Double standards are being adopted by the Corporate Office, in the matter of nomination of Staff Side members of the National Council. BSNLEU is demanding that, Management should adopt a uniform policy both for BSNLEU and NFTE. Management has not taken any corrective measure so far. The 39^th meeting of the National Council has been postponed, as a result of which no discussion could be held on the burning issues of the employees. BSNL Management is solely responsible for creating this mess. In this regard, NFTE has written a letter to the Director (HR), twisting the facts. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), clarifying the facts.

The BSNL Management has merged the telecom factories with their respective Territorial Circles. This step has been taken, with the ulterior motive of closing down the telecom factories ultimately and selling away the vast stretches of lands that the factories are having.  We cannot allow the telecom Factories to be closed down. Even in the present day situation, telecom factories could be better utilised, to manufacture many of the equipments and materials, required by BSNL and thereby can cut down the expenditure. The Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU has demanded that all the telecom factories of Mumbai, Kolkata and Jabalpur should be merged together and a single Telecom Factory Circle should be created. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, raising this demand.

BSNLEU is repeatedly demanding that, the salary of the employees should be paid on the due date, i.e., the last working day of the month. However, the Management continues to shirk it’s responsibility in this regard. BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, insisting for payment of salary on the due date. Further, it has demanded that salary for the month of September, 2020, should be paid immediately, to enable the employees to celebrate Puja, which is starting on 23^rd October, 2020.

BSNLEU ने माह  सितंबर , 2020 के त्वरित भुगतान की मांग करते हुए CMD BSNL को पत्र लिखा....
BSNLEU निरंतर रूप से मांग कर रही है कि कर्मचारियों के वेतन का भुगतान नियत तिथि, यानी महीने के अंतिम कार्यदिवस पर होना चाहिए।  किन्तु मैनेजमेंट  लगातार अपनी इस जिम्मेदारी से मुंह मोडता चला आ रहा है। BSNLEU ने एक बार पुनः CMD BSNL को नियत तिथि पर भुगतान करने हेतु पत्र लिखा है। साथ ही, यह मांग भी की गई है कि माह  सितंबर , 2020 के वेतन का त्वरित भुगतान किया जाए, जिससे कि कर्मचारी 23 अक्टूबर, 2020 से शुरू होने वाली पूजा का त्यौंहार मना सके। 

The result of the JTO LICE, held on 26.05.2020, has not been declared in Punjab circle so far, due to the pendency of court cases. Similarly, the results of the JTO LICE held in December, 2016, has also not been declared. The candidates who got qualified in the JTO LICE held in September, 2016, have not been deputed for training. BSNLEU is continuously pressing on the BSNL Management to resolve this issue. In the formal meeting held with the Director (HR) on 28.08.2020, the Management replied that, the matter was being looked into by the PGM(Pers.). Hence, BSNLEU has written to Shri R.K.Goyal, who has recently taken over as the PGM(Pers.) drawing his attention to the entire developments and has requested to find an early solution to the problem.

BSNLEU held an online Formal meeting with the Director (HR) on 28.08.2020, to discuss certain burning issues of the employees. The minutes of this meeting was issued by the Corporate Office on 07.09.2020. It is nearly one and half months, since the meeting is held. However, most of the decisions taken in the meeting are not implemented. This is the sorry state of affairs prevailing in BSNL, with regards to the settlement of the problems of the Non-Executives. BSNLEU has written a letter to the Director (HR), with copy to all the officers who participated in the meeting, demanding immediate implementation of the decisions taken in the Formal meeting.

It is already informed through CHQ website updating yesterday, that the 39^th meeting of the National Council could not be held due to the double standards being adopted by the BSNL Management. BSNLEU, which is the Main Recognised Union in BSNL, has already been denied the right to nominate a non-member to the Council. However, recently the Management has accepted the nomination of a non-member to the National Council, by the Second Recognised Union. This is misuse of official position and playing of a double game by some in the Corporate Office. Hence, BSNLEU was compelled to boycott yesterday’s National Council meeting. Today, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) requesting to take necessary corrective steps, based on the direction given by the Hon’ble Kerala High Court in the year 2013.

Based on the judgement given by the Hon’ble Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Corporate Office had considered the JE promotion of an official, who had not completed his 10+2 qualification, but had directly acquired Degree qualification. In the same analogy, BSNLEU had written to the Director (HR), to consider the JAO promotion of an official, who had directly acquired M.Com qualification, without acquiring a Degree. 

As per the decision of the Corporate Office, regarding consolidation of Business Areas, Cuddapha is to be brought under the Ananthapur Business Area. However, the AP circle union and Cuddapha district union have demanded that Cuddapha should be brought under Chittoor Business Area due to the reasons of proximity, better transport, medical and educational facilities. BSNLEU has written to the Corporate Office demanding to bring Cuddapha SSA under the Chittoor Business Area.

BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to consider  the extension of the period of retention of the quarters, by retired employees, by 6 more months. This demand is raised because a good section of the employees who have retired under VRS, as well as under superannuation, are unable to get rented accommodation, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

The BSNL Management had already taken decision to provide concessional broadband connections, at the residences of below the JAG level employees. However, so far no decision has been taken regarding providing concessional FTTH connections to the employees. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to provide residential FTTH connections to the serving and retired and BSNL Non-Executive employees at 50% concession.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, vide it’s instructions issued on 29^th August, 2020, has stated that, pregnant women should stay at home, to avoid contracting the Corona Virus infection. However, it has been brought to the notice of BSNLEU that, these instructions are not being implemented in BSNL. In view of this, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), requesting him to issue necessary guidelines to the CGMs, to exempt pregnant women employees from attending office / duty.

BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), demanding that special casual leave should be granted to the officials affected with COVID-19, who are also instructed to remain under quarantine, to stop the further spreading of the disease. The Railway Ministry has issued instructions that, special casual leave should be sanctioned to it’s officials, who are placed under quarantine. The Indian Railways has also stipulated that special casual leave can be granted up to 30 days to the officials placed under quarantine. BSNLEU has demanded the Director (HR) to take an early decision for sending instructions to the CGMs, for the granting of special casual leave to the affected BSNL employees, who are instructed to remain under quarantine. 

Management issued the notification yesterday, for holding the 39^th National Council meeting. However, contrary to the request of the Staff Side for holding the meeting as an online, notification was issued for holding the meeting physically in the Corporate Office. On seeing this, the Staff Side wrote a letter today to the Director (HR) insisting for an online meeting. Thereafter, it was informed by the SR Branch that the 39^th National Council meeting would be held as an online meeting, as per the request of the Staff Side.

MoU that was signed between BSNL and Union Bank of India, for extending loans to employees has expired on 31-12-2017. Consequent to this, employees are facing problems in getting loans from UBI. BSNLEU has written to the GM (BFCI) of the Corporate Office, demanding expeditious renewal of the MoU.

As per the decision taken in it’s meeting, the AUAB has written letter to Shri Pon Radhakrishnan, Hon’ble Minister of State for Finance, seeking his intervention for the settlement of the long pending problem of payment of pension contribution by BSNL employees. The AUAB has also sought a meeting with the Hon’ble Minister of State for Finance, for discussing this issue.

BSNLEU, in it’s meeting held with Director (HR) on 21.01.2020, has already demanded that full marks should be granted for all the 10 questions with multiple correct answers, in the JTO LICE held on 26.05.2019. The Director (HR) was kind enough to assure to do the needful. However, the Corporate Office has so far not issued any letter to resolve the problem. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the Director (HR), demanding to grant full marks to all the 10 questions, with multiple correct answers.

Consequent to the clearance given by the DoT, for commencing negotiations for the settlement of wage revision of the Non-Executives in BSNL, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), demanding the immediate constitution of the Joint Committee for Negotiating Wage Settlement, as well as the immediate commencement of negotiations.

BSNL Management has not extended the facility of Payment of Medical Allowance Without Voucher, to the retired employees, beyond the initial 6 month period. BSNL Management has also written to the Recognised Unions / Associations, for withdrawal of this facility to those retired employees residing in cities covered by CGHS. In the All Union Association meeting held on 09.05.2018, severe opposition was expressed to the proposal to curtail medical facilities. In this backdrop, BSNLEU has demanded the Director (HR) to ensure the extension of the facility of Payment of Medical Allowance Without Voucher, to the retired employees, beyond the initial 6 month period.

The issues of giving promotion to the Non-Executives in the E1 pay scale, granting of one extra increment to the Non-Executives appointed prior to 01.01.2007 and implementation of gratuity to the casual labourers are approved by the Management Committee years ago, but are put in the cold storage by the BSNL Board. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, expressing it’s extreme unhappiness for neglecting the Non-Executives. The Union has demanded that the above mentioned three issues, already approved by the Management Committee, should immediately be cleared by the BSNL Board also.  

In the 35^th National Council meeting held on 13.11.2017, the Secretary, Staff Side, demanded that BSNL’s Rs.429/- mobile tariff plan should be extended to the Non-Executives. This was accepted by the Chairperson of the National Council. However, subsequently, the Admin Branch of the Corporate Office has intimated BSNLEU that this Rs.429/- tariff plan could not be extended to the Non-Executives, citing lame excuses. BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), expressing it’s unhappiness over the non-fulfilment of the commitment given by the Chairperson of the National Council.