The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and the ten Trade Union Internationals affiliated to it, held a two day meeting at Kolkata on 09^th and 10^th October, 2017. The meeting conducted detailed discussions on the attacks being carried out on the working class in various countries, and also the struggles being organised to defeat those attacks. At the end of the discussions, the meeting has passed the following declaration.

BSNLEU, vide it’s letter dated 23.05.2018, has already demanded that the results of the failed SC/ST candidates, who appeared in the JE LICE held on 28.01.2018, should be reviewed. The Corporate Office, vide letter no.9-2/2016-Rectt. dated 28.08.2017, has laid down the rule that, the results of the SC candidates who have secured at least 20% marks and ST candidates who have secured at least 15% marks, in each paper, should be reviewed. Further, no minimum aggregate mark has been prescribed in this letter. BSNLEU has once again written to the GM (Rectt.) today that, based on the above mentioned letter of the Corporate Office, the results of the failed SC/ST candidates should be reviewed without further delay.

(1)   On Wage Revision from 01.01.2017.

(2)   On settlement of long pending demands of the Non-Executives.

(3)   On demonetisation.

(4)   On Observing the centenary year of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

(5)   On Communal Harmony.

(6)   On BSNL facing competition and advancing as a strong PSU in the changed scenario in telecom sector.

(7)   On strengthening the united struggles of BSNL employees and working class.

(8)   On Equal Pay for Equal Work.

The National Council is the highest forum where the grievances of more than one lakh Non-Executives are discussed.  However, it is a matter of serious concern that, the Corporate Office does not care to hold this meeting.  The Corporate Office will think about holding the National Council meeting, only after completing it’s all other works / meetings. As per Corporate Office’s own order, the National Council meeting should take place once in three months. However, due to it’s “Don’t Care Mindset”, only two meetings of the National Council have taken place during the last 29 months. If the rule of the Corporate Office is violated by the CGMs and GMs, we can complain the matter to the Corporate Office. But, if the Corporate Office itself violates it’s own order, then with whom we can make the complaint.

Due to the cash crunch being faced by BSNL, the Corporate Office is not able to allot funds to the circles every month, for payment of GPF advance to the employees. To over come this problem, BSNLEU has written to the Member (Finance), Telecom Commission, demanding allotment of funds in advance to BSNL every month, so that employees do not face any problem in getting payment of GPF advance on time.

The All Unions and Associations of BSNL, have written to Ms.Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary, DoT, demanding for a meeting. In the meeting held between the AUAB and the Hon'ble Minister of State for Communications on 24-02-2018, certain commitments were given, regarding settlement of the issues of the employees, as well as the issues related to the revival of BSNL. The AUAB wishes to hold a review of the implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting, held with the Hon'ble Minister.

Talks were held between the CMD BSNL and the AUAB on 02-12-2018. Assurance was given by the CMD BSNL that the Pension Contribution by BSNL Management, in respect of the Directly Recruited BSNL employees, would be increased by 3% by March, 2019 and the remaining portion would be increased in the next instalment. However, no Record of discussion has been issued by the Corporate Office, for this assurance, despite repeated reminders to the CMD BSNL. Hence the AUAB has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to issue the Record of discussion without further delay.

The Corporate Office has issued letter, clarifying that Disciplinary / Vigilance cases arising after the due date of the EPP (Executive Promotion Policy) should not affect the granting of  upgradation under EPP. BSNLEU has written to the Sr. GM (Estt.), BSNL Corporate Office, demanding that similar guideline should be issued to the Non-Executives also.

Major unions and associations have served a notice on 11-10-2017, to the Secretary, DoT and the CMD BSNL, for launching agitational programme, including a two day strike, on the issues of 3^rd Pay Revision and Subsidiary Tower Company. However, some unions and associations have not signed this notice for the agitation. This is due to the fact that, those unions and associations are not parties to the decisions taken in the all union/association meetings, held on 26.09.2017 & 04.10.2017. At the same time, it is a must that all those unions and associations are also brought into the struggle, to ensure a total success. Hence, BSNLEU, being the Major Recognised Union of BSNL, has taken the initiative in this regard. BSNLEU has written to all the unions and associations which have not signed the notice for the agitation, requesting them to join the struggle. We hereunder reproduce a copy of one of the letters for the information of our comrades.

