India - Postmen call off protest as demands accepted

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postmen call off protest as postal department accepts demand

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_p ... nd_1386093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mumbai: Postmen have decided to call off their agitation after a meeting with the officials of the postal department on Friday.

For the past two days, postmen in the city were going about their work in T-shirts and shorts to protest the poor quality of uniforms they were forced to wear. They wanted their uniforms to be made out of cloth that costs Rs86 per metre.

The department, however, had ordered cloth that costs Rs57 per metre. At least 60,000 metres of cloth is needed to stitch two sets of uniforms for the 6,000 postmen in the state.

At the meeting, it was decided that the department would procure 30,000 metres of cloth at Rs57 per metre and the postmen would be given one set of uniform. The remaining procurement will be completed after consultations with the postmen’s union and the Centre.

Director of postal services Abha Singh said, “The decision has been taken for the postmen’s benefit.”

Singh said that though the department had issued notices to the agitating postmen for not wearing their uniforms, there will be no action against them. “I think there was some miscommunication on our part. We are not going to take any action,” she clarified.

CB Surve, circle secretary, All India Postal Employees Union, said they would be wearing their uniform from Saturday. “We are satisfied with the department’s reply,” he said.