle head quarters was opened , but except a few higher level officers, the staff of Yogayog Bhawan did not turn up and took part in strike spontaneously.

MMS/RMS/DPLI/PAO :

           In MMS/RMS, DPLI and Postal Accounts also most of the employees participated in the strike ignoring the threats.

Brave Comrades in far-flung areas :

           In Sikkim Division also, the strike was almost 100%.

The Assessment

           The alarming incidents we have faced today exposed the anti-working class as well as anti-democratic attitude of the ruling political forces in West Bengal. There are sufficient reasons to apprehend that this will be intensified. We, the working class have to prepare ourselves to fight against any kind of draconian attack.

            In respect of all India scenario we have received so far, the strike of the whole working class is a great success and the role postal employees have played to participate in the strike is historic one .We convey our heartiest greetings to Federations and JCA and to the general employees.

The Program in Condemnation :

           Protest against the above mentioned incidents in WB Circle. Hold massive demonstration (DHIKKAR SABHA) at recess hours on 01-03-2012 or 2-3-2012 at every work spots and send savingram to CPMG, Respective PMG and Head of the Divn.

Text of the Savingram

“APPROPRIATE STEPS TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE POLITICAL HOOLIGANISM FACED BY THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES IN CONNECTION WITH 28^th FEBRUARY 2012 STRIKE CALLED BY JCA AAA ALL CROSS SECTION OF THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES ARE VERY MUCH AGGRIEVED AAA ALSO DEMAND PREVENTIVE MEASURES.”

(President of the meeting)

NB: Divl Secretaries are requested to take the programme seriously and also requested to send a detailed report in respect of 28^th Strike to the each circle union within short period. All Divl/Br Secys are requested to bring these incidents to the notice of general members.

NORMAL LIFE DISTRUPTED IN KERALA

New Delhi: Normal life was disrupted in Kerala on Tuesday due to the country-wide strike called by central trade unions to protest the 'anti-labour' policies of the UPA government.

The roads of capital Thiruvanthapuram wore a deserted look. Buses and autos are not plying. The Oommen Chandy government has issued notice to government employees and threatened to deduct salary for those who abstain from work. The government has also warned that ad-hoc and temporary employees will lose their contract .

Buses kept off the roads and shops were closed in the state. The strike also affected functioning of banks and offices as pro-Left unions in the state sector also joined the protest against the "neo-liberal economic and labour policies" pursued by the UPA Government at the Centre.

The Congress-led UDF Government in the state has enforced 'dies non' (no work-no pay) order against the strike in government offices.

Early reports from across the state said in most places the mobility of people was hit as the impact of the strike was near total in the transport sector with buses, taxis and autorickshaws keeping off the road.

The rail traffic, however, was not affected and no blockade was reported from anywhere in the early hours. There was no disruption in electricity or water supply and the health sector exempted from the strike.

Labour leaders have claimed that the strike is going to be a historic event and a stern warning against "anti-labour policies" of the UPA Government.

The key demands of the unions include guarantee of labour rights, end to the contract labour system, bringing workers in the unorganized sector under the social security net and pension benefit for all workers.

Besides the Left unions like CITU and AITUC and HMS, the pro-Congress INTUC and pro-BJP BMS are also supporting the strike.

(With additional inputs from PTI)

From the Press

Postal, telecom services hit

Customer services in postal and telecom sector were affected on Tuesday with non-executive class of India Post and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) participating in the nationwide strike called by 11 central trade unions on Tuesday.

Customer services such as delivery and counter operations in post offices were affected in Bangalore East, Shimoga, Hassan, Belgaum and Raichur according to S.S. Manjunath Circle Secretary All India Postal Employees' Union (AIPEU).

He said that over 5,000 employees belonging to various trade unions abstained from work in protest against the anti-labour and anti-people policies of the Centre, thus affecting services.

The situation at the Customer Service Centres of BSNL was no different. People found it difficult to pay their bills and get their mobile phones recharged as 16,000 non-executive staff of BSNL abstained from work in support of CTU demands.

Speaking to The Hindu, C.K. Gundanna, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Karnataka Circle, said that over 16 trade unions to which non-executives of BSNL were affiliated participated in the strike, and counter services were completely disrupted.

Courtesy : Hindu 29.2.2012 Bangalore

28.2.2012 Historic Success - From the press

Bandh hits banking and postal service

Striking impact: Several nationalised banks either wore a deserted look with 


skeleton staff or were forced to down shutters owing to strike called by trade 


unions on Tuesday.

Striking impact: Several nationalised banks either wore a deserted look with skeleton staff or were forced to down shutters owing to strike called by trade unions on Tuesday.

Operations in most public sector banks were disrupted while postal and transport services were partially affected on Tuesday in the wake of general strike called by the Central trade unions.

Several industries around the city, including Ashok Leyland and T.I. Group, were also affected as employees stayed away.

With 15 bank unions, including All India Bank Employees Association and Bank Employees Federation of India, on the forefront of the strike call, branches of several public sector banks and some private banks remained closed owing to thin attendance of employees.

The strike was part of the nationwide bandh called by the unions against the hike in prices of essential commodities and the new pension scheme.

Trade unions held demonstrations across the city demanding setting up of a committee for unorganised workers, fixing of Rs.10,000 as minimum monthly wage and strict enforcement of labour laws.

Some customers, like 70-year-old D. Leela, who were unaware of the strike, returned home without carrying out their transaction. Ms. Leela, a resident of Kilpauk, said, “My pension gets credited in this bank and I do not know how to operate the ATM. I visit the bank only once or twice a month. I have to come again tomorrow to withdraw cash.” Many branches wore a deserted look as most of the clerical staff did not turn up for duty.

An official of a nationalised bank in Anna Nagar said, “We had intimated customers and put up notices in all branches asking them to complete their transactions before Tuesday to avoid inconvenience. We filled cash in the ATMs on Monday. But, cash cannot be replenished again as I need a clerical staff member to do the task with me.”

Daily operations of business people in the city were also affected. S. Lakshmi, a resident of Avadi, said, “I had transferred money through RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) from my branch to supplier's bank account three days ago. But it has not reached the supplier. I have to wait till tomorrow to credit the cash and also find out the status of earlier transaction.”

According to banks' trade unions, nearly 14,000 of 18,000 employees in the city participated in the strike. Staff of the Reserve Bank of India and the insurance sector also took part in the bandh.

C.H. Venkatachalam, general secretary of All India Bank Employees' Association, said: “Cash and cheque clearing operations were affected in many banks in Chennai. We are against banking reforms, outsourcing of permanent jobs and privatisation.”

Members of three unions — All India Bank Officers' Confederation, Indian National Bank Officers Congress and National Union of Bank Employees — refrained from the strike.

Postal services too were hit as many customers avoided post offices fearing low attendance. While head post offices had sufficient staff members with only 20 per cent remaining off duty, the smaller ones were affected by the strike. J. Srivenkatesh, Circle president, All India Postal Employees' Union, Tamil Nadu Circle, said that nearly 4,000 postal employees participated in the strike. Of the nearly 220 post offices in Chennai and suburbs, about 190 did not have full-fledged operations. As postmen were not available, delivery of letters and speed posts were hit.

Residents who went to tahsildar's offices in the suburbs, such as Ambattur, also returned disappointed as there were not sufficient personnel to provide pattas or legal heir certificates.

Commuters, however, managed to travel to their destinations as more than half of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses and autorickshaws plied. M.V. Krishnan, vice-president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Chennai district, said nearly 40 per cent of the MTC buses and auto rickshaws were not operated.

Courtesy: Hindu 29.2.2012