Deadlock on postal strike continues but solution imminent

NEW DELHI, DEC 17: Fresh negotiations between the Government and unions of striking postal employees were held here tonight amidst indicat...

NEW DELHI, DEC 17: Fresh negotiations between the Government and unions of striking postal employees were held here tonight amidst indications that the 13-day nationwide strike could be called off soon.

The negotiations between three federations claiming a total strength of six lakh employees and Communication Minister Ram Vilas Paswan were held at the Sanchar Bhawan.

8220;Discussions are on. They are moving in a positive direction,8221; V S Yadav, Secretary-general, Bharatiya postal employees federation, said.

The employees had been demanding an immediate implementation of Justice Talwar Committee recommendations relating to wage-revision and other benefits such as pension for extra-departmental employees.

The striking employees alleged that the Government had not honoured the bilateral settlement reached on May 1, this year.

The employees had also demanded removal of certain anomolies in the pay structure of non-gazetted postal employees following the fifth pay commission.

Other demands included upgradation of wage-scales of non-gazetted employees and implementation of wage revision with effect from 1996 instead of 1997.

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Yadav said he was hopeful of a 8220;satisfactory outcome8221; as the Government and unions were holding negotiations with a positive approach.

8220;I hope a breakthrough can be achieved very soon,8221; he said, adding that a final decision on the future course of action would be taken by the Joint Action Committee of the three federations.

He said the time and venue of the JAC meeting would be finalised after the current round of talks with Government.

Even as prolonged talks continued late tonight, Paswan made a fresh appeal to agitating employees to return to work to restore normalcy in the crucial essential services.

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Several states have already invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act ESMA after the Centre declared the strike as illegal under the Industrial Disputes Act on December 15.

There were reports of some employees returning to duty in several states even though some of the striking unions claimed the attendance was thin.