The last meeting of the Wage Negotiating Committee was held on 10^th June, 2022. Thereafter, no meeting of the Committee has been notified. In the meanwhile, Shri R.K. Goyal, PGM(Pers.), who had been functioning as the Chairman of the Wage Negotiating Committee has been transferred and posted as the CGM, NTR circle. Under these circumstances, BSNLEU has written a letter to the CMD BSNL today, demanding to reconstitute the Wage Negotiating Committee, by appointing a new Chairman. BSNLEU has also demanded to hold the next sitting of the Wage Negotiating Committee without delay.

Corporate Office has issued notification for holding the JE LICE on 16.10.2022. However, vacancies are available only in 15 circles. There is no vacancy in other circles. Even among the 15 circles, vacancies are available only in single digit in 7 circles. This problem is a creation of the BSNL Management. In the name of Restructuring, 34,646 JE/Draftsman posts were cut down to 7,991 posts. Acute shortage in the cadre of JE is prevailing in all the circles. Hence, BSNLEU has written letter to the CMD BSNL demanding to review the decision taken to abolish large number of JE posts. In the meanwhile, BSNLEU has also demanded to hold the forthcoming JE LICE with the JE vacancies, that existed as on 31.01.2020.

BSNLEU has written a letter to the Director (HR) regarding the JE LICE to be held in October, 2022, raising the following demands.

1. JE LICE should not be held as an online exam. It should be held only as an “off-line” exam.
2. Management should immediately issue notification for holding the JE LICE, for the vacancies of the year 2021 also.
3. Since, 9^th Membership Verification for the Non-Executives is going to be held in October, 2022, JE LICE should be conducted in November, 2022.
4. The standard of questions paper for the JE LICE should not be very high. BSNLEU has demanded that the exam should be held with questions of reasonable standard.     

The auctioning of 5G spectrum is going to be held in this month. It is also reported that, the private telecom companies are going to launch the 5G service by the end of this year. It is very pathetic to note that, BSNL is nowhere in the picture, regarding the launching of 5G service. Private telecom companies launched their mobile service in the year 1995. However, BSNL launched its mobile service only in October, 2002. Private telecom companies launched 4G service in 2012. However, even after 10 years, BSNL could not start it’s 4G service. The same story should not repeat in BSNL‘s 5G launching also. Hence BSNLEU has written to Shri Ashwini Vaishnav, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, demanding to ensure the on time launching of 5G service by BSNL.

The arrogant and highhanded behaviour of the GMTD, Ludhaina, is being repeatedly taken to the notice of the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR), by BSNLEU. Similarly, the sexual harassments in Ludhiana district are also taken to the notice of the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR). However, the Corporate Management is remaining as a silent spectator, for reasons best known to them. Recently, the circle union of BSNLEU, Punjab, gave call for demonstrations, seeking settlement of some long pending issues. This demonstration was well organised in Ludhiana also. However, the GMTD, Ludhiana, has issued legal notice to 7 retired employees, for participating in the demonstration. This only highlights the arrogant and highhanded behaviour of the GMTD, Ludhiana, who is abusing his official power. BSNLEU has once again written to the Director (HR), demanding immediate action. CHQ’s letter is enclosed.

BSNLEU has written a letter to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, regarding the deadlock that has arisen in BSNL’s 4G launching. In the letter written yesterday, BSNLEU has pointed out that TCS has still not completed the Proof of Concept (PoC). It means, TCS has not proved that it is having the requisite technology for supplying 4G equipments to BSNL. Further, the purchase order placed by BSNL on 31st March, 2022, for purchasing 6,000 BTSs has not also been approved by TCS. BSNLEU has also pointed out that BSNL can launch it’s 4G service expeditiously in the South and West Zones, by way of upgradation of the BTSs, which can be done by Nokia.

The AUAB organised a successful dharna on 21-06-2022, demanding settlement of the burning HR issues of the Executives and Non-Executives. On 23-06-2022, the Corporate Office issued a letter, wherein  the Management has tried it’s best to cook-up the figures relating to the number of employees who participated in the dharna and thereby tried to convey a message to all that, the dharna has become a failure. Never in the past, the Management had stooped to such a low level of cooking up the figures and to paint the picture that, the agitation called on by the unions and associations had become a failure. BSNLEU has written a letter to the CMD BSNL, severely condemning this unwarranted and uncalled for action of the Management, meant to belittle the unions and associations of BSNL.

