UNLOCK 3 ORDER AND GUIDELINES DATED 29.7.2020
(CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE ORDER)
Thursday 30 July 2020
Sunday 26 July 2020
VERY SAD NEWS
Com.R.ShivNarayana,Ex, President P3 CHQ Expired today on 26thJuly 2020 .He was suffering from abdominal Cancer.
Com.ShivNarayana was a very good Organizer and A very disciplined Comrade,
He was inducted in CHQ Team in 1997 AIC Vrindaban,Mathura along with com.parasar and Com.M.Krishnan, R.N.Chaudhary, B.G.Tamhankar as Vice President and continued till his retirement upto 2014 in various capacities as ASG,Dy.G/S and President.
He has also officiated as General Secretary for some time.
He has also officiated as General Secretary for some time.
He remained in piii CHQ on Foreign Service for long time With Com.KVS and Com.Krishnan.
He contributed a lot in running CHQ.
We on behalf of AIPRPA,AP STATE COMMITTEE& AIPCPCCWF,CHQ Convey our heartfelt condolences to bereaved family members and Comrades of Andhra PARTICULARLY Guntur.
We pray eternal peace for departed soul.
WE DIP OUR BANNER IN RESPECT OF HIM.
JOHAR COM.SHIVNARAYANA .
R.J.MADHUSUDHANA RAO
CIRCLE SECRETARY
Saturday 25 July 2020
The United Draft placed before
the Honourable President (Central Government) by the platform of United Working
Class which is the only way out of the crisis of economy deepened further by
the Pandemic! -
24th July, 2020
Shri Ram Nath Kovind
Hon’ble President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
President’s Estate ,New Delhi,
Delhi 110004
Hon’ble President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
President’s Estate ,New Delhi,
Delhi 110004
Respected Sir,
We
hopefully place on record the following few facts which are agitating the
toiling people of the country.
1. The sudden, unplanned national lockdown imposed by the Government
of India and its administration, statedly on account of COVID – 19 pandemic,
catastrophically affected the working people, the migrant workers amongst them
being the worst hit. That they simply had no life support became clear as the
days passed. Even the "advisories" issued belatedly by the Ministry
of Labour, the Ministry of Home Affairs did not help, in fact they were
withdrawn by the government without being implemented.
2. The health system was exposed to be woefully inadequate-the
private hospitals either simply refused to cap the rates, as appealed by the
government, for treatment of Covid patients, stating they were uneconomical or
simply closed doors. The ventilators, PPEs, sanitizer required were in extreme
short supply. Only the public health system-the public hospitals, their
doctors, their staff, the health scheme workers(ASHA Workers), anganwadi
workers, the municipal sanitation workers worked tirelessly, risking their own
lives including being affected and even lost lives and won everyone's
admiration and gratitude. It were the Ordnance Factory workers who swung into
action to produce the much needed ventilators and PPEs. The much touted private
enterprise failed completely.
3. Then the attention turned towards putting the wheels of the
economy back on rails. The steps taken in this regard by the government defy
all logic and the past experience as well as the advice of renowned Indian
economists. The economy was already in recession from prior to the onset of the
pandemic and was due to majority of Indian people lacking even the minimum
purchasing power. It was necessary to put money in their hands. The sudden
lockdown compounded the problem.
Yet what is being done? The increase in DA of government employees and
DR of pensioners is withheld, Labour laws, including many of Hon'ble Supreme
Court’s judgments on Equal Pay for Equal Work, are flouted mostly, with
inspection being curtailed in the name of “ease of doing business”. Now even
the Labour Laws, in whatever form they exist, were sought to be suspended for
1000 or more days through executive orders/Ordinances in many states, (The ILO
had to remind the government of its commitment to various ILO Conventions), a
slew of public sector enterprises were opened for privatisation, 100% FDI,
ranging from blue chip companies such as the BPCL, LIC, Coal India, Electricity
Sector, Ordnance Factories, the Railways, train routes as well as their
manufacturing/repair workshops, airports, all during the continuing lockdown.
