“Not necessary for going on strike. People will laugh at us. Please don't make such kind of drama and take decision according to grass root level comrades”.
Are you shocked? - Because we are writing!
No need to be bewildered since this is one of many such anonymous comments apart from series of telephone calls, SMS etc we are receiving soon after deferment of the proposed Indefinite strike scheduled to be organized from 11th July, 2016 under the banner of National Joint Council of Action comprising Railway Federations, Defence Federations and Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers including National Federation of Postal Employees and Federation of National Postal Organizations. But we do feel that without going deep to the background story for deferring the indefinite strike, Mr. Anonymous has passed such a comment. We have the bitter experience that the some employees who only look after their own benefits and who don’t have any business with the mass interest do wait for such a situation to blame the leadership.
How can one so simply tell the well-organized struggle programme of 47 lakh Central Govt. Employees supported with 52 lakh C G pensioners by the biggest platform formed so far in the name of NJCA a drama? Why people will laugh at us? Are the Central Govt. Employees struggling for their own benefits only? Everybody should understand that the basic demand for enhancing the minimum wage will greatly benefit the state Govt. Employees and workers of the unorganized sector at large in a later stage.
We don’t respond to anonymous comments. But since most of our comrades are simple, honest and trustworthy, apprehending that such negative remarks/forces may demotivate our bonafide members and go against the interest of the mass, we prefer to justify our stand for the forthcoming one day strike on 2ndSeptember, 2016.
Background of deferring the Indefinite Strike :
As has been severally written and published, in spite of several round of country wide agitational programmes conducted by NJCA including massive Parliament March, the NDA Government did not respond to negotiate the demands with the staff side, but declared unilateral implementation of the recommendations of 7th CPC without any modifications through a cabinet decision on 29th June, 2016. But due to the resentment, anger and protest of the entire Central Government employees, the Hon’ble Prime Minister directed three Cabinet Ministers including Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitly and Railway Minister Shri. Suresh Prabhu to hold discussion with the NJCA leaders on 30th June 2016. Major demands in the Charter of demands were discussed with particular reference to Improvement in Minimum wage and fitment formula. Issues relating to parity in pension was also discussed. Finally the Ministers assured that a high level committee will be appointed to consider the issues raised by the NJCA.
As no written minutes or communications were received from the Government regarding the 30th June discussion and assurances, the NJCA decided to go ahead with the strike. Country wide demonstrations were held daily in front of all offices and at all important centres. In Bhubaneswar Division, we conducted as many as 20 exclusive workplace demonstrations against the unilateral cabinet decision and greatly motivated the rank and file to bring a thundering success to the proposed Indefinite strike. We know the hard work we performed in this regard in obedience to the instructions of NJCA.
On 6th July 2016 when the NJCA meeting was in progress, Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh again invited the NCA Leaders for discussion. The Minister reiterated the earlier assurances and told that Finance Minister will issue a press statement making the Government stand clear on the demands. Accordingly, the Government issued a press statement on 6th July 2016 stating that the Ministers assured the Union leaders for considering the issues by a High Level Committee.
As many as 17 leaders from all Federations / Confederations did participate in the discussion with the group of Ministers and there was no time to obtain opinion from the grass root level to take a decision. It was 6th July and we had to go for the Indefinite Strike from 11th July. Still some employees are of the opinion that we would have got a better settlement if NJCA has gone ahead with the indefinite strike.
Confederation has clearly clarified the situation as follows.
“All of us are aware that NJCA is not a monolithic, composite organization. It is a united forum of independent organisations. Each Federation has its own identity and individuality and take decision as per the direction of the managing bodies of each organization. Hence different views may emerge in the NJCA, but final decision is taken by consensus. If each organization sticks to its own stand and others to follow it, there is no question of consensus and NJCA will not exist”.
While Com. M Krishnan, Secretary General, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers reiterated the above fact, Com. Shiva Gopal Misra, Convenor, NJCA made it clear in the circular dated 7th July 2016 as follows: -
“Though there is positive assurance from the Govt. of India, but all of you will not take rest and assume counselling the cadre and ground staff that they should remain in full preparedness, because if there will not be satisfactory outcome, we will be having no alternative except to agitate the issues again.”
Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra has already written on 26.07.2016 to Hon’ble Finance Minister and Home Minister to expedit action for setting up of proposed High Level Committee to review Minimum Wage and Fitment Multiplication Factor as was promised on 30.06.2016 meeting which paved the way for defferment of the proposed Indefinite Strike from 11.07.2016. The so called High Level Committee has not yet been constituted.
Central Govt. Employees are the worst sufferers:
As you know, after rejection of all our demands relating to minimum wage, fitment formula / factor, Annual Increment, Promotion etc. by the 7th Pay Commission including withdrawal of advances and allowances, the NJCA’s call for going on Indefinite Strike from 11.07.2016 was deferred on the circumstances narrated above. All our efforts to convince the Govt. for bringing suitable modifications in the recommendations of the 7th CPC are being delayed in the name of further examination by constituting of several committees, viz. Committee for allowances, Committee for anomalies and Committee for minimum wage and fitment formula. When such committees are yet to be formed / give their report, most unfortunately, the Govt. hurriedly issued Gazette Notification on 29.07.2016 along with CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016 for implementation of the recommendations of the 7th CPC on the basis of Cabinet Decision dated 29.06.2016 and now we are expecting the arrears and pay the revised scale during August, 2016.
