On 15.05.2021, BSNLEU wrote to the Management, demanding to implement a Medical Insurance Scheme for the willing employees. BSNLEU discussed the matter with the Director (HR) who accepted the demand. Thereafter, Management took quick action and today, the Corporate Office has issued letter, for the implementation of Medical Insurance Scheme for the BSNL employees. The following are the salient features:-

1. It will be called “BSNL Employees Health Insurance Policy 2021”. This will become operational w.e.f. 01.09.2021.

2. For the Non-Executives, the policy amount is Rs.5 lakh for a family consisting of the employee, spouse and 3 children.

3. The premium amount will be Rs.6100 plus 18% GST, which comes to Rs.7,198/-.

4. The premium for including one parent is Rs.9,000/- and for two parents it is Rs.9,600/-. Similarly, parents -in- law can also be included. 
5. Willing Non-Executives can top-up their policy amount up to Rs.10 lakh.
6. The policy amount for officers in and above E5 pay scale is Rs.10 lakh.
7. This Medical Insurance will be in addition to the existing BSNL MRS.

BSNLEU heartily thanks Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR) and Shri A.M.Gupta, Sr.GM(Admn.) and other senior officers, for taking quick action on this matter.

Com.Animesh Mitra, President and Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, met shri P.K. Purwar, CMD BSNL, on 28.07.2021, and discussed about the problems of the contract workers. Com.Animesh Mitra, who is also the Secretary General of the BSNL CCWF (BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation), submitted a memorandum on the problems of the contract workers. The views expressed by the President and the GS are also follows:-

1. The cluster based outsourcing system is a failure, since the expenditure has doubled and the disconnection of landlines and broadband lines are taking place massively, as per the data.
2. Hence, the Management should consider re-engagement of the contract workers, wherever they are available.
3. Wages of the contract workers is not paid for 12 to 15 months. Steps should be taken for the immediate payment of the wage arrears.

The CMD BSNL responded to the views of the leaders by stating that, the various parameters show that the efficiency of landline and broadband services have greatly improved after the outsourcing. 

He further stated that, steps would be taken to improve the deficiencies in the outsourcing system. The leaders have noted down the figures given by the CMD BSNL and told that, the same would be verified and thereafter the response of the Union would be given.

The Chennai Circle Administration has issued notification to hold the circle Council meeting on 30.07.2021. However, the Management has not accepted the items submitted by the Secretary, Staff Side, stating that there is no consensus among the Staff Side members, regarding submitting of items. The Administration has to accept the items submitted by the Secretary, Staff Side. Rejecting the items under the pretext that there is no consensus, is beyond the purview of the Administration. Besides, the Administration has stated that, the Circle Council meeting would discuss only the Management Side items. However, no ‘Management-Side item’ has been notified. In view of the above, the GS, BSNLEU, has written to the Sr.GM(SR), Corporate Office, requesting to issue suitable instruction to the Chennai Circle Administration.

After achieving broadest unity, the AUAB has started launching struggles once again, demanding immediate steps for the revival of BSNL and also demanding settlement of the burning issues of the employees and the pensioners. The success of the hunger strike organised throughout the country yesterday,  reveals the anger simmering among the employees. By way of enthusiastically participating in the agitation, the  Executives and Non-Executives of BSNL have sent a warning signal to the Government and the Management that, serious struggles will be launched if prompt actions are not taken to settle the issues. The AUAB will meet soon to decide about the future course of action. Circle and district unions of BSNLEU are requested to take all steps popularise the charter of demands among the employees and to keep them ready for the successful launching of all future struggles of the AUAB.

The call given by the AUAB for observing day long hunger strike today, has become a grand success throughout the country. The struggle has been enthusiastically organised from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. This shows that, the employees are very much agitated over the inordinate delay in implementing the steps for the revival of BSNL. BSNLEU heartily congratulates the entire Executives and Non-Executives for making the hunger strike programme a total success. We are hopeful that the AUAB will soon announce further agitational programmes, to make the government to take appropriate steps for the early revival of BSNL. We have attached views of the hunger strike organised in certain circles. Remaining views will be updated tomorrow.

A one day hunger strike, called on by the AUAB, is taking place throughout the country today, demanding settlement of issues related to the revival of BSNL, as well as important staff issues. As a part of this, hunger strike by the General Secretaries started at the Corporate Office. Since it is raining at Delhi, the leaders are observing the hunger strike in the ground floor of the Corporate Office. 

The Dy.CLC (Central) organised a conciliation meeting yesterday, between the AUAB, the DoT and the BSNL Management, to discuss the charter of demands for the hunger strike programme. Com.Animesh Mitra, President, represented BSNLEU in this meeting. Major issues in the charter of demands, like 4G, payment of Rs.39,000 crore dues to BSNL, are connected with the DoT. However, no one from the DoT attended yesterday’s conciliation. So, the Dy. CLC's conciliation meeting ended without any improvement. Thereafter, a meeting was held between the CMD BSNL and the AUAB leaders. In that meeting also, no improvement came on any of the issues.