Migrant Workers were actually sought to be prevented from going back to their
villages by vested interests in the private sector. Their helpless crowding of
stations was treated as law and order issue! The Hon'ble Supreme Court had to
intervene to direct the government to handle the issue humanely and with top
priority. Agriculture is pushed to corporatization through Ordinances. The
Rs.20 lac crore package announced is once again Supply-side move rather than the
necessary Demand-side push. Repeated Demands by the entire trade union movement
for direct income-support and adequate food-support to all poor and
non-income-tax-paying households is being arrogantly ignored.
4. Now it is coming to light that the ASHA Workers, who did the
crucial Corona surveys, have not been paid at all! State governments have not
been paid their share of GST. The income tax paying social strata has not been
roped in to share the burden, but the non-income tax paying people are further burdened
with relentless price increase of petrol and diesel. While
5. The entire trade union movement of the country has time and again
raised these issues with the concerned ministries, through representations,
demonstrations and even sectoral strikes. But the government is totally
unresponsive. It has not even convened the Indian Labour Conference, the top
most tripartite body in the country, in spite of repeated requests, since 2015.
In view of above points and issues, we the undersigned, urge you, as
the Constitutional Head of the Government of India for the following reliefs:-
To direct Central and State Governments:-
1. To adequately compensate
the dependents of those migrant workers, who lost their lives due to sudden
lockdown effected from 12 Midnight of 25th March, 2020;
2. To provide free ration to all non-income- tax-paying people for the next six months, irrespective of whether they hold any ration card;
3. To pay every non-income- tax-paying person Rs.7500/- pm for the next six months; and pension of Rs.3000/-pm linked to cost of living to all above 60 years of age;
4. To issue Smart Id Card to all the workers with their Aadhar card number valid throughout India which should be useful for social security benefits;
5. To provide a corpus of Rs.10000 crores – a revolving annual FUND for the purpose of implementing Social Security Schemes under the provisions of Un-organised Sector Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008;
6. To withdraw the proposed move of the Government to convert the 41 Ordnance Factories into a corporation and then to privatise the same and to convert the Army Base Workshops to GOCO Model by handing over these Workshops to Private Sector;
8. To cancel the Privatisation of Public Sector enterprises and Services including State Transport, LIC, Banks, Insurance, Coal, BPCL, Air India, Airports, Telecom, Ports & Dock and Municipal services etc.
9. To put on hold any labour law amendments through codification of all labour laws in to four codes and to convene Indian Labour Conference immediately; scrap all the Ordinances and executive orders altering and/or suspending operation of labour laws in many states.
10. To Invest in and expand health, education and agriculture; scrap all the three Ordinances on Agriculture including on amendment of Essential Commodities Act.
11. To increase budgetary allocation for effective implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, increasing the job allocation for 200 days per annum and extend the similar scheme for urban areas also to address the issue of unemployment on war footing. The daily wage should be enhanced from Rs. 202/- to Rs. 500/-.
12. To launch drive to recover loans from Willful Defaulters, by using criminal prosecution.
Yours sincerely,
INTUC AITUC HMS CITU AIUTUC
TUCC SEWA AICCTU. LPF UTUC
INTUC AITUC HMS CITU AIUTUC
TUCC SEWA AICCTU. LPF UTUC
Thursday 16 July 2020
Ref: PF/NFPE/RTP Dated – 16.07.2020
To
The Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
Sub: - Universal implementation of common order of the Hon’ble High Court of Madras bench in Writ petition 34944 & 33298 of 2016 dated 24.07.2019 and WMP No. 28769 & 30156 of 2016 to all the similarly placed Pas and SAS of DOP – reg.
Ref: - Directorate letter No. X-16/5/20/2019-SPN dated 11.06.2020.
