Distribution of food materials to the contract workers, by BSNLEU, AIBDPA, AIBSNLEA and AIGETOA in Ludhiana district of Punjab circle, is going on in full swing. Already two rounds of distributions have taken place. The third round of distribution of food materials took place yesterday the 09.06.2020 at Sahnewal, Meharban, Kohara and Bhattian areas of Sahnewal Sub Division and also in Samrala, Khamanno and Machhiwara areas of Samrala Sub Division. Totally, 45 contract workers received the food materials. Com.Avtar Singh Jhande, DS, BSNLEU, Com.Balvinder Singh, CS, AIBDPA, Com.Rajender Singh, AIBSNLEA and Com.Jaspreet Singh, DS, AIGETOA, distributed the relief materials.

The CMD BSNL has assured that payment of salary for the month of December, 2019 would be paid by 31-01-2020. However, this payment is not taking place by 31-01-2020. The reason is, BSNL is not able to get the anticipated bank loans. Decision regarding protest action will be taken shortly, in consultation with other organisations.

1) Com.Ashok Kumar Yadav, OS, Barkot, – Rs.5,000/-

2) Com.Jogeshwar Prasad Nautiyal, Retd. TT, Barkot, Uttarkashi – Rs.3,300/-

3) Shri Chatar Singh Chauhan, SDE, Barkot, Uttarkashi – Rs.3,000/-

4) Com.K.S. Soun, Retd.OS, Circle Secretary, Uttarakhand – Rs.2,500/-

5) Shri Shiv Shankar Jhapliyal, Retd. JE – Rs.2,100/-

6) Com.Narendra Kumar, Retd.TT – Rs.2,100/-

7) Com.M.P. Uniyal, Retd., ACS & DS, New Tehri – Rs.2,000/-

8) Com.Ganesh Prasad Kala, Retd., Circle President, Sri Nagar – Rs.1,500/-

9) Com. P.S. Bisht, Retd.OS, Treasurer – Rs.1,100/-

10) Com.J.P. Kothari, Retd., Patron – Rs.1,100/-

11) Com.Ram Bhagat Singh, Retd., District Secretary, Sri Nagar – Rs.1,000/-

12) Com.S.C.Kala, Retd., DS, Haridwar – Rs.1,100/-

13) Com.Madhan Singh Negi, Retd.JE, Branch Secretary, Haridwar – Rs.1,100/-

14) Com.R.C.S. Garihiya, Retd.OS, District Secretary, Nainital – Rs.1,100/-

15) Com.Mahendra Singh Bisht, Retd.OS, Haldwani – Rs.1,100/-

16) Com.Om Prakash, Retd.TT, ACS, Kashipur, USN – Rs.1,100/-

17) Com.K.L. Chamoli, Retd.TT, Dehradun, – Rs.1,100/-

18) Com.Hukam Singh, Retd.TT – Rs.1,100/-

19) Com.Amar Nath Dutta, Retd., Organising Secretary – Rs.1,100/-

20) Com.Anand Singh Negi, Retd.OS, New Tehri, – Rs.1,100/-

21) Com.Ram Chandra Singh Rawat, Retd.TT, Dehradun – Rs.2,000/-

22) Com.Sri Kishan Pawar, Retd.TT, Uttarkashi, – Rs.1,100/-

23) Shri Rishimohan Negi, JTO, New Tehri, – Rs.1,100/-

The AUAB of Tamil Nadu circle, organised protest demonstrations throughout the circle, to condemn the atrocious outburst of Shri Anantkumar Hegde, MP, branding BSNL as a black mark of the nation and calling it’s employees traitors. At a very short notice, the protest demonstrations were orgnaised very powerfully in all the SSAs in Tamil Nadu circle. The CHQ of BSNLEU heartily congratulates the AUAB of Tamil Nadu circle for organising this struggle spontaneously.

It is shocking to know that 3.4 lakh persons have cheated income tax, payable on account of capital gains from shares and mutual funds. As per media reports, 3.4 lakh investors, dealing in shares and mutual funds, have evaded income tax, on account of capital gains. Data shows that in 2018-19 alone, 91,000 individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) dealing in shares and mutual funds, exceeding Rs.20 lakh, did not file Income Tax returns. The value of the sales of these shares and mutual fund units is estimated at Rs.99,000 crores. The Income Tax department is taking stringent actions when salaried employees do not file income tax returns. At the same time, media reports reveal that lakhs of persons dealing with shares and mutual funds escape from paying income tax and they are being allowed to escape scot-free.

