BSNLEU is continuously trying to get Presidential Orders issued for around 400 TSMs who had directly been promoted as Telecom Technicians. After much delay, the file was sent to the DoT. However, the DoT has returned the file to BSNL, without applying it’s mind properly. The affected employees are retiring. BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) BSNL, requesting to take up this issue once again with the highest level of the DoT.

In the case filed by BSNLEU, on 17.02.2021, the Hon’ble Kerala High Court ordered that IDA increase, w.e.f. 01.10.2020, should be paid to the Non-Executives of BSNL. On 02.08.2021 the DPE released the details of IDA increase, w.e.f. 01.10.2020. On 03.08.2021 itself, BSNLEU wrote to the CMD BSNL, demanding to immediately pay the IDA arrears to the Non-Executives. However, it took more than two months for the CMD BSNL to approve the file for the payment of IDA arrears. Still, no one knows when the actual payment will be made. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL today, demanding to immediately take steps for the payment of IDA arrears.

BSNL has introduced a “Career Progression Policy” on 01.05.2008, for the Sports Personnel working in BSNL. According to this Policy, outstanding sports personnel in international and national level tournaments are to be given with promotions. The Policy says that, names of the eligible sports persons should be called for every year and the same should be sent to the Corporate Office with recommendations. However, practically, the Corporate Office has held up the promotions of the eligible sports personnel. BSNLEU is continuously pressurising the Management to implement the Career Progression Policy. Once again, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL yesterday, demanding prompt action on this matter.

A large number of employees have been subjected to “pick and choose” transfers in Ludhiana SSA, within a few months. No norms has been adopted in these transfer and postings. Members of BSNLEU and women employees are being targeted by the GMTD, Ludhiana. The matter has been taken to the notice of the CGM, Punjab circle. However, he has not intervened. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) yesterday, and has requested his intervention.

BSNLEU has already written to the BSNL Management about the anti-BSNLEU activities of the GMTD, Ludhiana. On 28.08.2021, the District Secretary, BSNLEU, has written to the GMTD, Ludhiana, seeking time for discussing important staff issues. The list of items to be discussed in the meeting, has also been submitted to the GMTD, Ludhiana. However, wilfully the GMTD, Ludhiana, is not permitting BSNLEU to meet him. This matter has already been taken to the notice of the CGM, Punjab circle. However, the CGM has not intervened. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) yesterday, seeking his intervention to resolve this deadlock.

The BSNL Staff Welfare Board and the BSNL Sports and Cultural Board are not functioning at the Corporate Office level. The tenure of both these Boards had expired in March, 2020. Hence, the Sports and Cultural activities in BSNL have come to a standstill.  The non-functioning of the Staff Welfare Board at the Corporate Office level is affecting the welfare activities at the circle level. BSNLEU has already written two letters to the CMD BSNL, demanding to re-constitute both these Boards. But so far, no action has been taken. Hence, BSNLEU has written one more letter to the CMD BSNL today, demanding to immediately reconstitute the BSNL Staff Welfare Board and the BSNL Sports and Cultural Board.

The AUAB of Leh district, has raised the issue that, due to the frequent disruptions in the Srinagar – Leh OFC route, the mobile, landline, FTTH and Leased Circuit customers of BSNL are suffering in this mountainous region. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (CFA), BSNL and has given alternative suggestions for giving good quality of service to the customers in Leh SSA.  

Deduction is being made from the salaries of employees towards repayment of bank loan and interest. However, these deductions are not being remitted to the banks on time. As a result, banks levy penal interest on employees. Thus, employees are being harassed, for no fault of theirs. Time and again, BSNLEU has taken up this issue with the CMD BSNL. However, bank authorities continue to impose penal interest on employees, towards default in the remittance of bank dues. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to immediately pay the penal interest, so that employees are not harassed by the bank authorities.

All are aware that, BSNLEU filed a case in the Hon’ble Kerala High Court against the freezing of IDA for the Non-Executive employees. The court ordered that IDA should be paid to the employees. Thereafter, it is going to be two months, since the DPE announced the IDA increase from 01.10.2020. However, the BSNL Management has so far not paid the IDA arrears to the employees. The matter has already been discussed with the CMD BSNL, and the Director (HR). BSNLEU has already written two letters on this issue. Once again, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL yesterday, demanding immediate payment of the IDA arrears.

It is already 17^th of September, 2021. However, salary for the month of August, 2021, is not yet disbursed. Only on 14^th September, 2021, the Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF has organised countrywide protest demonstrations and one of the important demands of the programme was immediate disbursement of salary. But the Management continues to be insensitive to the sufferings of the employees. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL today, demanding immediate disbursement of the September salary and also payment of salary on the due date of every month.

In the All India Conference of BSNLEU, held at Mysuru, decision was taken to increase the monthly subscription of BSNLEU from Rs.45/- to Rs.70/-. However, the CHQ of the Union had decided to keep this decision pending. After implementation of VRS, the membership of the Union has decreased by almost 50% and the receipt of subscription money has also decreased by 50%. As a result, the Circle and District unions are finding it extremely difficult to implement the various calls being given by the CHQ of BSNLEU, as well as by the AUAB. This issue was discussed in the CEC meeting held at Hyderabad and it was unanimously decided to implement the decision of the All India Conference to increase the monthly subscription of BSNLEU, from Rs.45/- to Rs.70/-. The Corporate Office has issued letter today, to increase the monthly subscription. BSNLEU is taking up each and every problem of the employees and is fighting to defend their interests. Hence, it is the duty of all the members of BSNLEU to extend their fullest cooperation and support in implementing the decision of increasing the Union subscription.

