Postal workers stage protest in Dibrugarh, seek pay reform and end to harassment

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Hundreds of postal employees gathered under the banner of the Bharatiya Gramin Dak Karmachari Sangh on Wednesday to stage a dharna in front of the Postal Division Office in Dibrugarh, demanding better working conditions, fair compensation, and an end to alleged harassment by authorities.

The protesting workers, primarily Gramin Dak Sevaks (rural postal workers), raised several critical demands centred on their longstanding grievances regarding pay structures and workplace treatment. Their primary demand focuses on the inclusion of Gramin Dak Sevaks in the 8th Central Pay Commission or, alternatively, the constitution of a separate high-level pay commission committee exclusively for GDS employees, headed by a judge of the Supreme Court.

"We have been serving in the most remote corners of the country, ensuring that postal services reach every village and hamlet, yet we are consistently overlooked when it comes to fair compensation. We demand recognition of our contributions through inclusion in the 8th Central Pay Commission or a dedicated pay commission that addresses our unique challenges," said a senior member of the Bharatiya Gramin Dak Karmachari Sangh during the protest.

The protesters also raised serious concerns about alleged harassment of GDS employees in the name of achieving targets. According to the union representatives, postal workers face multiple forms of pressure including withholding of salaries, arbitrary transfers, threats of office closures, and being put off duty without proper justification. These punitive measures, they claim, have created a hostile work environment that affects their ability to serve rural communities effectively.

The third major demand highlighted during the dharna concerns the ongoing abolition of GDS posts and the rationalization or relocation of branch post offices in rural areas across the country. The union said that these measures were detrimental to rural populations who depend heavily on postal services for banking, communications, and government welfare schemes.

"Closing down rural post offices means cutting off essential services to vulnerable communities. These offices are lifelines for villages where banking facilities and digital infrastructure remain inadequate. The government must reconsider these decisions," another union leader said.

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