[Courtesy: Times of India dated 29.01.2020]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unions are unable to hold their committee meetings physically. This is due to the compulsion of maintaining social distance, restrictions in travelling, etc.  It is in this backdrop that BSNLEU is holding it’s Central Secretariat meeting on 15.06.2020, through video conferencing. Kerala circle union has reported that it’s Circle Secretariat meeting has been organised yesterday the 10.06.2020, through video conferencing. CHQ heartily congratulates the Kerala circle union for taking the initiative to hold it’s Secretariat meeting on the digital platform. Other circle unions are also requested to hold their committee meetings through video conferencing.

The Bank employees are going on a two day strike on 31st January and 01st February, 2020, under the banner of the UFBU. This strike is taking place against the mega mergers of public sector banks, reducing their numbers from 27 to 12 and also demanding wage settlement which has become due on 01st November, 2017. Big corporates are taking huge loans and cheat the public sector banks, without making payments. Instead of taking stringent actions, government is writing them off as bad loans. Rs.5.8 lakh crore bad debts have been written off in the recent past. These bad debts are the reason for the declining health of the public sector banks. Instead of recovering the bad loans, the government is resorting to the merger of public sector banks, which is widely being conceived as the step towards privatisation of the public sector banks. BSNLEU expresses it support and solidarity to the two day strike of bank employees.

Karnataka circle. 

1. Com.Muddaiah, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA - Rs.3,000/-

2. Com. R. S. Kulkarni . Ex CWC member vijaypura( Jamakhandi) - Rs.2,500/- 

3. Shri Ajay, colleague of Smt. Mehrunnisa Begum's daughter - Rs.2,000/-.

4. Com. Leelavathi Bhat Rtd. SSS CGMT(O) - Rs.2,000/-

5. Com. Santosh Kumar, JE, DKTD - Rs.2,000/-

6. Com. K. B. Ghatke CWC member KTK - Rs.1,500/-

7. Com. Ramesh II, Rtd. CGMT(O) has again donated - Rs.1,500/-

8. Com. Shivashankarappa Hubballi Ex. DS - Rs.1,101/-

9. Com. Rajashekar Murthy Rtd. CGMT(O) - Rs.1,000/-

10. Com. K. Ramesh II Rtd. CGMT(O) - Rs.1,000/-

11. Com. H. M. Guru Prasad Rtd. SSS CGMT(O) - Rs.1,000/-

12. Com. K. Ramesh JAO CGMT(O) - Rs.1,000/-

13. Com. Jayachandra   DS AIBDPA Chikmagalur - Rs.1,000/-

14. Com. Mehrunnisa Begum, Rtd. OS CGMT(O) - Rs.1,000/-

15. Com. Venkatnarasappa. PS Rtd. CGMT KTK - Rs.1,000/-

16. Smt. Shifa colleague of Smt. Mehrunnisa Begum's daughter - Rs.1,000/-

NE 1 circle. 

1) Com. Sudip Gope, Asst. Br. Secy. Agartala. - Rs.3,000/-

2) Com. Rupali Das Choudhury  ,Asst. Br. Secy. Agartala - Rs.500/-

3) Com. Debi Sonar, ATT,  0/0 CGMT, Shillong - Rs.500/-

Vadodara  district, Gujarat circle. 

1) Com. Vijay Patil (JTO-RMC) Vadodara - Rs.5,000/- 

2) Com. Abhishek Singh (JE-FTG) & ADS BSNLEU Vadodara - Rs.1,100/-

3) Com. V.B. Parmar (TT-COD)& ADS BSNLEU Vadodara - Rs.1,000/- 

4) Com. R.C. Patel Retired (JE) Vadodara - Rs.1,000/-

5) Com. S.J. Verma (TT-ALK) & Branch Secretary BSNLEU Vadodara - Rs.1,000/-

6) Com. H.K. Raval Retired (OS-KBG) & Branch President BSNLEU Vadodara - Rs.1,001/-

Odisha circle. 