Sir,
This is regarding the universal implementation of common order of Hon’ble High Court of Madras Bench in writ petition 34944 & 33298 of 2016 to all similarly placed PAs & SAs of DOP. Directorate vide letter No. X-16/5/20/2019 had ordered to implement the common order dated 24.07.2019 of Hon’ble High Court of Madras Bench in WP No. 3494/2016 and WMP No. 33298/2016 filed by the department against the order of Hon’ble CAT Chennai Bench dated 04.08.2015 in OA No. 408/2014 filed by Shri. Murugesan and 31 others.
Hon’ble High Court of Madras in its common order in W.P Nos. 34944 and 33298 of 2016 had proclaimed to regularise the service rendered by ex RTPs by upholding the verdict of Chennai bench of CAT in O.A. No. 1253 of 2012. While disposing the case the Hon’ble High Court of Madras had categorically mentioned about the similar verdict of the following courts of law also. Verdict dated 16-12-1986 of Jabalpur Bench in OA 82/1986 which was upheld by the Honourable Supreme Court in its order dated 11.02.1988 in SLP No. 11313/1987, judgement of CAT Mumbai Bench in O.A. No. 719 to 727 of 1996 dated 31.10.2010, judgement rendered by the Divisional Bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court dated 18.02.2014, Order passed by the High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in W.P. No. 17400/2016.
In this juncture the directorate letter referred above is a great relief to the parties to the case and at the very same time by limiting the benefits to the applicants of the OAs discrimination and injustice is invited. It is a well known fact that a lot had suffered by the ex RTP PAs and SAs and still justice is denied to them and thus pushing the officials to the court of law for their genuine service benefits. A number of cases are pending at various courts on the same genuine matter inviting huge expenditure from the exchequer. The apex court also recorded its verdict against the grave injustice done to the ex RTPs in several cases. Justice delayed is justice denied. Now it is the moment to act. The selective implementation of the verdicts proclaimed by the different courts of law without equity to comply the orders is paving way for grave injustice.
It is therefore requested to kindly issue appropriate direction to implement the benefits of the directorate letter referred above to all the similarly placed officials by upholding the law of the land.
An early and positive action is highly solicited.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(R. N. Parashar)
Secretary General
Wednesday 15 July 2020
Audit ex-Secretary General M.S.Raja Amar Rahe!
Comrade M.S.Raja Former Secretary General Audit Employees Association passed away!
It is unbelievable but yet it is a fact that our friend and former SG Audit Employees Association comrade M.S.Raja has breathed his last some hours ago around 7.30 P.M (14.07.2020 night). He was reportedly taken to Aswani Hospital Thrissur after a severe cardiac arrest and died immediately after reaching the hospital.
He was retired recently and was a militant leader of the All India Audit Employees Association. He led many struggles and faced with bravery some tuff bureaucrats in Audit. He was also the Secretary of Confederation and functioned when i was the Working President and Comrade S.K.Vyas was the President and Comrade KKN.Kutty was the SG. In fact when comrade M.Krishnan became SG Confederation, he became Working President while i relinquished. He had toured extensively for Confederation also to organize CG Employees.
His help to our Postal Pensioners for getting sanction of huge sum from Health Ministry in Delhi was unforgettable. During my stay in Delhi, we had a very good relationship. He was having a smiling face but when issues hot up he actually turned very much involved in the issues with strong views. An outspoken leader!
His passing away is saddening us all. It is an irreparable loss to the entire movement. We dip our banner and flag in respect of the departed leader comrade M.S.Raja!
Monday 13 July 2020
Sunday 12 July 2020
60th Anniversary of
the Glorious 5 Days Strike of CG Employees in 1960.
July 11th, 2020 is
the 60th anniversary of the start of the Historic Five Days Strike of the
Central Government employees in 1960.
The strike was for acceptance of Need Based Minimum Wage per the 15th Indian Labour Conference approved formula as also for grant of automatic DA whenever the cost of living index is increased, as demanded by the unions. It was also against the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission which only denied the justified demands of the workers and the unsympathetic stance of the central government.
