FLASH

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

NCCPA Solidarity to February strike of Working Class!

 


 

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

OF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN NO AAEAN8586F

13.c Feroze Shah Road,

New Delhi. 110 001

 

Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.                                                                     E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.

 

PRESIDENT:                COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176 47594)

SECRETARY GENERAL:          COM.K.K.N.KUTTY. (98110 483030)

Dated: 15th January, 2022.

 

Dear comrades,

 

The National Secretariat of NCCPA met on 9th January 2022 over virtual platform under the chairmanship of Com S.G. Misra, President.  While welcoming the participants at the meeting and greeting them for a very prosperous year ahead, he detailed the efforts of staff-side in getting the 18 months DA/DR arrears.  The Government did not either commit the payment or rejected it.  The official side had however, promised to work for a positive outcome but did not indicate any time schedule. To a specific query raised by some members, he clarified that the Government has not appropriated the arrears and the rumour that it had been transferred to the PM care fund or any other fund has no substance.  He wanted the house to discuss the issue and take appropriate decision.  He also wanted the members to take serious note of the decision of the Central Trade Unions to go on yet another strike action for two days in Feb. 2022 and decide upon the manner and method the Pensioners Association could support the action. 

 

Initiating the discussion on the agenda viz. the support action for the workers strike on 23rd and 24th Feb. 2022,  Com. Kutty indicated the difficulties in organising  physical support action in view of the third phase of the pandemic.   He wanted the NCCPA to undertake an intensive campaign to reach out to the members to make them realise the seriousness of the strike demands and the need for extensive support action.  He said that the pernicious impact of the neo-liberal policies pursued by the Government , which have become visible in all walks of common man’s life and living  must be brought to the notice of the members.  In the discussions that were held thereafter, almost all Sectt. members took part.  The conclusions and consensus arrived at the meeting are as under:

 

1.       A National Webinar will be held to explain the general demands and pensioner specific issues in which all NE member of NCCPA, NE members of all the affiliates and office bearers of COCs or CGPA would be requested to take part.

2.       All affiliates will organise such webinars to highlight some of the issues specific to those organisations;

3.       The CGPA or COCs will take initiative to organise webinars with the assistance and participation of the members of the State Units of NCCPA in the respective vernacular.

 

4.       Dharna programme will be organised at all State capitals eliciting physical participation of members if situation permits on 22nd Feb. 2022.  If physical participation become difficult due to continuing covid situation, a virtual meeting of the pensioners of the concerned state will be organised and pass a resolution supporting the strike and the same would be sent to the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India. 

 

5.       On the day of the commencement of the strike and the following day, the pensioners all over the country will wear badges stating the support to the striking workers even at home.  A specimen copy of the badge to be designed and printed will be placed on NCCPA website. 

 

6.       The draft of the resolution which the meeting has decided to adopt to express support to the strike action along with the NCCPA charter of demands is enclosed.  The Sectt. members will immediately on receipt of this letter write to the undersigned whether any addition/alteration is required in the charter. The resolution will be sent to the Cabinet Secretary on 31st January, 2022.  In case it becomes necessary for the Central Trade Unions to alter the date of strike action due to the pandemic, our action programmes to be held on 22nd Feb. 2022 will also be accordingly changed. 

 

7.       The meeting discussed various pensioner specific issues, which has not found any resolution despite taking up the matter with the Government on various occasion.  It was, therefore, decided that the National Executive must meet after the strike action and chalk out a series of programmes to create the requisite sanctions.  The affiliates in the meantime, will indicate the issues to be taken up for inclusion in the charter of demands by end of Feb 2022.  There was a suggestion at the meeting that the NCCPA must take up some of the social issues also along with the economic demands.  Many comrades spoke about the deteriorating situation in respect of medical facilities.

 

Agenda Item No. 2.

To pursue the DR arrears through litigation.

 

On the basis of the discussions and suggestions put forth by the members, the following decisions were taken:

 

(a)    To file a writ petition either at the Supreme Court or any of the High Courts under the original jurisdiction of the respective Courts challenging the denial of the dearness relief.

(b)    The NCCPA will present a report of the financial implication of filing such a case, its feasibility and the method to collect funds.

(c)     The Government’s final stand in the matter as and when it is conveyed to the staff side will be considered before finally filing the case.

(d)    The final decision in the matter will be taken by the end of March, 2022.

 

The meeting was concluded at 5.30 PM .

 

With greetings,

 

Yours fraternally,

 

K.K.N. Kutty,

Secretary General.

Enc: Draft resolution and charter of demands

 

DRAFT RESOLUTION

 

The National Secretariat of NCCPA which met today, the 9th January, 2022. after deliberations resolved to convey to the Government, the following conclusions reached at the meeting and appeal to the Government to redress the grievances of the Pensioners and senior citizens and retired personnel.