1) Shri Brundaban Behera DGMCFA, Dhenkanal - Rs.2,000/- 

2) Com.Arun Kumar Basantray, DS, CGM office -  Rs.1,000/-  

BSNLEU has already written to the Director (HR), demanding that the JTO Phase-1 training should be conducted in a decentralised manner, i.e., sending the candidates to their nearest training centres. This demand has been raised in the backdrop of the decision of the Management to send all the candidates to ALTTC, Ghaziabad, forcing them to travel more than 1,000 KMs, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading rapidly. Today, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, discussed this issue telephonically with Shri Ashutosh Gupta, GM(Training) in the Corporate Office and requested to take the needful action expeditiously. The GM (Training) assured to do the needful.

Today, the 31st January, 2020, is the Black Day in the history of BSNL. 78,459 employees are retrenched and are being sent home today, under Voluntary Retirement Scheme. This is being done in the name of "Revival of BSNL." It was tom-tommed that the VRS will bring a turn around for BSNL. However, BSNL is still unable to launch it’s 4G service, 3 months after the announcement of the Revival Package. Still, BSNL is not having money to pay salary, even to those who are going home under VRS. Despite the Hon’ble Minister's claim that BSNL is a strategic asset of the nation, there is no doubt that, everything is being done to privatise BSNL, as is being done in the case of other PSUs. It is our duty to ensure that, BSNL is converted into a profit making PSU once again and the attempts of the government to privatise BSNL are frustrated.

(1) Com. V.S. Chubey, DS, Kamrup - Rs.1,000/- 

(2) Com. Subrata Debnath,President, CGMT - Rs.1,000/-

(3)  Com.S.R. Sargiary,Retd. - Rs.1,000/-

(4) Com.Nareswar Nath, BS - Rs.500/-

(5) Com. S. Debnath, T.T - Rs.500/-

(6) Com.Hormohan Barman, T.T. - Rs.500/-

(7) Com. Harish Ray, BS - Rs.500/-

(8) Com. Promod Das, T.T. - Rs.500/-

(9) Com. Sanjib Singh, A., T.T. - Rs.500/-

(10) Com. S.N. Sharma, CS, AIBDPA ASSAM Circle - Rs.500/-

Due to the implementation of VRS, a very chaotic situation has been created in BSNL. Utilising this situation, some self-seekers are trying to project themselves as heroes. We don’t have any issue in it. However, these self-seekers are trying to damage the trade union movement. A person, who has already been given farewell from the trade union movement, has sent a very militant (???) message in the social media. The crux of the message is that, the unions and associations have not even moved their little finger, against the government. Is it correct?

• The last 5 years have seen militant struggles organised by the unions and associations of BSNL and massively participated in by the Executives and Non-Executives. The two day strike organised on 21^st & 22^nd April, 2015, demolished the government’s 60% ceiling, intended to deny payment of pension to BSNL employees. This struggle guaranteed payment of government pension to all BSNL retirees without any limitation. 

• The one day strike organised on 15.12.2016, exclusively against formation of Subsidiary Tower Company, gave a blow to the government's plan to fragment BSNL into pieces. 

• The two day strike held on 12th & 13th December, 2017, the indefinite strike, that was to start from 03.12.2018, but was deferred based on talks held with the Hon’ble MoS(C) and the assurances given by him, the three day strike organised on 18th, 19th & 20th February, 2019, demanded not only pay revision and pension revision, but also raised important demands for the revival of BSNL. 

• Together with the above mentioned three strikes, the unions and associations also organised two massive rallies at New Delhi on 19^th April, 2018 and 05^th April, 2019 and told the government in no uncertain terms that BSNL cannot be written off. 

• During the past 5 years, the unions and associations massively mobilised public opinion in favour of the revival of BSNL, by organising massive movements, viz., Human Chain, March to Rajbawan, Submitting memorandum to the MPs, Street Corner Meetings, etc.

• As a result of the above mentioned militant struggles and massive movements, organised by the unions and associations, and massively participated in by the Executives and Non-Executives, the government shelved it’s proposal to form the Subsidiary Tower Company. This is a Himalayan achievement.

• Due to the continuous struggles launched by the BSNL unions and associations, the government has been compelled to allot 4G spectrum to BSNL without any payment. This is a historic achievement, since it has also set a precedence for the allotment of 5G spectrum to BSNL in future.

