Grant of Special Paid Leave to GDS Union Office Bearers for attending Periodical Meetings, CWC Meetings, and All India/Circle Conferences

Federation of National Postal Organisations

T-24, Atul Grove Road, New Delhi-110 001

Mob.: 9959538622, e-mail: sivajivasireddy@gmail.com, Web : fnpo.org

SIVAJI VASIREDDY

Secretary General

No. FNPO/GDS Meetings/Spl Paid leave dated 23.06.2026

To

The Secretary,

Department of Posts,

Dak Bhawan,

New Delhi – 110001.

Respected Sir,

Sub: Grant of Special Paid Leave to GDS Union Office Bearers for attending Periodical Meetings, CWC Meetings, and All India/Circle Conferences – Reg.

Ref: F.No. 17-2/2024-SR-DoP dated 19.05.2026.

Kindly refer to the above-mentioned letter dated 19.05.2026, wherein it has been clarified that, since there is no specific provision in the GDS Conduct and Engagement Rules for grant of Special Paid Leave, GDS Union Representatives should attend various periodical meetings by availing their own Paid Leave.

The Federation strongly disagrees with the above decision and requests its reconsideration on the following grounds:

• GDS employees are entitled to only 20 days of Paid Leave in a calendar year, without any provision for accumulation. These leave days are primarily meant to meet their personal and family commitments without financial loss.
• GDS Union Office Bearers are required to attend Periodical Meetings, Circle Level Meetings, Central Working Committee (CWC) Meetings, All India Conferences, Circle Conferences, and other official consultative forums. If they are compelled to utilize their limited Paid Leave for such duties, they will be left without sufficient leave for genuine personal needs, resulting in financial hardship.
• If the Department's interpretation is accepted, then even GDS employees invited to official functions such as award ceremonies organized by the Hon'ble Minister of Communications, Secretary (Posts), CPMGs, PMGs, or Divisional Heads should also be required to avail their own Paid Leave. Such an interpretation defeats the very purpose of recognizing and encouraging participation in official departmental activities.
• Even recognized GDS unions, including AIGDSU, NUGDS, and BGDSK, which are extended limited Trade Union facilities, will find it practically impossible to participate in statutory and consultative meetings if Special Paid Leave is denied. Consequently, the very objective of maintaining structured dialogue between the Administration and Staff Side will be frustrated.

• Wherever the GDS Rules are silent, the relevant provisions applicable to Departmental employees are generally followed, unless specifically excluded. Therefore, extending the facility of Special Paid Leave to GDS Union Representatives attending officially recognized meetings is fully justified in the interest of equity, natural justice, and established principles governing trade union rights.
• If the Department now states that there has never been any provision for Special Paid Leave or Special Casual Leave for GDS union representatives, it may kindly clarify under what authority GDS office bearers have been attending official periodical meetings, Circle Conferences, All India Conferences and other recognised union activities ever since the Extra Departmental Agents'(Recognition of Associations) Rules, 1995 came into force. If such leave was being sanctioned for decades, the Department cannot now deny the facility without first amending the Recognition framework or issuing a specific policy superseding the long-standing practice. Recognition of a union without providing the minimum facility to enable its elected representatives to discharge their recognised functions defeats the very object of granting recognition.

The Department has constituted various consultative forums to facilitate regular interaction between the Administration and the Staff Side for timely redressal of employees grievances. Denial of Special Paid Leave to GDS Union Representatives will seriously affect their participation in these forums, resulting in avoidable delays in resolving the genuine issues of GDS employees, who constitute the backbone of the Department of Posts.

In view of the above, the Federation earnestly requests the Hon'ble Secretary to kindly review the clarification issued vide letter dated 19.05.2026 and issue suitable orders for grant of Special Paid Leave to all GDS Union Office Bearers for attending Periodical Meetings, Council Meetings, Central Working Committee Meetings, All India Conferences, Circle Conferences, and other officially recognized Trade Union meetings.

Such a decision will uphold the principles of natural justice, strengthen collective bargaining, promote healthy industrial relations, and maintain harmonious relations between the Administration and the Trade Unions. The Federation sincerely hopes that the matter will receive your kind and favourable consideration at the earliest.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

(SIVAJI VASIREDY)

Secretary General, FNPO

Copy to: The DDG (SR), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – for kind information and necessary action.