A Formal Meeting between the Director (HR) and BSNLEU, has been scheduled to be held on 17^th May, 2021, to discuss important staff issues. However, due to the surge of COVID-19, lock downs and restrictions on travelling,etc., have been imposed in Delhi, as well as in many other states. In view of these, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), demanding to hold the 17^th May meeting as an online meeting.

Telecommunications has been declared as an essential service. Hence, BSNL's field staff are being directed to work even during the times of lock down. The entire CSC staff of BSNL are being directed to attend office even when the government ordered that only 50% employees should attend office. As a result of the above instructions, a large number of BSNL employees are infected with COVID-19. Around 100 employees have died so far. Hence, BSNLEU is demanding that, BSNL employees should be treated as Frontline Workers and should be vaccinated on a priority basis. In this connection, BSNLEU has already written a letter to the Hon’ble Minister on 02.03.2021. Since, no action has been taken, BSNLEU has now written to the CMD BSNL, urging upon him to take up the issue at the appropriate level of the government.

Communicating the unanimous views of the Unions and Associations, regarding providing relief to the families of the Covid victims, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL. Apart from providing relief to the families of Covid victims, the Unions and Associations have also unanimously demanded the following:

1. Management should promptly make disbursement of salary to the employees on the due date. April, 2021 salary should be disbursed without further delay. 
2. The BSNL Management should fulfill it’s obligation of contributing 30% Superannuation Benefits to the BSNL recruitees.
3. Pension and EPF deductions, together with the employers’ contribution, should be promptly remitted by the Management.

BSNLEU has taken the best efforts to get the April, 2021 salary paid on the due date. However, as in the past, the BSNL Management is determined not to pay salary to the employees on the due date. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, cautioning that, it would be constrained to take legal action, for getting payment of simple interest, at the rate of 6%, for the belated disbursement of salary.

It is learnt that around 75 BSNL officials have so far died due to COVID-19. Among them, a sizeable number of employees are youngsters. Management has proposed that, contributions could be collected from employees, to give financial assistance to the families of the victims. BSNLEU has already suggested that the Management should provide at least Rs.5 lakh as it’s contribution to each of the families of the officials who died due to COVID-19. However, financial assistance will only be a temporary relief. Providing Compassionate Ground Appointments to the dependents of the Covid victims will alone provide livelihood to them. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL demanding immediate steps for providing Compassionate Ground Appointments to the families of the victims of COVID-19.

BSNLEU has already demanded that a compensation of Rs.10 lakh should be paid to the dependents of the BSNL employees who die due to COVID-19. This demand of BSNLEU is based on instructions already issued by the DoT, wherein it is stated that a compensation of Rs.10 lakh should be paid to the family of the employee who dies in accident while on duty.  However, the BSNL Management has so far not accepted this. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, urging upon him to immediately take the decision for the payment of compensation.

COVID-19 is spreading at an alarming rate throughout the country. Every day, more than 3.5 lakh new Covid cases are being reported in the country.  BSNL employees and their family members are also getting affected by this dreadful disease. Government hospitals are overflowing with Covid patients. Hence, BSNL employees have to rely upon private hospitals only.  However, private hospitals are demanding hefty amounts as advance. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), demanding to take emergent steps to allot funds, for sanctioning emergency medical advance to BSNL employees.

The MoU signed between BSNL Management and the Canara Bank, for extending various bank loans to the employees has expired on 31.12.2019. BSNLEU has already written to the Sr.GM(CBB), Corporate Office, for taking necessary action for the early renewal of the MoU. However, the Corporate Office so far has not renewed the MoU. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the Sr.GM(CBB) to take appropriate action.

BSNLEU is continuously pressing the Management for the disbursement of April, 2021 salary on the due date. BSNLEU has already written to the CMD BSNL, raising this issue. Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, has already spoken to the CMD BSNL in this regard. Since the CMD BSNL is hospitalised now, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, has spoken to the Director (HR) and has demanded to take the needful steps, so that the employees get disbursement of April salary on the due date. In continuation of this, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) and Director (Finance), demanding to take necessary steps for the disbursement of April, 2021 salary on 30^th April, 2021.