Under the Joint Council of Action of the Central Government Employees Federations (AIRF, AIDEF, Confederation and NFPTE), the biggest Indefinite Strike in independent India started on the night of 11/12th July 1960, the anniversary of the 1946 P and T Strike. The government refused to negotiate despite continued efforts of the JCA, as also many Members of Parliament including Shri Feroze Gandhi, M.P.( Husband of Smt.Indira Gandhi). The government was adamant. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and utilised the entire government machinery to crush it. Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) was promulgated and thousands of workers were arrested, convicted, dismissed, suspended, terminated and charge sheeted. All India leaders were arrested and put in Tihar Jail. NFPTE Secretary General Com. P.S.R.Anjaneyulu was paraded through the streets of Delhi while sending to Tihar Jail. Never before India has seen such brutal attack on any strike in the country, not even in 1946 Postal Strike, when the British were the rulers.
It is to the credit of the workers and their loyalty to their organisation that the strike continued for long five days, despite severe repression and manhunt. The entire Railways, Postal and Telecom services- all were all badly affected. Unable to continue against the brutal attack of the government and victimisation, the strike was called off on the fifth day.
5 Railways workers in Dohad were killed by police firing. They are Coms. Ranjit Singh, Sakharam, Sitaram, Kripa Shankar and another comrade whose name is not known. Two comrades in Kerala, Com.Ekambaram from Telephones Palakkad and another Comrade from Trichur Postal Division, whose name is not known, committed suicide unable to face the victimisation and termination from service. Many workers were punished with rigorous imprisonment. Public, trade union leaders and outsiders were arrested for supporting the strike. Recognition of the federations/unions were withdrawn.
The workers faced these attacks with full confidence in their organisation and leaders. They knew that there is no other way to defend their rights and achieve justified demands. They saw the most cruel face of the so called ‘Socialist Pattern Government’.
PTTI and many other foreign trade unions as also the trade unions in the country supported the strike and demanded the government to vacate victimisation. In the Parliament, Nehru government was put on the dock by eminent Members of Parliament like Comrades A.K.Gopalan, S.M.Banerjee, Nath Pai and many others, who demanded justice to the workers and vacation of all victimisation.
It took more than three years for the vacation of victimisation and re-recognition of the unions and federations. But the scars remained for a long time.
Though crushed, the 1960 strike was not in vain. For that matter, no struggle is in vain. The government was compelled to act against the price rise, appoint two Committees one after another to consider the demand of DA and has to start discussion with the unions on the constitution of negotiating machinery, the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM).
As a participant of the historic strike, I have my own experiences, which I may narrate some time later.
The 1960 strike has many lessons for the working class. The determination, dedication and sacrifice of the leaders and workers who were part of the great struggle will ever be remembered.
The Central Govt. employees are once again on the struggle path. The working class are on struggle against the curtailment of trade union and labour rights, imposition of more working hours, privatisation of Public Sector Units etc. etc. Utilising the Covid situation, Mody Government wants to steam roller its anti – people policies.
On this 60th anniversary of the epic strike of 1960, Red Salute to all the participants of the strike and especially to those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle! 1960 Strike has given the message that the workers will never surrender to the anti-worker policy of the government.
Credits to the original uploader
The strike was for acceptance of Need Based Minimum Wage per the 15th Indian Labour Conference approved formula as also for grant of automatic DA whenever the cost of living index is increased, as demanded by the unions. It was also against the retrograde recommendations of the II Central Pay Commission which only denied the justified demands of the workers and the unsympathetic stance of the central government.
Under the Joint Council of Action of the Central Government Employees Federations (AIRF, AIDEF, Confederation and NFPTE), the biggest Indefinite Strike in independent India started on the night of 11/12th July 1960, the anniversary of the 1946 P and T Strike. The government refused to negotiate despite continued efforts of the JCA, as also many Members of Parliament including Shri Feroze Gandhi, M.P.( Husband of Smt.Indira Gandhi). The government was adamant. Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called the strike as ‘Civil Rebellion’ and utilised the entire government machinery to crush it. Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) was promulgated and thousands of workers were arrested, convicted, dismissed, suspended, terminated and charge sheeted. All India leaders were arrested and put in Tihar Jail. NFPTE Secretary General Com. P.S.R.Anjaneyulu was paraded through the streets of Delhi while sending to Tihar Jail. Never before India has seen such brutal attack on any strike in the country, not even in 1946 Postal Strike, when the British were the rulers.
