MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY ALL  CIRCLE SECRETARIES,ASSAM(NFPE) IS FURNISHED BELOW....

                                                                   N. F. P. E

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION, GROUP ‘C’, ASSAM CIRCLE

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION, POSTMEN/MTS & GROUP ’D’ ASSAM CIRCLE

ALL INDIA RMS AND MMS EMPLOYEES UNION, GROUP ‘C’, ASSAM CIRCLE

ALL INDIA RMS AND MMS EMPLOYEES UNION,MG AND MTS, ASSAM CIRCLE

ALL INDIA POSTAL ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES UNION  GROUP ‘C’ & ‘D’, ASSAM CIRCLE

ALL INDIA POSTAL ACCOUNTS EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, ASSAM CIRCLE

AND

ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION-GDS (NFPE), ASSAM CIRCLE

                       .

                                             MEMORANDUM DATED 12^TH SEPTEMBER, 2013

 

To

Shri  T. Murthy

Chief Postmaster General

Assam Circle, Meghdoot Bhawan

Guwahat-781 001.

 

 

IN THE ISSUE OF 

1.        Legal and Disciplinary action on the recent bribery case.

2.        Withdrawal of all fabricated police case and  all vindictive action taken against NFPE members.

3.        Action against accused of sexual harassment.

4.        Immediate solution of  staff problems.

 

Sir,

 

All the Postal Employees’ Union of Assam Circle  under the banner of National Federation of Postal Employees,  while expressing its deep resentment  on the lopsided action  taken  in respect of the bribery case inter alia unusual administrative pressure  and threatening  of invoking Rule 16 & 14 including police case against  the NFPE members and also lackadaisical attitude towards  the genuine  problems  of the staff, would like to submit this memorandum to you with  an optimistic view of immediate positive action from your good office  on each issue detailed hereunder.

 

1.        Bribery case of Rs 20,000/- caught red handed on 01.07.2013 :

 

The service unions have been demanding legal and disciplinary action  against Mr. Tapash Chakraborty  ASPOs (Divn), O/O the SSPOs, Guwahati Division, the main accused behind the bribery  case. But no tangible action has been taken as yet despite availability of documentary/factual evidence. Rather  Mr Tapash Chakraborty has been given a free hand  to manipulate and corrupt the whole bribery episode. Moreover the amount of bribe for Rs 20,000/- is still   under the custody of the SSPOs, Guwahati in contravention of rules.   It is also noticed that Mr. Tapash Chakraborty  has been threatening the  postal officials who caught red handed his  agent while taking bribe with  dire consequence.  It is crystal clear that he is misusing the fraud/investigation and vigilance branch for his personal benefit. Therefore it can be presumed that Mr Chakraborty is getting the blessings of the higher  up and we are forced to think that the authority is encouraging the corrupt officers.

 

As per guidelines of Govt of India, it is clearly decided that prosecution should be the general rule in all those cases which are found fit to be sent to Court after investigation and in which the offences are of bribery, corruption or other criminal misconduct involving loss of substantial public funds.  In such cases, departmental action should not precede prosecution.

 

It is therefore demanded that :-

 

(a)      Immediate suspension of Mr Tapash Chakraborty, ASPOs (Divn) in the interest of impartial  inquiry.

(b)      The  bribery case  is  prosecuted in the court of law.

 

2.        Withdrawal of all fabricated police case and  vindictive action taken against NFPE  leaders/Members :

  

               The SRM, GH Division has been misusing his official power  against the NFPE leaders  and  members  by various means of his sword like irregular transfer and  various types of  disciplinary action on flimsy ground. He is so biased that he lodged fabricated case in the police station against the NFPE members. The trade union rights is completely eroded  and  his autocratic attitude  has gone unlimited.

 

               Therefore the service unions demand that          

                          

(a)      Action is  taken to withdraw all fabricated  police case  and vindictive action.

(b)      Withdrawal of all irregular/biased  transfer of NFPE  leaders..

(c)       Proper education be imparted to the SRM for change of  his feudal mindset.

 

3.        Action on sexual harassment :

 

                       It is painful to note that whenever cases like sexual harassment is raised,  the Chairperson of the Assam Circle Internal committee on sexual harassment  comes forward to defend the perpetrators. The Chair Person, Dr Vizo,  threatens  the employees who raised such issues to face disciplinary action and transfer.

