The future of post after COVID19».
Time: Thursday, Apr 16, 2020
Time: Thursday, Apr 16, 2020
“As a consequence of the COVID 19,-Service
provided by India Post & The action was taken my Federation FNPO.”
Postal trade unions
across India have been pushing for the introduction of health and safety
measures including personal protection equipment and ensuring social distancing
in the workplace.
Indian government declared
National lockdown from 24/03/2020 further the government declared that Post
office service is essential service.
Service
provided by India Post & Action taken my Federation FNPO.
In India, we have 156600 post
offices across the country out of this 113113 post offices in the rural area
function with an area of 100 to 150 square ft per post office, 24500 Post
offices function with 300 to 500 square feet per Post Office. Reaming reach
post office functions with above 600 square feet. My federation addressed
the Government informing impossibility to maintain social distance in the Post
offices which have been housed in less than 500Sq foot area. The Government was
requested to close the office till the normalcy restored. The postal department
did not give an order in writing to close down the offices however many post offices did not open due to local curfew and non-availability
transportation to the staff. Provided the grim situation in the country and the
world over my federation did not give call for Strike or walked out from the
workplace where the social distancing could not be maintained.
Big post offices are opened customers
are able withdraw cash, deposit cheques, pay bills as well as send Postal
article wherever possible.
Mail operation (RMS) offices
are almost closed due to non-availability of transport.
The salary for the month of
March has been paid to the officials irrespective of their attendance during
the lock down period. My federation has taken up the issue with the department
to get the orders for treating the period of absence from duty during the
entire lock down period as duty.
My Federation continues the efforts
to overcome gaps in the supply of hand sanitizer masks and gloves to the
employees. Further, we are regularly addressing the Department whenever
there are violations of Government order in the workplace.
My federation making optimum use of Social Media like what
app to share the information to the members and to educate them.
The action plan for the Post COVID-19 for the Postal
departments and trade union activities will be Hypothetical. It is not yet
clear as to when the normalcy will be restored. But I feel we in India emerge
strong after this crisis because we are risking our lives and rendering
service. In India Postal service is declared as essential service and all the
social security schemes to the needy are being reached through Post offices. At
the same how much our members fall victims to the deadly virus is also a big
worrisome. Thus we are in a critical phase and Federation opines that after the
normalcy restored the trade union activity will be much stronger.
In short my federation
following the Joint statement UPU and UNI- inform, provide, act and adopt
during the period covid-19.