It is to the credit of the workers and their loyalty to their organisation that the strike continued for long five days, despite severe repression and manhunt. The entire Railways, Postal and Telecom services- all were all badly affected. Unable to continue against the brutal attack of the government and victimisation, the strike was called off on the fifth day.
5 Railways workers in Dohad were killed by police firing. They are Coms. Ranjit Singh, Sakharam, Sitaram, Kripa Shankar and another comrade whose name is not known. Two comrades in Kerala, Com.Ekambaram from Telephones Palakkad and another Comrade from Trichur Postal Division, whose name is not known, committed suicide unable to face the victimisation and termination from service. Many workers were punished with rigorous imprisonment. Public, trade union leaders and outsiders were arrested for supporting the strike. Recognition of the federations/unions were withdrawn.
The workers faced these attacks with full confidence in their organisation and leaders. They knew that there is no other way to defend their rights and achieve justified demands. They saw the most cruel face of the so called ‘Socialist Pattern Government’.
PTTI and many other foreign trade unions as also the trade unions in the country supported the strike and demanded the government to vacate victimisation. In the Parliament, Nehru government was put on the dock by eminent Members of Parliament like Comrades A.K.Gopalan, S.M.Banerjee, Nath Pai and many others, who demanded justice to the workers and vacation of all victimisation.
It took more than three years for the vacation of victimisation and re-recognition of the unions and federations. But the scars remained for a long time.
Though crushed, the 1960 strike was not in vain. For that matter, no struggle is in vain. The government was compelled to act against the price rise, appoint two Committees one after another to consider the demand of DA and has to start discussion with the unions on the constitution of negotiating machinery, the Joint Consultative Machinery(JCM).
As a participant of the historic strike, I have my own experiences, which I may narrate some time later.
The 1960 strike has many lessons for the working class. The determination, dedication and sacrifice of the leaders and workers who were part of the great struggle will ever be remembered.
The Central Govt. employees are once again on the struggle path. The working class are on struggle against the curtailment of trade union and labour rights, imposition of more working hours, privatisation of Public Sector Units etc. etc. Utilising the Covid situation, Mody Government wants to steam roller its anti – people policies.
On this 60th anniversary of the epic strike of 1960, Red Salute to all the participants of the strike and especially to those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle! 1960 Strike has given the message that the workers will never surrender to the anti-worker policy of the government.
Credits to the original uploader
Saturday 11 July 2020
Wednesday 8 July 2020
Let us remember Legendary leader D. Gnaniah
A tribute to late Nanogenarian Comrade D.Gnaniah, on his third death anniversary!
Comrade D.Gnaniah (1921-2017) was a towering leader of P&T and Central Government TU movement. He was Secretary General NFPTE for the periods from 1965 to 1970 and from 1976 to 1978. He led the historic 19th September 1968 one day token strike as Secretary General NFPTE and was arrested and jailed in Tihar Jail. He signed the historic bonus agreement on 14.3.1980 as Leader Staff Side, JCM on behalf of NFPTE. He was dismissed from service once, suspended twice and retired compulsorily once for trade union activities.
He was all along one of the unforgettable and inseparable top leaders of our movement. A great writer of many books; a forceful orator of three languages of Tamil. English and Hindi; a fine negotiator; a humane and versatile personality - and many more virtues were imbibed in comrade Gnaniah! A man of unshakable faith in socialism was always a distinguishing aspect of comrade D. Gnaniah that all of us the trade unionists must emulate!
On his third death anniversary on 8.7.2020 we pay rich tributes to him. Let us cherish his memory on the occasion of his third death anniversary.
