Postal Department Strike From December 17
As many as 2.80 lakh Gramin Dak Sewak (GDS) employees working across the country in the Department of Posts have proposed to go on an indefinite strike from December 17 to press for regularization of their service. The regular employees owing allegiance to National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) have decided to extend solidarity to GDS staff by joining the strike.Speaking to the reporter, D Ebinezer Gandhi, Coimbatore division secretary of National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE), said the GDS employees, (earlier known as Extra Departmental staff) had been on warpath demanding regularisation of their services for the past several years. Of the 29,000 GDS employees state-wide, 2,500 are from Coimbatore division who are toiling for well over 10 hours on a paltry remuneration, Gandhi said.
S S Mahadevaiah, general secretary of All India Gramin Dak Sewak Employees Union in New Delhi, told Express over phone that the conciliatory talks held in the presence of Regional Labour Commissioner on Monday failed as there was hardly any move to look into their longfelt demands. About 80 per cent of total postal network across the country is being manned by GDS employees, he said, and added that they are taking care of rural business.
Leave alone recognition for their services, GDS staff are paid only Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 depending upon their services. And adding to their woes, the Nataraja Murti Committee recommended lowering the retirement age of GDS staff from 65 to 62 years and suggested a remuneration of Rs 500 for three-hour work, Mahadevaiah said. The Nataraja Murthi panel also recommended abolition of one lakh posts of GDS who are engaged as stamp-vendors, packers and urban sub-post masters.
