Postal Employees Union Hunger Strike in Tezpur

Postal Employees Union Hunger Strike in Tezpur

Along with the rest of the country, On day hunger strike by National Federation of Postal Employees Union, Tezpur Branch in front of Tezpur Head Post office yesterday in support of GDS indefinite strike.

While talking to the correspondent, the protester of the postal services Tezpur Branch said that “Assam State Committee will extend its full solidarity support to the ongoing indefinite strike of more than 2.76 Lakhs GDS employees of the postal Department which completed 9 (nine) days today with their demands still unheeded by the Govt. of India. This strike is a “do or die” battle to end the slavery in the Postal Department. We are demanding our Right to Live.”

They also pointed out that GDS service conditions are pathetic. No pay scale is granted instead of a Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA). Minimum monthly allowance for 3 hours is Rs.2295- plus DA and maximum monthly allowance for hours is Rs.3635 plus DA. No other allowance such as HRA, Children Education Allowance and No Medical Facilities, No Maternity leave, No pension etc., are granted. Rent of the building in which Branch post office is the house is to be paid by the Branch post Master (BPM) from his pocket. Only 20 days paid leave is granted in a year. No time bound promotion to expect examination based promotion to a limited number of postman & Group –D vacancies. They also added Govt. stand was that GDS are not CIVIL Servants but are Extra Departmental Employees. After much pressure and agitation by postal Federation finally, Government appointed separate Committee for revision of wages and service conditions of GDS, headed by a retired postal board Member Shri Kamalesh Chandra, they added.