Discrimination in between operative and administrative staff of Department of Posts during COVID-19 pandemic
Ref: PF/NFPE/Staff Dated – 08.07.2020
To
The Secretary
Department of Posts
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
Sub: - Discrimination in between operative and administrative staff of Department of Posts during COVID-19 pandemic - Regarding.
Ref: - Directorate letter F. No. Z-92011/25/2020-Coord./O and M dated 06.07.2020
Sir,
To escape from the harmful effects of COVID-19 pandemic, the Department has decided to stop physical despatch of communications (Letters / Statements / Reports) from Directorate to Circles and vice versa and even within Directorate vide its letter under reference.
It is quite surprising that while taking such a decision, the Department forgot the condition of lakhs of its employees who are working in post offices and physically handling innumerable letters/parcels/packets moving though different modes of transmission under different temperature in different places where possibility of carrying novel corona virus is more. This order proves that the lives of the employees working in administrative offices are more precious than the lives of the operative employees in the eyes of the Directorate. Perhaps for this reason, operative employees are not even spared on weekend shutdown declared by several State Governments and full attendance is enforced in Post Offices in spite of clear guidelines to reduce the staff strength to 33% / 50% with staggering of work / business hours, screening and hygiene, frequent sanitization etc. by MHA. What to speak of 5 working days in a week for these employees? It is now a dream for the operative staff.
While the operative staff members in Post and RMS Offices are working day and night without PPE, proper and regular sanitization of workplaces due to non-supply of machine and disinfectants, zero thermal scanning of customers due to non-supply of thermal scanners by the administration, violation of social distancing due to cramped accommodation and want of proper sitting arrangement for the members of public, there is every apprehension that very soon the post offices will be converted into maternity home of COVID-19 if we take a look on the increasing trend of traced, positive and death cases throughout the nation.
At this critical juncture, while the Department is not at all serious towards the operative side where the staff members are more vulnerable to novel corona virus, the above order depicts a gross discrimination in between the administrative and operative staff members which is highly condemnable. The supply of preventive materials like hand wash, sanitizer, hand gloves, face masks etc. has remained in pen and paper. Even after 3 months of horrible condition of COVID-19 pandemic, neither the supply of such materials to post offices by the Divisional administration is regular nor the SPMs/Postmasters have been specifically ordered for the purpose to purchase and submit the bills for sanction so far. It is witnessed that the employees are purchasing such items out of their own pocket to save their lives.
As such, we would like request you once again to appraise the Directorate to look into the following aspects in an urgent manner without any plea or delay to contain spread of COVID-19 and to save the lives of the staff and their family members.
1. To stop discrimination in between operative and administrative staff members.
2. Temporary sitting arrangements for customers with provision of chairs, writing tables, fans and drinking water facility in the available space of the PO premises till restoration of normalcy.
3. Supply of Thermal Scanners and Sanitization Machines to all POs with permission for purchase of required disinfectants and other preventive materials like hand wash, sanitizer, hand gloves, face masks etc as and when necessary.
4. Issue of metal or plastic tokens bearing serial number and name of the Post Office for supplying to the customers to avoid unnecessary rush in the available counter / public space of the Post Office.
5. Deployment of a person on daily wage basis at the main entrance of the POs, especially in bigger offices with unexpected rush of customers for thermal scanning, requesting / helping each customer to wash hands and to use sanitizer and for giving tokens to restrict entry of customers to the Counter Hall till restoration of normalcy since with the existing manpower, POs can’t do the same.