 

A.      Ever since the advent of the new economic policies, the senior citizens, pensioners and other retired personnel are struggling to make the both ends meet as there had been heavy erosion in their income;

B.      While on the one hand,  the lowering of interest rates, the non-revision of pension benefits; meagre return on investments and many other steps taken by the Government had reduced their income, on the other, inflation, the rising prices, the cascading impact of the constant increase of the  prices of petroleum products, withdrawal of the Government from welfare activities, increasing the user charges for the facilities provided  due to the privatisation of public services have made it impossible for them to survive.

C.       The disinvestment, outright sale of public utility services to the private parties, the proposed leasing out of the infra-structural facilities, privatisation, outsourcing, closure of government and public sector enterprises all have added to their agony.

D.      The high rate of indirect taxation, unhindered price rise of essential commodities, dismantling of the administrative price mechanism of petroleum products, abandoning the public distribution system, not only caused immense distress to the common people but also to the fixed wage/pension earners in the society;

E.       While the bail out packages announced in the covid period did immensely help the entrepreneurs at small, medium and high levels, there had been nothing worthwhile to help out the poor people and especially the fixed income earners in the society. 

F.       The Government’s decision to deny the dearness relief to the Pensioners and freeze the DR dues for 18 months had been sans any logic or reason and had hurt the senior citizens including the pensioners very harshly.

G.      The Govt. unfortunately did not choose to extend a helping hand to the poor and senior citizens of the country during the covid period even after the national economy nose- dived to a negative growth rate.

H.      While the pension revision in the case of BSNL pensioners has been denied, or delayed indefinitely despite positive response, the reimbursement of medical expenses or medical allowance for them have not been sanctioned in the last several years making the pensioners to suffer bitterly in the covid period.

I.         In the case of Bank pensioners, especially of the PNB, not only the pension revision has been delayed/denied indefinitely, the representative of the pensioners associations are not even taken into confidence, while the exercise for revision of pension is taken up for discussion. This is despite the fact that the pension fund has been accumulating and is of sizeable quantum to absorb the financial outlay that might be caused due to the proposed revision.

J.        The meeting has noted that the Government had been pursuing the anti-labour attitude and enacted the new labour code disregarding the objections raised by the workers collectively. The meeting has come to the conclusion that the brazen anti worker enactment was clearly to please the corporates and other entrepreneurs.

K.       The meeting congratulates the Kisan organisations in the country for their victory, the result of a firm determination and belief in the path of struggle which forced the Government to withdraw the farm enactments. 

L.       The meeting ultimately came to the conclusion that the path of struggles treaded by the Workers in the country has been forced upon them and has become inevitable given the attitude of the Government and must be supported by all right-thinking persons and organisations.

 

The NCCPA, its affiliates, its units and branches all over the country will organise solidarity action in support of the striking workers on 22nd Feb. 2022 by organising mass dharna and such other programmes of action. 

 

The meeting has decided to appeal to the Government to consider and settle the issues mentioned in the enclosed charter of demands. 

 

Shiv Gopal Misra,

President , NCCPA.

 

 

CHARTER OF DEMANDS.

 

1.       Implement Option No. 1 as  one of the  pension fitment formulae as recommended by the 7th   CPC.

2.        Revise the Pension of BSNL absorbed retirees immediately with 15% fitment; recommended by the 3rd PRC and approved by the government from 01-01-2017, delinking the wage revision in BSNL. Clear all pending medical bills and medical allowance;

3.       Evolve a policy for automatic grant of pension and other pensioner’s benefits to the pensioners and retirees of the autonomous bodies on par with the Central Govt. Pensioners. 

4.       Provide (a) notional fixation of pension under Option No. 3 on the basis of the pay scale/pay

level of the cadre or grade from which the pensioner retired. (b) Provide fixation of pension in the case of all pre 2006 pensioners on the basis of the grade pay/pay level or pay scale of

the post or cadre from which one has retired as per the judgments of Courts.

5.        Extend the benefit of CS(MA) Rules  to all pensioners who are not covered by CGHS.

6.        Increase the FMA to Rs. 2000 as has been granted to PF Pensioners.

7.        Raise the minimum pension to 60% of the Minimum wage. i.e. Rs. 10,800 p.m.

8.       Restore the commutation portion of pension after 10 years.

9.       Provide increased rates of pension on attainment of 65 years onwards as recommended by the Parliamentary panel.

10.   Scrap the New Contributory pension scheme and restore the defined benefit pension

11.   Revise the pension of the  Bank pensioners on  line  with Govt/RBI/Military  and settle the anomalies in pension and other benefits arising out of the amalgamation of Banks. 

12.   Provide the  benefits arising from the court judgements to all similarly placed pensioners.   Viz. the court order for the grant of one notional increment for those who retire on 30th June  and 31st December

13.   Introduce medical insurance scheme for all  pensioners  including the Bank pensioners whoever opts for such a scheme.

14.   Restore the train fare concession to senior citizens withdrawn by the Govt. during the covid period.

15.   To create a welfare fund for all retired personnel on par with the working emplloyees

16.   Equalise the DA payment for all bank employees without distinction between pre and post 1.11.2002.

17.   To increase the ex gratia payment to bank employees retired prior to 1986.

 

 

 

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