Vindictive Action on Postal Unions
THE Department of Posts under the Modi government withdrew the recognition of the National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) and the All India Postal Employees Union (AIPEU) - Group 'C' on April 26, 2023. NFPE and AIPEU-Group 'C' have a paid membership of 70 per cent among the postal employees of the country. Both these organisations are spearheading struggles against the government's attempts to convert the postal department into a corporation and subsequently hand it over to private/corporates. Therefore, the withdrawal of recognition of NFPE and P-3 Union is nothing but a conspiracy of the government to silence the organisations that are fighting against the sell-out of the postal department.
According to the union ministry of communication, AIPEU and NFPE violated Central Service Rules, 1993 and violations were brought to the attention of the ministry via several complaints by Bharatiya Postal Employees Association, an affiliate of the RSS’ Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). The reasons stated lacked logical and rational basis and were deemed to be imprudent and vile.
The BMS union has come with a congratulatory note on this “right decision” by the union government. However, the BMS union also expressed their anguish that union government took “too much time” to de-recognise AIPEU and NFPE and asked for more punitive measures. The vengeance is understandable because in a 2014 referendum, the BMS union was thoroughly defeated by the postal workers; it could gather only 5 per cent of the total votes polled. In spite of communal and all other below the belt tactics, the BMS union is reportedly not in a situation to improve their performance in the next referendum in 2024.
NFPE and AIPEU with a glorious legacy of fighting against the British imperialist forces are leading working class struggles against the calculated attempts by the RSS-BJP led union government to dismantle public sector postal services and corporatise them. It was natural for these progressive and democratic unions to express solidarity and donate some funds to the legendary farmers’ struggle. The Modi regime’s penchant for helping big corporate houses is creating an objective condition for worker peasant unity with an unprecedented intensity in independent India.
It is not surprising that Modi, who is talking about doubling farmers’ income, is punishing working class movements which came bravely to support the farmers’ struggle. The dream of the Modi regime is to break worker peasant unity by making militant anti imperialist trade unions powerless and install stooges of the finance-monopoly capital combine as the sole representative of the Indian working class. The method of de-recognising and banning all anti-fascist trade unions was experimented by Hitler and Mussolini in Germany and Italy respectively. Developments in these countries taught that working class movements cannot be eliminated by fascistic maneuvering.
In its letter no.SR-10/7/2022- SR-DOP dated April 26, 2023, the postal department made the following allegations:
1. NFPE and P-3 Union donated Rs 30,000 for the farmer's agitation.
2. NFPE and P-3 Union donated Rs 50,000 to CITU.
3. NFPE and P-3 Union donated Rs 4,935 to CPI(M).
It is shocking that the department of posts has labeled Rs 30,000 given to the farmer's agitation as political funding. The year-long agitation organised by the farmers was a purely non-political movement, aimed at safeguarding agriculture and food security of the country. It is unacceptable for the postal department to brand the donation given to the farmer's agitation as political funding.
Regarding the Rs 50,000 given to CITU, it has been explained that this amount is NFPE's contribution to the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). Since individual unions face difficulties in remitting their contribution directly to the WFTU, it is routed through CITU, which is a central trade union. Furthermore, CITU is a central trade union and not a political party.
It is ridiculous that an online payment of Rs 4,935 made to the CPI(M) has been branded as political funding by the postal department. The secretary general of NFPE has explained that Rs 4,935 was remitted through online payment mode to the CPI(M) for purchasing books from CPI(M) Publications. Despite this explanation, the postal department has maintained that it is political funding. It is laughable that the postal department has labeled the paltry amount of Rs 4,935 as political funding.
Several central trade unions, as well as industry-wise trade unions/associations, have condemned the withdrawal of recognition of NFPE and AIPEU-Group 'C' by the postal department. The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has urged employees to organise protests in various forms.
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has said that it strongly condemns the vindictive and anti-trade union action taken by the postal department under the influence of the ruling RSS-BJP dispensation to withdraw recognition from NFPE. This action is a clear attempt to silence the opposition of workers and employees to the government's destructive and anti-worker policies. Such draconian actions are unacceptable and go against the principles of democracy and workers' rights.
The BSNL Employees Union held black badge-wearing lunch hour protest demonstrations on May 2, 2023, condemning the de-recognition of NFPE and the AIPEU.
AIKS expressed its deep solidarity to the NFPE and AIPEU in their political, ideological and legal fight against this fascistic decision, and called upon all other farmers’ organisations to express solidarity with the working-class comrades.
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