• When the unions and associations of BSNL have achieved so much through their relentless struggles, it is ridiculous that self-seekers say that the unions and associations have not even moved their little finger against the government.

At a time when the BSNL contract workers are suffering from non-payment wages, as well as from the difficult situation created by the COVID-19, the All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA), Salem Division, Tamil Nadu, has extended it's helping hand. In a function held in the AIIEA office at Salem, food materials worth Rs.1,500/- has been provided to each of the 40 contract workers of BSNL.  Com.Narasimhan, Divisional President, AIIEA, Com. Dharmalingam, Divisional Secretary, AIIEA, Com.E.Gopal, District Secretary, BSNLEU and many other leaders were present during the occasion. BSNLEU heartily thanks the AIIEA comrades of Salem Division.

It is already 11th June, today. However, there is no indication about the payment of salary for the month of May, 2020. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, telephonically spoke to Shri S.K.Gupta, Director (Finance) today and enquired about the status of the payment of salary for the month of May. The Director (Finance) could not give any definite information in this regard. He stated that there is no cash flow and that all efforts are being made to pay the salary. It may be remembered that the April salary was also not paid on time and BSNLEU organised lunch hour demonstrations on 21.05.2020, demanding payment of salary, among other issues.

यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स ऑफ बीएसएनएल के शानदार संघर्ष और उपलब्धियां...
VRS के अमल में आने के पश्चात बीएसएनएल में बेहद अराजकता की स्थिति निर्मित हो गई है। इस स्थिति का लाभ उठाते हुए, कुछ अवसरवादी तत्व अपने आपको हीरो के रूप में प्रस्तुत करने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं। हमें इस पर कोई ऐतराज भी नही है। किंतु ये अवसरवादी तत्व ट्रेड यूनियन मूवमेंट को ही आहत करने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। एक सज्जन, जिन्हें ट्रेड यूनियन मूवमेंट से बिदाई दे दी गई है, वें सोशल मीडिया में बड़े ही आक्रामक (???) संदेश भेज रहे हैं। इस संदेश का लब्बोलुआब यह है कि यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स ने सरकार के खिलाफ एक उंगली भी नही उठाई है। क्या यह सही है ?
 

• विगत 5 वर्षों में यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स ऑफ बीएसएनएल द्वारा कई आक्रामक संघर्ष किए गए हैं जिसमें एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज व नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज ने व्यापक तौर पर शिरकत की है। 21 और 22 अप्रैल, 2015 को आयोजित हड़ताल की वजह से सरकार की 60% सीलिंग को खत्म किया गया, जिसका उद्देश्य बीएसएनएल कर्मियों को पेंशन से वंचित करना था। इस संघर्ष की वजह से ही बीएसएनएल के रिटायर्ड कर्मियों को बगैर किसी सीमा के सरकारी पेंशन का भुगतान सुनिश्चित किया जा सका।

• 15.12.2016 को विशेष रूप से सब्सिडीएरी टॉवर कंपनी के गठन के खिलाफ आयोजित की गई हड़ताल ने बीएसएनएल को टुकड़ों टुकड़ों में छिन्न भिन्न करने के सरकार के इरादों को ध्वस्त किया।

• 12 और 13 दिसंबर, 2017 की दो दिवसीय हड़ताल, 03.12.2018 से प्रस्तावित अनिश्चितकालीन हड़ताल, जो कि माननीय संचार राज्य मंत्री से हुई चर्चा के आधार पर मुल्तवी की गई, 18, 19, 20 फरवरी, 2019 को हुई तीन दिवसीय हड़ताल के द्वारा न केवल पे और पेंशन रिवीजन की मांग की गई, वरन बीएसएनएल के रिवाइवल हेतु अन्य कई प्रमुख मांग भी रखी गई।

• ऊपर उल्लेखित तीन हड़तालों के साथ साथ यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स ने 19 अप्रैल, 2018 और  05 अप्रैल, 2019 को नई दिल्ली में विशाल रैलीज भी आयोजित की और सरकार को चेताया कि बीएसएनएल को आसानी से खत्म नही किया सकता।