BSNLEU has already demanded the Management to implement the court judgement, regarding promotion under NEPP, to the TSMs regularised on or after 01.10.2000. It is BSNLEU’s demand that the TSMs regularised on or after 01.10.2000 should be treated as DoT recruitees, since they have already been issued with Presidential Orders, by the DoT. Hence, according to the NEPP, the first promotion should be given to them on completion of 4 years. But the BSNL Management is treating them as BSNL recruitees, and is granting first promotion on completion of 8 years. It is already 3 years since the court order has come in favour of the employees. But the Corporate Office has not implemented the same, on the plea that the requisite inputs have not come from the circles. For how many more years the affected employees have to wait? Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, seeking his intervention to break the deadlock.

In reply to the letter dated 06th December, 2019 of the SR Branch of BSNL Corporate Office, BSNLEU has expressed it’s protest regarding taking decisions by the SR Branch arbitrarily and without discussing the matter with the Recognised Unions of the Non-Executives. BSNLEU has agreed as a one time measure, to skip the option to change the union of choice by the Non-Executives during the forthcoming December / January, in view of the ongoing implementation VRS. BSNLEU has also given it’s consent that, the Non-Executives could be given option once in a year to change their union of choice.  However, BSNLEU has strongly opposed the proposal of the SR Branch that the Non-Executives should hereafter change their union of choice only through the ERP. BSNLEU has stated that a good section of the Non-Executives are not conversant with computer operation. Hence, the Union has demanded that the existing system of changing the union of choice should continue.

The Sanchar Soft server at Trichy crashed nearly a week ago, resulting in distruption of BSNL's SIM sales, MNP, etc. The matter was promptly taken to the notice of the CMD BSNL. Now, we are reported that the Sanchar Soft has started functioning partially. BSNLEU has again written to the CMD BSNL to ensure early and total restoration of the Sanchar Soft.

Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS and com. Ramesh Chand, Org. Secretary (CHQ), met ms. Anima Roy, GM (Rectt.) today, and discussed this issue. They pointed that the TT LICE and JE LICE were not held last year (2016). Hence, it was urged that the Recruitment Branch should immediately issue notification to the circles for holding TT LICE and JE LICE. The representatives also pointed out that the Corporate Office has so far not issued calendar for examinations for this year and demanded that the same should be issued without further delay. The GM (Rectt.) assured to do the needful.

The MoU signed between BSNL and Union Bank of India, for extending various loans to BSNL employees has expired on 31.12.2016. BSNLEU has written to the GM (T&BFCI), Corporate Office, demanding to renew the MoU.

As per the decision already taken in the meeting of AUAB, notice is served today to the Secretary, DoT and CMD BSNL, for holding protest demonstrations infront of Sanchar Bhawan, as well as at circle and district head quarters on 27.03.2018 (Tuesday), opposing the moves being made by the government to operationalise the Subsidiary Tower Company.

BSNLEU is continuously insisting upon the Corporate Management to hold the JE LICE under 50% quota. As a result of this, the Corporate Office has already conveyed it's approval for holding the exam. However, the requisite notification for holding the exam, is not yet issued by the Corporate Office. BSNLEU has already taken up the issue with the GM(Estt) of the Corporate Office. Once again, BSNLEU had written to the GM(Estt.) to issue the notification without further delay.

BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to ensure the immediate payment of salary to the employees. BSNLEU has also mentioned in the letter that, Management comes forward to make payment of the salary, only when the employees organise agitational programmes. The Union has urged upon the Management to immediately arrange payment of salary for the month of August, 2020 and also to ensure payment of salary on the last date of every month.