Monday, 27 July 2020

Regarding preventive measures to contain the spread of coronavirus COVID-19-Functioning of Post/Mail Offices and services provided during the lock down: The request for precautions towards COVID-19 & restoration of roster duty at RMS and MMS


No. MH/RIII-RIV/ COVID-19/Lockdown/03/2020-21                       Dated: 18/06/2020
To
Hon. Shri Ganesh Sawaleshwarkar (IPoS)
Postmaster General (MM),
          O/o Chief PMG
Maharashtra Circle,
          Mumbai 400001

Subject: Regarding preventive measures to contain the spread of coronavirus COVID-19-Functioning of Post/Mail Offices and services provided during the lock down: The request for precautions towards COVID-19 & restoration of roster duty at RMS and MMS

Ref: 1. Email from ADPSR dated 15th June, 2020

Respected sir,

This is regarding the discontinuation of roster duty at RMS and MMS as per e mail cited above.

 Your honour is well aware that the working pattern of RMS and MMS is totally different than the other offices and we could not maintain social distance hence we have to work as per workload and to take care of our selves. We agreed that our department comes under essential service category and we have to serve the public at our level best. While performing duty, it is our duty to see the welfare measure of staff who try to attend duty or make it convenient to staff for attending duty by offering some facilities like transportation, convenient roaster duty and the preventive measures at workplaces. Mostly mail offices/ MMS Offices in Mumbai & Pune are situated in containment zone. A large number of employees are residing at containment zone and the local authority has made restrictions for their movement even in the lockdown 5.0 or unlocks 1.0. It is not possible for all officials to resume duty even though the government has announced the lockdown 1.0 or announced some relaxation during the period. The state of Maharashtra has restricted for 15% staff attendance for duty at offices comes under Municipal Corporations of MMR, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad jurisdiction and Nil at containment zone. 

After receipt of the above mail from circle office, all HROs are stated full booking in sets without following creteria of social distancing. Hence there are  chances of affecting COVID-19 increasing and staff is working under pressure as recently one MTS of Mumbai RMS and From Air Mail Sorting Division found positive. Already two three drivers of MMS Mumbai and One clerk under treatment of COVID 19 and two drivers expired.

The drivers of MMS Mumbai are being utilized for nodel delivery units due to non-attendance of outsourced agency. The most of drivers are utilized as staff car drivers for office staff of CO Mumbai, RO Mumbai or postal/ RMS divisional head as well as the provision of staff car facilities to the staff working at CO, RO and divisional offices. Due to non-maintenance of roaster staff of MMS is required to apply for leave. If there is roaster will be maintained then the presence of staff can be increased.

 This union has already requested that rhe divisional head should make arrangement for transportation by utilizing staff cars/BEST/ST or Private vehicles with a consultation with staff from residence to office of duty. Now some suburban local was started by the Railway authority for their staff then the administration can make arrangement of our staff is an essential service and central Government organization by taking issue at an appropriate level for the smooth functioning of all mail office/Post offices and MMS as our staff is not being allowed for the journey through special trains for essential service as our department is not shown as an essential service by the State Government. Even though there is heavy rush in these special trains and could not maintain social distancing and risky for daily attendance for duty by these trains as well as BUS.

It is unfair that some staff is being provided staff car facility or transportation facility through BEST/State Government with nominal charges from residence to workplace and back. It is an injustice to other staff to compel them to attend their office duty daily through their own aim or remain absent for want of transportation. It is fact that there is no leave balance at the credit of staff and it remains disheartening to note that in such a situation, salary had not been paid for the period of absence by employees, who remained unable to attend office. Payment should not be held up for any reason during the lockdown period.   In spite of guidelines in this regard, such actions cause undue financial and as mental stress to employees who are rendering service even during this pandemic situation.

We the staff side always ready to cooperate together for performing nation duty in this epidemic period of COVID-19. Your honour is requested kindly look into the matter and restore roaster duty. We shall remain highly thankful to you for the same.

With warm regards,
                                                                                
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-                                                                 Sd/-
(S N Jadhav)                                                     (A B Shivtare)
Circle Secretary                                                 Circle Secretary
AIRMS& MMS Emp EU MG MTS  Gr C               AIRMS& MMS Emp EU Gr C
Maharashtra and Goa Circle                              Maharashtra and Goa Circle