• विगत 5 वर्षों में,  यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स  ने व्यापक आन्दोलनों, जैसे मानव श्रृंखला, मार्च टू राजभवन, सांसदों को ज्ञापन देना, नुक्कड़ सभाएं आदि के माध्यम से बीएसएनएल के रिवाइवल के लिए आम जन का ध्यान भी आकर्षित किया।

• यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स द्वारा आयोजित ऊपर उल्लेखित आक्रामक संघर्षों और व्यापक आंदोलनों, जिसमें एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज व नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज ने बड़े पैमाने पर हिस्सा लिया, की वजह से सरकार को सब्सिडीएरी टॉवर कंपनी का अपना प्रस्ताव ठंडे बस्ते में डालना पड़ा। यह एक भव्यतम उपलब्धि है।

• यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स द्वारा किए गए निरंतर संघर्षों की वजह से ही सरकार को बीएसएनएल को बगैर किसी भुगतान के 4G स्पेक्ट्रम देने के लिए बाध्य होना पड़ा है। यह एक ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि है, जिसके चलते बीएसएनएल को निकट भविष्य में 5G स्पेक्ट्रम आवंटित करने की आधारशिला भी रख दी गई है।

• यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स ऑफ बीएसएनएल द्वारा अपने निरंतर संघर्षों से जब इतना कुछ हासिल किया गया हो, तब अवसरवादी तत्वों का यह कहना कि यूनियन्स एंड एसोसिएशन्स ने सरकार के विरोध में उंगली तक नही उठाई है, हास्यास्पद ही है।

Only in February this year, Rs.100 crore was spent for a 3 hour programme in Ahmedabad, to give a "rousing and affectionate" reception to the US President, Donald Trump. Both, US President, Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, hugged each other many times in the Ahmedabad programme, to show-case their close friendship to the world. However, the same Donald Trump threatened his best friend Prime Minister, Narendra Modi a few days back, with “retaliation", if India does not export Hydroxychloroquine to the US. At a time, when the world is facing serious threat from COVID-19, the Indian government took the right decision to ban the export of certain medicines, including Hydroxychloroquine. This decision is taken in the best interest of the Indian people. Indian government has got every right to do so. Donald Trump has no business to threaten a country like India, demanding to supply medicines. But this is the real face of the US imperialism. The people of India should not fail to see this real face of the US imperialism.

As per the call of the AUAB, lunch hour demonstrations were organised successfully throughout the country today. Spirited slogans were raised condemning Shri Anantkumar Hegde, MP, for calling the BSNL employees traitors and stating that BSNL is a black mark. Similarly, as per the call of the AUAB, a Twitter Campaign was also effectively organised.  CHQ heartily congratulates the employees, as well as the constituents of the AUAB, for successfully organising the programme at a very short notice.

Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister, while submitting the budget in the Parliament on 01.02.2020, has announced that the government will start disinvestment in the LIC, in this financial year. This decision of the government is atrocious, to say the least. LIC is the prestigious life insurance company of the Government of India. It is extending huge financial assistance to the development of the nation. Still in it’s desire to hand over the entire national wealth to the corporates, the Narendra Modi government has decided to privatise the LIC. Disinvestment is nothing but the starting of privatisation. This decision of the government comes close on the heels of the decision of the government to privatise the Air India and the BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.). It only indicates that, the disinvestment / privatisation of BSNL is not far away. BSNLEU strongly condemns the decision of the government to start disinvestment in the LIC. The mighty trade union of the LIC, the AIIEA (All India Insurance Employees Association) has announced agitational programme including strike. The leaders and cadres of BSNLEU throughout the country are requested to extend all out support to the struggles of the AIIEA.

US President, Donald Trump is notorious for his loose tongue and controversial remarks. Sometime back, he created a big controversy by calling the Corona Virus as “Chinese Virus”. Now, he has again created a controversy by saying that the "World Health Organisation (WHO) is taking a lot of money from the US, but is favouring China". Replying to Donald Trump, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the WHO, has urged upon the United States to join hands with China in combating the disease, rather than indulging in a blame game. The Director General has also issued a statement defending the management of Corona Virus Disease by the WHO. “The focus of all political parties should be to save their peoples. Please do not politicise this Virus if you do not want many more body bags (read dead bodies). It is like playing with fire", said the WHO Director General. The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has also extended his support to the Director General of the WHO.

[Source: NEWS18.com, dated April 9, 2020]