6. To close down all post offices on each Saturday in the areas where weekend shutdown is declared by the State Govt.
7. To run the Post and RMS Offices with 50% staff.
8. To stop operation of PMA and functioning of P O Aadhaar Centres once again.
9. To stop doorstep delivery of articles once again.
10. To reduce the business hours of post offices from 8 hours to 5 hours.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(R. N. Parashar)
Secretary General
Tuesday 7 July 2020
Monday 6 July 2020
BIRTH CENTENARY OF COM. K.G.BOSE
COM.K.G.BOSE, THE GUIDING STAR OF P & T
AND CG EMPLOYEES’ MOVEMENT
7th July 2020 is the 100th birth anniversary of Comrade Krishna GopalBasu (Com.K.G.Bose), who transformed the P and T as also the Central Government employees trade union movement in to a fighting force based on the working class ideology and progressive thoughts. He was an employee of the Posts and Telegraphs Department for only about 7 years having been dismissed in connection with the proposed strike in 1949, but his entire life was dedicated and sacrificed for the cause of the Central and P and T employees in particular and the working class in general.
He was born as the third son of his parents Shri Jaya GopalBasu and Smt. Nivanani Basu. Jaya Gopal Basu was a teacher, as also a well-known poet and writer. Both his father and elder brother died in an accident in 1926 and his eldest brother became invalid due to serious illness and passed away in 1937. KG’s mother had to struggle hard to maintain the family consisting of KG, younger brothers and sisters. Both KG and brother Moni completed their studies with the help from Ramakrishna Mission. First KG worked in a private company and then got appointed as a clerk in the office of the Divisional Engineer Telegraphs, Calcutta in 1941. It was a great relief to the struggling family. While studying he was very active in the Marxist Study Group there.
From his joining the department, he became active in the Indian Telegraph Association (ITA) formed by the great pioneer, Henry Barton. He became Branch Secretary in no time. His brother Moni Bose also got job in the same office in 1945.
There were a number of unions in P and T at that time, including All India Post Office and RMS Union started by BabuTarapada Mukherjee, Postmen and Lower Grade Staff Union started by V.G.Dalvi Bar-at-Law and Indian Telegraph Association. Most of them were led by reformist leadership.
It was at this time that the Postmen and Lower Grade Staff Union declared indefinite strike from 11th July 1946. Although started as Postmen strike it spread to all wings of the P and T Department. Under the inspiring leadership of Coms. B.N. Ghosh (Dada Ghosh) and K.G.Bose the strike was complete in Posts and Telegraphs in Bengal. The strike and rally organized by the Trade Unions in support of the strike on 29th July 1946 in Calcutta was the biggest rally in the city till that time, participated by about 15 lakhs workers engulfing the entire city.
The strike spread throughout India and the British Government was compelled to discuss with the unions and fully concede the major 12 demands raised in the strike notice. After 23 days, strike was withdrawn on 3rd August 1946. It was a big success. In Bengal the strike continued for three more days and another demand “Good Conduct Pay” was achieved. The P and T Strike in 1946 is considered as part of the great freedom movement as in the case of the Naval Mutiny.
In the formation of the Union of P and T Workers (UPTW) in 1946, merging most of the Unions in P and T, though a youngster, K.G.Bose took a prominent role. The strike planned by UPTW in 1949 could not materialize since all the leaders and many of the delegates who reached Madras for the Supreme Council to take final decision were arrested and jailed. Com. K.G.Bose and many others were arrested from Calcutta itself and jailed. The proposed strike was crushed ruthlessly.
Both Coms. K.G.Bose and Moni Bose were dismissed / terminated from service in connection with the 1949 strike. The case against the dismissal of KG continued for a long time, but finally his dismissal was confirmed in 1961. Moni also was not reinstated.
KG became a full time union worker. National Federation of P and T Employees (NFPTE) was formed on 24th November 1954 through the realignment scheme, merging all the existing unions in the Federation. Through the realignment, a Federation with nine affiliated all India unions was constituted. It was a great achievement in bringing unity. Com.K.G. became one of the most important leaders of NFPTE in Bengal.
The 5 Days Glorious Strike of 1960 by the Central government employees was the biggest strike in Independent India till that time, participated by lakhs of workers. Com.KG took a leading role. Com.K.G.Bose was elected as the Circle Secretary of the Postal Class III Union and later elected as the All India President in 1963. He was also elected as the Circle Secretary of E.III Union.