CHQ of BSNLEU was having it’s account in the Corporation Bank. Now, the Corporation Bank has got merged with the Union Bank of India. Consequently, the bank account number and the IFSC Code have changed. In view of this, the CHQ has written letter to the Sr.GM (SR), requesting to communicate the changes to all the circle administrations, so that remittance of quota to the CHQ will continue to be made smoothly.

In continuation of the telephonic conversation that the General Secretary, BSNLEU, had with the CMD BSNL yesterday, BSNLEU has once again written a letter, urging upon him to take immediate steps for the early implementation of the court order, on the payment of IDA to the Non-Executives of BSNL.

The second wave of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. More than 1.5 lakh people are getting affected by this disease every day. Under these circumstances, the DoT has issued letter, laying down preventive measures to safeguard the employees. BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), BSNL, demanding that the preventive measures prescribed by the DoT, should be implemented in BSNL also. Some of the preventive measures prescribed by the DoT are that, officials below the rank of under Secretary, should be allowed to work from home and their physical attendance in office should be restricted to 50% of the actual strength. Also, the officials residing in containment zones shall be exempted from attending office.

After order was issued by the Hon’ble Kerala High Court, on payment of IDA to the Non-Executives of BSNL, the BSNL Management has written to the Secretary, DoT, seeking approval for the implementation of the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court. Prior to this, the DPE also, vide it’s letter no. DPE letter no.W-05/0004/2021-DPE(WC) dated 09th March, 2021, has referred the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court,  to the DoT, with the direction to take appropriate action, since the DoT is the Administrative Ministry for BSNL. However, the DoT has so far not taken any action on this. In view of this, BSNLEU has written to the Secretary, DoT, demanding to give necessary approval for BSNL for the implementation of the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court.

On behalf of the employees, General Secretary, BSNLEU, has written to the CMD BSNL, expressing thanks for the disbursement of March, 2021, salary. Further, the General Secretary, BSNLEU, has requested the CMD BSNL, to ensure disbursement of the salary for the current month also, i.e., April, 2021, on time, so that the employees will be saved from the agony being caused every month, due to the belated disbursement of salary.

The entire BSNL Executives and Non-Executives have went on several strikes, organised Marches to Sanchar Bhawan, Marches to Raj Bawans and other campaigns, opposing the Subsidiary Tower Company. The BSNL Management and the government had kept the functioning of the Tower Company (BSNL Tower Company Limited - BTCL) at a low profile for some time. However, of late, the Management has stepped-up the functioning of the BTCL. At the same time, the government has announced that it will be raising Rs.40,000 crore, by way of monetising the towers and fibre of BSNL / MTNL. Hence, the government intends to induct a strategic partner into the BTCL. Under these circumstances, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to stop operationalising the BTCL.

COVID-19 is spreading very fast in Maharashtra circle. 57,000 new cases are reported in one single day, i.e., on 04.04.2021. Many employees, including top officers, have tested positive for COVID-19 in this circle. Under these circumstances, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), requesting to grant immediate permission, to implement guidelines issued by the Maharashtra State Government, for the containment of COVID-19.

BSNLEU is continuously pressurising the BSNL Management, to pay salary to the employees on the last date of every month. Despite BSNLEU’s organising several agitational programmes, the Management continues to pay salary belatedly.  Non-availability of funds is the reason being cited by the Management.  However, the revenue collections of the Company has exceeded Rs.3,000/- crores in March, 2021. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, urging upon him to immediately pay the salary for the month of March, 2021 and thereby break the chain of belated payment of salary to the employees.

As per the instructions of the Corporate Office, medical claims of the employees are to be settled at the Business Area level, after the consolidation of BA takes place. On many occasions, the medical bills get held up in the office and the employee concerned has to personally go to the section. This happens frequently. If the medical bills are to be settled only at the BA level, then the employee has to travel hundreds of kilometres to get his medical claim settled. This will create unnecessary harassment to the employees. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding that, the medical claims should continue to be settled at the SSA level, even after the consolidation of the Business Area.

The DR JEs posted in the Leh SSA of J&K circle, suffer extreme hardship due to the sub-zero temperature prevailing in most parts of the year. In view of this, BSNLEU has already raised the demand before the Director (HR) that, the DR JEs who have completed two years of service and who have applied for transfer to other SSAs of J&K circle should get the transfer. In continuation of this, BSNLEU has written a letter to the Director (HR) today, insisting for settlement of this issue.