 

                   As per guidelines and norms laid down on the basis of judgement of the Hon’ble  Supreme  Court, it is clearly stated that

 

                  “ Employees should be allowed to raise issues  of sexual harassment  at workers meeting and in other appropriate forum and it should be affirmatively discussed in  Employer-Employee meetings “

 

                     The issue of sexual harassment by Mr Tapash Chakraborty was raised  in the monthly meeting of P-III with the SSPOs Guwahati. Later it is raised by Ms Nilima Dutta Chaudhury, Vice President, P-III, and Convenor NFPE Women Cell of Assam Circle in the workers meeting held in front of Meghdoot Bhawan on  04.09.2013. But, unfortunately, Dr. A. K Vizo, SSPOs, Guwahati and Chairperson of the Internal committee came openly in defence of  the accused. Dr(Ms) Vizo was so embarrassed on the allegation of sexual harassment against Mr Tapash Chakraborty that she visited Rehabari Post Office on the very next day ie. 05.09.2013 and openly threatened Ms Nilima Dutta Chaudhury to face disciplinary action under Rule -14 including transfer.

 

                 Further it is reported that  Ms Aparna Barua, PA/ Divisional Office and one of the victims  was called to the chamber of Dr Vizo on 05.09.2013 and  pressurized to give statement that nothing was happened with her from the side of Mr Tapash Chakraborty.  The SSPOs forcefully obtained signature on a statement written by  three lady Inspector of Posts.

 

                Further the case  of sexual harassment by the SRM, GH Division with Ms  Kajal Debnath was  lodged  by the victim and the service union with the Chairperson Dr A. K. Vizo, the SSPOs, Guwahati. In that case  also no action was taken against the accused .

 

                   It is noteworthy that a full fledged  complaint committee  with involvement of third party, either NGO or other body familiar with the issue of sexual harassment does not exist in Assam Circle and therefore Ms Dr Vizo  has got the chance of abetting  the perpetrators.

 

                                 The Service Unions, therefore, demand immediate  action on both the perpetrators and formation of a full members complaint committee with third party involvement as per  the Sexual harassment of women at work place (Prevention , Prohibition and Redressal  Act)-2013.

 

4.        Attack on trade union  and democratic right :

 

The CPMG/Assam Circle letter No WLF/2-1/RLG/Pt-II dated 06.09.2013 addressed to all  the Circle Secretaries  of Assam Circle threatening to derecognize the  service union including the AIPE Union, GDS (NFPE) and issue of charge sheets under Rule-16 of CCS(CCA) Rules 1965  to  Branch Secreatries/Divisional Secretaries of Guwahati for making postering outside the boundary  wall of Meghdoot Bhawan is a brazen attack to the trade union  and democratic right of the service unions.

 

We condemn such sinister design  and  demand instant withdrawal of such letters and charge sheets .

 

 

5.        Stop harassment of innocent staff:

It has been observed that innocent staff are being harassed on many irrelevant grounds to cover up the weakness of the lower level administration . It should be stopped immediately to maintain congenial atmosphere.

 

6.        Illegal  transfer under Rule 37 :          

 

It is noticed that some of the Group C employees  have been recently posted/transferred to different divisions under Rule 37 of P & T Manual Vol-IV. Transfer of Group C employees of Postal Department is illegal in view of the DG letter no 20-12/90-SPB 1 dtd 23.08.1990 and judgement of CAT, Ahmedabad bench dtd 12.12.1995.

 

Therefore, the service union demands immediate cancellation of all Rule 37 posting/transfer cases of Group C postal employees.

 

7.        Finalisation of all  pending compassionate appointment cases : 

 

                The compassionate appointment cases  are pending since years together  either for non                                  sitting of Circle Selection Committee or  on the plea of Zero vacancy position. The family of the deserving candidates have been suffering a lot and therefore immediate positive  action for early disposal of all the pending compassionate appointment cases is requested.

         

8.        No abolition of the post of stamp vendors—Status quo to be maintained :

 

All the posts of  GDS/departmental  stamp Vendors  have been abolished  without assessing the ground reality. The selling of postage stamps & stationery including revenue/CRF stamps through the stamp vendors is  not detachable  and the decision is quite detrimental to the interest of  the staff. Further  the said  work is impossible to be  attached  to the counters in  the present situation of maximum workload coupled with shortage of staff.

 

The service unions ,therefore , oppose such kind of step and urge upon you to cancel  the orders.