12th July Committee, a Co-ordination Committee of Central, State, Public Sector, Local Self-Government Employees’ Unions etc. was formed in Bengal in 1966. He was elected as its first Joint Convener appreciating his great contribution in bringing the unions together to form the Committee.
Com.K.G. Bose toured all over India in preparation and for organizing the One Day Token Strike of Central government employees in 1968. The central government dealt the strike in a ferocious way arresting, terminating, dismissing and punishing tens of thousands of workers. 17 comrades became martyrs to the brutalities of the police / CRPF and also crushed under the trains when picketing. Com.K.G. along with others made herculean efforts for vacating the victimization.
The fight against the reformist and revisionist leadership continued.In 1970 Vijayawada Federal Council, contest took place and defeating the revisionist leadership, KG Bose was elected as the President of NFPTE with Com. A.S.Rajan as the Secretary General. For the first time in the history of NFPTE, a Worker President was elected. Till that time, it was only Members of Parliament or Central TU leaders, who were elected as President.
In the next Federal Council held in 1971 at Calcutta, OP Gupta group floated a parallel list of office-bearers and disrupted NFPTE. Some of the affiliated unions and the Confederation of CG employees were also disrupted.
In 1969, KG was elected as an MLA in W.Bengal Assembly and later nominated as a Member of the Pay Commission for the State Government employees. Both the responsibilities he fulfilled with credit.
Com. K.G.Bose played an inspiring role in the massively participated P and T Convention, EDA Convention and Bonus Convention held at Delhi in 1972. It was a show of strength by the KG-Iyer-Adi progressive leadership in the Federation.
All these hectic activities had a disastrous effect on his health. On a checkup it was found that the dreaded cancer has caught with him. But he continued his work without break.
It was during this period in 1973 that he came to Calicut. He was given a warm reception at the Railway Station by hundreds of P and T and sister unions and he addressed largely attended meetings. We never knew at that time that he was suffering from cancer. He did not tell also.
He was taken to London for expert treatment. But to the extreme sorrow of all, sad news came that our dear Com.K.G. left us forever on 11th December 1974. He was only 53. He left behind his wife Smt. Parul Bose, a trade union leader herself and their son Dipankar Bose and family. KG’s younger brother Com.Moni Bose was also in the leadership of the movement and was the first Patron of the BSNL Employees Union and earlier General Secretary of the E.III Union.
The following extract from his letter from London Hospital to the Calcutta Comrades shows his anxiety and keen interest in workers, even when was seriously ill:
“I want to survive and continue my uncompromising fight against all injustices and in this struggle I am not alone. Thousands and thousands of comrades are with me and they are the source of my inspiration…. “We cannot be a party to any proposal which may be considered as surrender of the principled stand by the common workers”.
The own building of BSNL Employees Union in Delhi purchased in2010 was named “ K.G.Bose Bhawan” in his memory.
I had a long association with Com.K.G. since 1963 when I met him at the Trivandrum All India Conference of E.III Union and where his intervention with the P and T Board Member Mr. Sen Gupta resulted in the cancellation of Rule 14 charge sheets imposed on me and other 7 others for organizing a strike at Kannur. Since then, in the All India Conferences and Federal Council Meetings he was the guiding force for all of us. He visited Calicut twice on our invitation and addressed widely attended meetings. The P and T Union office at Calicut is also named after him and inaugurated by his wife Com. Parul Bose, probably the first building dedicated to his memory.
It is heartening to note that the birth centenary of Com. KG Bose is being observed for one year from 7th July 2020 by various organizations.
Com.K.G.Bose was the guide, ideologue and leader, who led the P and T and CG employees’ movement on the correct path. He was a Shining Star for a whole generation of young comrades like me.
In this juncture, when more and more attacks are coming against the working class and whatever gains they achieved through struggles are being taken away, the memory of Com.K.G.Bose will strengthen us to continue our struggle and forward march.
RED SALUTE TO COM.K.G.BOSE,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)