BSNLEU is continuously taking up the problem being faced by the JTO LICE candidates in 20 circles. As is already informed, there is no vacancy in 11 circles and only very few vacancies in 9 circles. The last JTO LICE was held on 26.05.2019, for the vacancy year 2017-18. As such, the JTO LICE should be conducted, considering the vacancies of 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. However, the Management says that, the vacancies of the years 2018-19 and 2019-20 are abolished under Restructuring. At the same time, the Management has given JTO to SDE promotions for the vacancies of the years 2018-19 and 2019-20 also. Is this not discriminatory and step-motherly attitude? Tomorrow, the same scenario is going to arise in the other LICEs of the Non-Executives, like JE LICE, JAO LICE and TT LICE. This cannot be accepted. Further, to come out of the mess that it has created, the Management now tries to hold one special JTO LICE, by diverting the Direct Recruitment quota posts. They say that, the grievance of the candidates of the 20 circles, where there is nil vacancy or only few vacancies, can also appear in this LICE. However, as per this LICE, the selected candidates of the 20 circles will be posted in far away circles and it will take 10 to 12 years for them to get transfer back to their home circles. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to hold the JTO LICE with the posts that were available as on 31.01.2020. 

140 TSMs belonging to Darbhanga district of Bihar circle, were appointed as Regular Mazdoors in 2002. All of them were conferred with the Temporary Status prior to 01.10.2000. However, still Presidential Orders have not been issued to them. Out of these 140 RMs, some employees have died and many others have retired. Due to the non-issuing of Presidential Orders, pension / family pension have not been settled to them. CHQ has taken up this case and has written a detailed letter to the Director (HR).

The CHQ of BSNLEU is receiving complaints from many circles, stating that the Management has stopped honouring the retiring employees with shawl, memento and cash amount. A clear-cut decision has been taken in the 12^th meeting of the BSNL Welfare Board, held on 03.08.2018, that the retiring employees should be honoured with a shawl worth Rs.750/, a memento worth Rs.500/ and a cash amount of Rs.3001/. However, in the name of curtailing expenditures, the Management has stopped implementing the above decision of the Welfare Board. Hence, BSNLEU has written a letter to the Director (HR) today, demanding to implement the Welfare Board decision in honouring the retiring employees with shawl, memento and cash amount. BSNLEU has also demanded that the amount for shawl and memento should be increased, keeping the price rise into consideration.

Before every Membership Verification, the Management will hold and exploratory meeting. All the Applicant Unions and Associations will participate in this meeting and will express their views about the conducting of the Membership Verification. For the forthcoming 9^th Membership Verification also the Management is holding one such Exploratory Meeting. This meeting will take place on 14.06.2022, at 1100 hours, in the BSNL Corporate Office.  Two representatives from each Union/Association can take part in this meeting.

The BSNL Management has unlawfully frozen the IDA increase of the Non-Executives of BSNL, from 01-10-2020 upto 30-06-2021. BSNLEU filed a case in the Hon’ble Kerala High Court. The Court has directed the CMD BSNL to pay the IDA increase to the Non-Executives of BSNL. But, the CMD BSNL delayed the payment. Thereafter, the DoT has written a letter to the CMD BSNL, directing him not to pay the IDA increase to the Non-Executives. BSNLEU has written a letter to the Secretary, Telecom, today, requesting him to reconsider the decision of the DoT, directing CMD BSNL not to pay the IDA arrears to the Non-Executives of BSNL.

Due to the continuous efforts taken by BSNLEU, the Corporate Office has issued letter for holding the BSNL Sports and Cultural Board meeting. Today, BSNLEU has submitted its agenda items, for discussion in the forthcoming meeting of this Board. BSNLEU has many taken important issues of the sports personnel, like holding the All India Sports Meet, settlement of the pending cases for according of career progression / special increments,  enhancing the TA/DA and Kit Allowance  of the sports personnel, providing “ time-off” to the  sports personnel without any hitch and other issues.