9.        Stopping of holding  meeting/training/Mela on Sundays and holidays :

 

It is found to be  a general practice of the authority that the meeting/ training and melas  are  called for  in the Sundays and holidays  and  strict  direction like invoking stringent action on non-attending    such training/melas  is given. The operative  staff feels very tired after working intensive duties for  continuous six days  and they are  entitled to  one day rest/weekly off which is a universally accepted concept. Deprivation  from the right of weekly off/holidays  is also against the existing  labour laws and cause  health hazard. The service union , earlier,  also ventilated its anguish and grievances and the department has given a commitment in writing on the negotiation table of  the strike of July,2011 which speaks  that the weekly off/Sundays would be  delinked from any duty.

 

But the said practice is still going on and therefore the service unions demand to honour its earlier commitment.

.

 

10.            Shortage of staff of all cadre  :

 

Acute  shortage of staff in all cadre  is found to be  a problem of permanent nature in  each and every Post office/RMS offices and section. As a result the  staff are to perform duty    of  additional man power besides their normal allotted works.

11.            Shortage of staff in the Circle due to withdrawal of all deputations:

The Circle Office is running with shortage of staff and the shortage was managed by getting deputation of Postal Assistant . Now due to sudden withdrawal of all deputation , the works of the office has become unmanageable and worst sufferers are the common postal  employees as well as the public.

We therefore urged upon to the authority to fill up all the vacancies in Circle Office.

 

 

 

12.        Non  granting of MACP to the Postman & Group ‘D’ staff :

 

The Postman and Group ‘D’ staff are not getting due financial up gradation (MACP) due to non sitting of DPC at Divisional level. As a result  the deserving officials are deprived of their  due financial  benefit.

Therefore  regular sitting of DPC  at all level may kindly be ensured. 

 

13        Streamlining the duty of the System Manager :

 

A few  Postal  Assistants with knowledge  of software knowhow have been deployed as system manager. The PA/SM are to work both in   computer System managing  and also in postal operative works as and when situation of  acute shortage of staff arises. There is no clarification/definition of their duty. Sometimes the PA/SM are to work day and night  in Post Office for restoration of any system failure but no compensation  in the shape of monetary benefit is declared as yet. Their TA/DA bills  are  also stated to be  not received due consideration.

 

Further the recent transfer of PA/SM and  delinking the duty of System Manager in Guwahati Division is apparently a  bias  action as the victim  system managers did a noble job.

 

Moreover   the post of PA/SM earmarked in Post office  remained unmanned due to their outdoor duty which resulted in the permanent shortage of one/two hand short in that office.

 

Therefore a thorough analysis on  the inconvenience  caused to the PA/SM in discharging   duty is required to be  made so as to get a clear definition  of the duty of PA/SM.

      

14   Provision of departmental canteen at DA(P) Guwahati    :

 

          There is no canteen facility in the office of the Director of Accounts(Postal), Guwahati. An                     action for providing departmental canteen us therefore  demanded.

 

      We hope your good office will take immediate positive  step within seven days on Item No  1,   2,  3, 4  and 5 within seven days and redressal measure on the other items in phased manner

  within a reasonable period.

 

                           We hope positive action will certainly bring congenial atmosphere and we will  not be forced

                  to resort to  Direct Trade Union Action.

 

 

                                                                   Yours  faithfully   

 

 

    ( L.P. Saikia )                     ( G. Talukdar)                  (Mainul Haque )                             ( I Rahman )    

    Circle Secretary P-III      Circle Secretary, R-III       Circle Secretary P-IV              Circle Secretary R-IV

 

 

     (Suresh Sarma )                                  (Pankaj Das)                                                ( B. K. Das)

     Circle Secretary GDS(NFPE)     Circle Secretary Admn Union                 Circle Secretary Accounts Assn.

 

 

 

        Copy to :

                      The Secretary General, NFPE New Delhi for information and necessary action.

 

 

 

  ( L.P. Saikia )                     ( G. Talukdar)                    (Mainul Haque )                             ( I Rahman )    

    Circle Secretary P-III      Circle Secretary, R-III       Circle Secretary P-IV              Circle Secretary R-IV

 

 

     (Suresh Sarma )                                  (Pankaj Das)                                                ( B. K. Das)

     Circle Secretary GDS(NFPE)     Circle Secretary Admn Union                 Circle