Around 50 members of the P4 Union of the National Federation of Postal Employees, who were half-naked, staged a protest outside Tallakulam Post Office here on Friday evening, as part of their State-wide protests demanding better amenities for postmen and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS).
“We have been demanding filling up of the existing vacancies of postmen, but we are being told that there is no need to fill these vacancies,” said S.B.Rajamohan, secretary of the union. “The boundaries of Madurai keep expanding and courier services cannot reach many small villages on the fringes. Hence, we should be given more manpower to reach these places,” he added.
The protestors stood outside the Tallakulam office and shouted slogans, pressing for their demands. Later, in a press release, they outlined their demands, which included supply of new uniforms, slippers and umbrellas for the postmen, cycles for MTS employees and authorisation for postmasters in all branches to handle speed post initiatives directly. President of the union S.Gunasekaran stated that the postal services examination was as tough as the Civil Services Examination and demanded an easier syllabus.
“When all other departments conduct their exams in regional languages, these exams are held in English,” he said.
The union members in Chennai had planned a hunger strike on July 9, he added.