The AUAB has written a detailed letter to the CMD BSNL and the Secretary, Telecom; on the need to immediately replace the E1-A pay scale with E2 pay scale and the E2-A pay scale with the E3 pay scale. The AUAB has informed that, it would be constrained to launch agitational programmes, if the issue is not settled immediately. Copy of the AUAB letter is enclosed.

BSNL corporate office has issued advertisement for engaging a top consultant, from among the retired CGM/PGM etc., to be posted in the mobile vertical. The salary for this consultant will be Rs.1, 00,000/ per month, with conveyance of Rs.25, 000/ per month, flight travel etc. The consultant will be initially engaged for six months and would be extended up to 3 years. BSNL has never witnessed engagement of a consultant at such a high level and also for such a long duration. The advertisement gives rise to the suspicion, whether BSNL is a Public Sector company or a private limited company. It is our bitter experience that, consultants have been engaged in BSNL in the past, only to favour certain individuals. BSNL is having a well-defined recruitment system. Hence engagement of consultants at such high level and that too for such a long period, is totally unwarranted. BSNL’s advertisement, contained in the letter cited under reference, has evoked widespread suspicion and resentment among the employees. Hence the AUAB has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to drop the proposal to engage such a top consultant. AUAB’s letter is enclosed.

In 2008, the Draughtsmen (Civil/Electrical /Telecom), who possessed the requisite educational qualification, were allowed to appear in the JTO (Civil / Electrical) exam, against the 50% quota. In the 26th and 28th meetings of the National Council, the Management had accepted the demand of BSNLEU, for holding one more JTO exam for the left out Draftsman Civil / Electrical/Telecom. However this decision of the National Council has not been implemented. BSNLEU has already raised this issue a number of times. Once again BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) today, demanding to implement the decision of the National Council.

The results of the JTO LICE, under 50% quota, conducted in Punjab circle on 26.05.2019 are not yet declared, as a result of which the candidates are completely frustrated and demoralised. This problem is out and out a creation of the Punjab circle administration. They conducted the exam, without carrying forward the unfilled vacancies of the previous exam, as a result of which many court cases came. The problem got complicated due to the contradictory statements made by the Punjab circle administration, in the Hon’ble CAT, Chandigarh. BSNLEU has already discussed this issue with the Director (HR) many times. Again, this issue is taken up as an item for discussion in the forthcoming Formal Meeting with the Director (HR).

BSNLEU is continuously taking up the important issues of the Non-Executives with the CMD BSNL, Director (HR), etc. However, very little improvement is there on the issues being taken by BSNLEU. Under these circumstances, BSNLEU has sought a Formal Meeting with the Director (HR). The following important issues of the employees have been notified for discussion in the Formal Meeting. 

1. Implementation of a New Promotion Policy to the Non-Executives of BSNL
2. Urgent need to relax the ban imposed on Compassionate Ground Appointments.
3. Holding of the JE LICE, JAO LICE, JTO(OL) LICE, Telecom Technician LICE and other LICEs of the Non-Executives.
4. Inordinate delay in issuing Presidential Orders to the TSMs who were directly promoted as Telecom Technicians.
5. Non-granting of special increments / promotions to the deserving sports personnels and granting special increments clandestinely to some Corporate Office officials.
6. Non-providing of passwords to the Non-Executives.
7. Denial of transfer under Rule 8 to DR JEs - requesting to take action to mitigate their sufferings.
8. Imposing rigorous conditions in the JAO Recruitment Rules.

The MoUs signed by BSNL with the Canara Bank and the Union Bank of India have expired long back. Both the Canara Bank and the Union Bank of India have not come forward to renew the MoUs. This is mainly because, in the past, the BSNL Management had deducted the EMI amounts from the salaries of the employees, but did not remit the same on time to the banks. Due to the non-availability of various loans, the employees are suffering. BSNLEU has discussed this issue many times with CMD BSNL. Yesterday, BSNLEU has written letter to the CMD BSNL, suggesting that, the BSNL Management should approach other nationalised banks for signing MoUs for the extension of various loans to the employees.