In the Joint Committee for Wage Revision of the Non-Executives, negotiations are taking place between the Staff Side and the Management Side, for reaching a settlement on Wage Revision of the Non-Executives. In the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 27-08-2018, discussions started on the construction of the new pay scales. As regards arriving at the maximums of the new pay scales, the Management Side’s proposals are not acceptable to the Staff Side. The Management Side wants to keep the maximums of the new pay scales as low as possible. By doing so, the Management Side wants to keep the expenditure on Pension Contribution as low as possible. But, they are forgetting the fact that the 3rd Pay Revision Committee (3rd PRC) has given 43 years of span. The Staff Side tried to make the Management Side to understand that once again the problem of “Stagnation” will raise it’s ugly head after the Wage Revision, if the Maximums of the new pay scales are not kept sufficiently high. Still, the Management Side is not prepared to consider the demand of the Staff Side. Hence, BSNLEU has written a letter to the Chairman of the Joint Committee, furnishing a live case and explaining how the problem of stagnation will come. BSNLEU has demanded that, 43 years of span should be provided for all the new pay scales, as is given in the revised E1 pay scale.

Even at the time when the BSNL Management contemplated to introduce Group Term Insurance (GTI) to the Executives, BSNLEU strongly demanded that, the same should be implemented to the Non-Executives also. The issue was also raised in the 37^th National Council meeting, held on 20^th November, 2018. It was replied in that meeting that, the GTI would be implemented to the Non-Executives, soon after it was implemented to the Executives. GTI is already implemented to the Executives in 2019. Still, it is not implemented to the Non-Executives. BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), expressing it’s deep resentment over the non-implementation of the GTI to the Non-Executives and has demanded it’s immediate implementation.

JAO LICE was held on 17.07.2016. This exam was held belatedly in J&K circle. 14 candidates emerged successful in this exam. However, still they are not deputed for training. The NATFM says that it cannot start a training batch with only 14 candidates. BSNLEU has written to the GM (Trng.), urging upon him to take expeditious action to solve this problem.

AUAB has demanded meeting with the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications and the Secretary, DoT, to review the action taken on the issues of wage revision, pension revision, left out issues of 2^nd PRC, payment of pension contribution on actual basic pay, rolling back of the Subsidiary Tower Company, etc.

In the 36^th meeting of the National Council, Com. P. Abhimanyu, Secretary, Staff Side, raised certain issues in his initial remarks. The Chairperson of the National Council responded to those issues. BSNLEU has written to the GM (SR) for inclusion of these in the minutes, and also for follow up action by the Corporate Office.

Consequent to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circles, two batches of Non-Executives are forcibly transferred from  CGM Office, Hyderabad to CGM Office, Vijayawada. Due to the efforts taken by BSNLEU, the 3^rd batch, consisting of 10 employees, are retained in Hyderabad till 31^st May, 2018. Under these circumstances, the CGM Office, Hyderabad is experiencing staff shortage. In view of this, BSNLEU has demanded that no more employee should be transferred from CGM Office, Hyderabad to CGM Office, Vijayawada, and that the 3^rd batch of 10 officials should be retained at CGM Office, Hyderabad.

BSNLEU has written to Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR), seeking a formal meeting to discuss certain pressing issues. They are:-

• Resumption of the negotiation for Wage Revision of the Non-Executives.
• Settlement of the issue of down-gradation of the Sr.TOAs from 7100-200-10100 to 6550-185-9325.
• Holding the JE LICE under 50% quota, as an ‘off-line’, instead of ‘on-line’ and to notify the date of the exam.
• Relaxing the 10th standard qualification condition for candidates to appear in the Telecom Technician LDCE.
• Inordinate delay in holding the Standing Committee meeting.

The DoT has written to the CMD BSNL, expressing it’s concern over the non-payment of salary to the ITS officers on time. It is also stated in the letter that, as per the terms and conditions of deployment of ITS officers in BSNL, it is the responsibility of the Company to make payment of salary to the ITS officers on time. We are surprised to note that the DoT is not worried about the non-payment of salary to the Executives and Non-Executives of BSNL. They are also not worried about the deductions made from the salary of the Executives and Non-Executives, not being sent to the concerned organisations, by BSNL. Further, the contract workers of BSNL are not paid wages for the past 10 months. But, the DoT is not worried about all these, but wants prompt payment of salary to the ITS officers. BSNLEU has written to Shri Anshu Prakash, Secretary, Telecom, cautioning that such partisan attitude will disturb industrial peace in BSNL.

From May, 2019 onwards, the subscription money deducted from the members of the unions and associations, have not been handed over by the Management. BSNLEU has already written to the CMD BSNL on 24.09.2019 and 16.10.2019 demanding to hand over the union subscription money. Presently, the functioning of the unions and associations at the district and circle levels is paralysed due to this reason. Hence, BSNLEU once again written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to hand over the union subscription money.

The results of the JE LICE has been declared. The results are very poor. The questions have been so tough that in AP Circle, against 493 vacancies, only 6 candidates have passed. In the Telangana Circle, against 491 vacancies, only 5 candidates have passed. It is learnt that no one has passed the exam in some circles. Conducting such an exam, with questions of very high standard, is nothing but a crude joke on the employees, who have been aspiring to pass this exam. BSNLEU has demanded relaxation for the candidates, as it has been done in the case of DR TTA exam held in 2008.

The JTO LICE, JAO LICE, JE LICE and TT LICE have not been held, on regular basis, during the past so many years. Now, as per VRS orders, all the 79,000 posts of the VRS retirees are going to be abolished w.e.f. 01.02.2020. This will jeopardise the post-based promotions of the Non-Executives in a big way. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL demanding that the Management should immediately take steps to hold the JTO LICE, JAO LICE, JE LICE and TT LICE, based on the vacancies existed as on 31.01.2020.

Com. Sarabjit Singh, district secretary of BSNLEU, Amritsar, is issued with two charge sheets, years ago. The charge sheets are issued for his fighting against the misuse of official vehicles, and for fighting against the pick and choose transfer orders, issued by the GM, Amritsar, in violation of the Corporate Office Transfer Policy. The Amritsar district administration is dragging on the disciplinary proceedings for years together, which is a violation of rules. This is a way of harassing the union functionaries. CHQ has written to the Director (HR), seeking her intervention, for an early conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

The Central Secretariat meeting of BSNLEU, held at New Delhi on 04.09.2018, has taken serious note of the non-implementation of the assurances given by the Hon’ble MoS(C) in the meeting held on 24.02.2018, between the AUAB and Hon’ble MoS(C). The Central Secretariat meeting has passed a resolution, urging upon the Hon’ble MoS(C) to ensure early implementation of the assurances. This resolution has been sent to the Hon’ble MoS(C), Secretary, DoT, and the CMD BSNL.