The BSNL Management has formed a Committee to review the “Cluster Based Outsourcing System”. The Management has done this, only due to the pressure from unions and associations. However, the Management wants only to do some ‘eye-wash review’. BSNLEU has been called to present it’s views on the matter yesterday the 08-09-2021. Shri Rahul Patel, GM (NWP-CFA) and other officers were present. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.Anand Kumar Singh, AGS, gave a detailed presentation of the views of BSNLEU. They submitted a three page letter, giving details of how BSNL is being looted by the contractors, without doing much work. BSNLEU has demanded the scrapping of the “Cluster Based Outsourcing System” and to do the works by engaging workers through the Labour Contract System. BSNLEU’s letter is enclosed.

The Corporate Office has issued letter on 27.08.2021, imposing severe restrictions on temporary transfers. This will seriously affect the young employees, who are posted in far away circles at the time of their initial appointment. Till recently, the Director (HR) was empowered to sanction temporary transfers for genuine cases. However, hereafter employees can get Temporary Transfers only on two grounds. One ground is for the employee to join with  husband / wife. The other is medical grounds. Under medical grounds, employees can get temporary transfer only in cases of serious ailments like cancer, kidney failure, etc. The employee will not get a temporary transfer even if his / her parents get heart attack. Further, in the case of accidents, temporary transfer will be granted only if the official sustains disability. And even in such cases, the certificate has to be issued by the CMO of the government hospital. Till recently, officials were getting temporary transfers up to 5 years. However, hereafter, temporary transfers will be granted only up to 2 years. The Management is not able to pay salary to the employees on the due date. Medical bills of the employees are pending for the past many years. Most of the employees are suffering from stagnation. The Management is not taking any action to redress such genuine grievances of the employees. However, Management wants to deny whatever little concessions the employees are getting presently. The BSNL Management wants to convert the employees into slaves. This should not be allowed. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, expressing it’s strong objections. All the unions and associations should come forward to oppose this arbitrary action of the Management.  

All are aware that, BSNLEU filed a case in the Hon’ble Kerala High Court, against the freezing of IDA for the Non-Executives in BSNL. The Hon’ble Court gave order that the IDA freezing is not applicable for the Non-Executives of BSNL. Now, the DPE has announced the percentage of IDA increase, that has taken place w.e.f. 01.10.2020, 01.01.2021 and 01.04.2021. BSNLEU is continuously pressurising the Management to pay the IDA arrears to the Non-Executives without delay. However, so far, Management has not paid the arrears. Hence, once again BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to immediately pay the IDA arrears to the Non-Executives of BSNL.

As regards, disbursement of July, 2021 salary, the Corporate Office sent funds to the circles on 16.08.2021 itself. Salary disbursement was made to the employees on 17.08.2021. However, in Kerala circle, it was delayed and salary was credited to the accounts of the employees only today afternoon. It is also brought to the notice of the CHQ that, this sort of problem has taken place in June and July, 2021 also. Hence, CHQ has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to take up the issue with the Union Bank of India for redressal of the problem.

Payment of the medical bills of the serving and retired employees, is remaining pending for a very long time. For the serving employees, bills have been settled only up to March, 2020. Whereas, the medical bills of the retired employees are not settled after March, 2019. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding payment of the pending medical bills without further delay.

BSNL Employees Health Insurance Policy is going to be implemented w.e.f. 01^st September, 2021. The New India Assurance Company has communicated to the BSNL Management, the list of empanelled hospitals throughout the country under this Health Insurance Policy. However, it is observed that, no empanelled hospitals are available in NE-I and NE-II circles. This will create very big problems to the BSNL employees posted in NE-I and NE-II circles and who opt for the Insurance Policy. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the GM(Admn.), BSNL Corporate Office, and has demanded that empanelled hospitals are made available in NE-I and NE-II circles.

The Ministry of Finance has issued a directive that the salary for the month of August, 2021, should be paid on 19.08.2021 itself, to the Central Government employees posted in Kerala, in view of the Onam festival. But in BSNL, so far, even the salary for the month of July, 2021, has not been paid to the employees. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL that, in accordance with the spirit contained in the Ministry of Finance letter, salary for the month July, 2021, should be paid to all the employees immediately. Further, BSNLEU has demanded salary for the month of August, 2021, should be paid to the BSNL employees posted in Kerala circle, on or before 19.08.2021.

BSNLEU is continuously taking up the various issues connected with the Restructuring process. It has submitted it’s suggestions to the Management, on the proposed strength of the cadres of TT, Sr.TOA, JE and JTO. BSNLEU has also opposed Management’s proposal to declare the Sr.TOA and the ATT cadres as Dying Cadres. While the Director (HR) has agreed to retain Sr.TOA cadre as a Live Cadre, he did not agree to keep the ATT also as a Live Cadre. 

Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL, to retain the ATT cadre as a Live Cadre. For this, BSNLEU has suggested that the educational qualification of the ATT cadre could be increased. Alternatively, BSNLEU has suggested that, a "Multi Tasking Cadre" could be created.

BSNLEU has pointed out that, after VRS, the situation in BSNL is still very fluid. Hence, the Union has demanded that, all decisions taken regarding Restructuring, should compulsorily be reviewed after one year. BSNLEU has also demanded that no final decision should be taken regarding the strength of TT, Sr.TOA, JE and JTO cadres without holding discussion on the proposals already submitted by BSNLEU.