Ache din for the postman are not in realm of possibility. Even though his role is now diminished due to mobiles, electronic media, and banking systems, the humble postman is very much alive.
Some are graduates, undergraduates and minimum qualification is SSC. Quite a many are sweating it out for 10 to 17 years on purely contract basis with fixed emoluments of around Rs 15,000. They do not have any written appointment and are subject to summary dismissal. Holidays and Sundays are deductible from their emoluments. No traveling allowances or advance even to buy a cycle. They have to trudge long distances in adverse weather to cover vast area of operation without postponing the days deliveries.
No uniform or washing allowance, raincoats, it has to come from their hard earned money. So called culture of tips is not a prevalent custom or tradition here and neither do they solicit for such favors even during festivals, when workload is amplified many times. Fortunately, they are provided a plastic bag for safety of mail. There is no provision for any Provident Fund or post retirement benefit whatsoever. Postman is a daily worker with tremendous responsibility of delivering safely mails, registered, parcels, money orders, newspapers, bills, periodicals etc. These workers have no unions to fight their legitimate grievances and all requests for regularisation, better working conditions falls on deaf years. It is a pity that their reduced workload as at present is taken for granted. Many a times they have to bear insults, rude behaviour, complaints of customers and have nowhere to lodge even a formal protest.
On the contrary probability of summary dismissal from service without notice or explanation makes them worst than bonded labourers. Under such circumstances, let us have at least a charitable thought for the services they render.
Not every postman plays truant by not delivering mail at doorsteps in spite of progress and development postman services will continue. The high rise buildings without letter boxes on ground floor, taxes their physical strength and time and endurance. Will these services be recognised at least by the customers with respect, dignity and treated with love and kindness till necessary rules to regularise their services are adopted in the near future?
