Meeting with Ho'ble Chair Person Smt. Sonia Gandhi UPA government Implementation of Pay Commission for GDS
Many members of Parliament have come forward to our help. In mean time a delegation Honble member of Parliament Shri, Oscar Fernandes, Shri, Sachin Meega, President, Chikkamangalore District, IYC, S.S. Mahadevaiah, General Secretary, GDS Union, and others met Smt, Sonia Gandhi, Chair Person, UPA Government and Congress President, On 1st September 2009, we submitted memorandum and also requested kind intervention for early settlement and justice to GDS Staff, Madam Gandhi respond positively.
GDS/CHQ/41/1/2009 Dated: 01-09-2009
Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji,
Hon’ble Chairman,
United Progressive Alliance,
No.11 Janpath,
New Delhi -110 001
MEMORANDUM – SOS!
Respected Madam,
We enclose a copy of a memorandum already submitted to the Govt, Ministers, MPs, Officers etc., craving for justice, justice and justice. We have been exploited over a long period even before India ’s independence. At last, with a ray of hope we implore before you for needful action to mitigate the hardship of this section of the society.
It is at a crucial moment we are meeting you when our demands are being considered by the union cabinet and therefore this request for timely intervention please.
You may be surprised if you look at the saga of discrimination, rather injustice meted out to Gramin Dak Sevaks who are the key nerve of the net work of the postal department, especially the rural net work. All schemes of your esteemed Govt. are success by our sincere and dedicated work. We have procured crores and crores in the business of Rural Postal Life Insurance and today it is the rural GDS is the hope of the FUTURE POSTAL DEPARTMENT! It is not an exaggeration.
You are well aware that administrative expenditure in all spheres is increasing alarmingly. Major portion of the revenue is being eaten by the officers, the white elephants. We are struggling for a simple life on the other hand the hard earned public money is being spent recklessly and lavishly. Please have a glance at this area to assure LIFE LINE to Gramin Dak Sevaks.
MINIMUM DEMANDS WE HAVE PLACED BEFORE YOU
We work for the same Central Govt., postal, but yet to be considered as treated as Central Staff. We are craving for SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND NATURAL JUSTICE NOW AND WE FERVENTLY APPEAL TO YOU THAT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP PLEASE TAKE PAINS TO WIPE OUT THE TEARS OF THIS NEGLECTED SECTION. The main section, Central Staff (because it involves officers – bureaucracy!) already managed better pay and perks and it is we who are waiting for a fair deal madam.
In the present situation the views of the workers’ representatives are not taken properly which is cause for industrial unrest often. GDS are the subject matter of discrimination, insults and injustice. To cite, our valid demands for EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK, BONUS, PENSION AND ALL OTHER FACILITIES HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT REASONS.
Under the above circumstances it is high time that you would come to our rescue by your kind intervention and for such help of yours we shall be ever grateful to you madam.
With profound regards,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(S.S. Mahadevaiah)
General Secretary
MEMORANDUM ON PAY & ALLOWANCES OF GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS IN THE LIGHT OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF 6TH CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION
The Postal services are provided by two sets of employees: (1) In urban areas by the full time Departmental Employees and (2)in rural areas by employees known as GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (G.D.S.) who are put on duty for shorter period. Presently the duties of these GDS employees are between three hours to five hours. These Gramin Dak Sevaks were earlier called Extra Departmental Agents (EDAs). They function according to the same rules as govern the working procedure of the departmental employees and almost similar conduct and disciplines rules are also applicable. Only service conditions are different viz no pension; no constitutional gratuity; no leave similar to departmental employees and no allowances except the dearness allowance.
2. These GDS employees, over the period, have undertaken several schemes of the government like payment of NREGS wages, payment of old age pension apart from other small savings schemes and value-added services. These employees serve the "Common Man" in the village and are the commonest of the common people. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has held the EDAs as holders of Civil Post i.e Civil Servants.
3. To give a brief back ground, it is worth mentioning that when the 5th Central Pay Commission was appointed, a pay Committee for EDAs under the Chairmanship of Justice Charanjit Talwar, a retired Judge of Delhi High Court was appointed. Justice Talwar Committee broadly recommended pay-scale for the EDAs proportionate to their duty hours with the pay-scales of the departmental employees. Justice Talwar Committee also recommended payment of all allowances like house rent allowances, Children education allowances etc. Justice Talwar Committee also recommended pension and gratuity for the EDAs. It recommended pay fixation in the new scale which totally matched the pay fixation of the Departmental employees. However, the Government gave effect to the recommendations on pay and allowances only.
4. When the 6th CPC was appointed, the employees persistently requested that the issues pertaining to the GDS employees be referred to the 6th CPC or a pay committee under a retired High Court Judge be appointed, However, the department of Posts appointed a one man committee under the Chairmanship of a retired bureaucrat of the Department of Posts. The said committee in a most arbitrary way has tried to override the benefits already available to the GDS employees and has tried to over do the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by suggesting charge is the nomenclature of the Conduct Rules from "GDS Employees (Conduct & Appointment) Rules" to " GDS employees (Conduct & Engagement) Rules
5. In view of the policy already accepted by the Government the Pay scale or pay band (including Grade pay) of the GDS employees with relation to the 6the CPC recommendations of the corresponding category of the departmental employees have Justifiable to be as follows.
(i) Pay 3-4 hrs. 4-5 hrs.
GDS SPM 6000
GDS BPM 4800 6000
GDS Mail Deliverer 4000 6000
GDS Mail Peon etc 3500 4500
(ii) Increment: 3% percent.
(iii) Allowances:
The allowances such as HRA, Bad Climate allowance, Transport allowance, Children Education allowance etc are totally justified to be granted on principles of equal justice.
(iv) Pension & Gratuity. At par with other Departmental employees.
(v) The Committee has recommended curtailment of Postal services in rural areas to below three hours. This requires to be rejected in interest of Postal services to the rural population.
(vi) Bonus: This Committee has also given a damaging and arbitrary recommendation regarding fixing lower maximum pay limit for calculating bonus to GDS which is at present Rs. 3500/-. This is totally unjust provocative and vindictive. This requires to be scrapped and states-quo maintained.
(vii) Trade Union facilities: Proper Trade union facilities to run the affairs of the union are justified.
(viii) Fixation in new pay band: at par with departmental employees.
