The 2 day exuberant circle conference of BSNLEU, Tamil Nadu circle, started yesterday the 18.03.2022, at Tenkasi, in Tirunelveli district. 202 delegates and observers are attending this conference. The National flag and the Union flag were hoisted amidst slogans. Com.Soosai, DS, Tirunelveli and Com. Babu Radhakrishnan, CS, welcomed. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, delivered the inaugural address. Com.P.Sampath, president, TNUEF and Com. Swaminathan, AIIEA, also addressed. All the three leaders bitterly criticised Modi government’s economic policies and appealed to the delegates to make the General Strike successful. After the inaugural session, the open session, as well as felicitation to the office bearers who have retired from service, including Com.S.Chellappa, AGS, and Com.P.Indira,Convenor,BSNLWWCC, took place. This session was addressed by Com.P. Abhimanyu, GS, Com.P.Sampath, president, TNUEF, Com. Swaminathan, AIIEA, Shri Muralidharan, CGM, Tamil Nadu, Shri Piji Pratap, GM, Tirunelveli, Com. Natarajan, CS, NFTE, Com.Valanarasu, CS, SNEA, Com.Saravanakumar, CP, AIGETOA, Com.Tamil Maran, VP, AIBSNLEA, Com.N. Kuppusamy, CS, AIBDPA, Com.Jayabalan, CS, FNTO, Com.Raveendran, CS, TEPU, etc., addressed. All the leaders greatly appreciated the contributions of Com.S. Chellappa, AGS & CP, Tamil Nadu, Com.P.Indira, Convenor, BSNLWWCC and other circle office bearers who retired. 

Holi is the festival of colours. Many colours come together and form a beautiful rainbow. Similarly, people of various regions, religions and languages come together to make this beautiful country called India. Maintaining and strengthening the unity of the people is the need of the hour. On this occasion of Holi festival, let us resolve to strengthen the unity and of the people. BSNLEU wishes all a very Happy and Colourful Holi.

The 9^th Circle Conference of BSNLEU, Tamil Nadu circle is being held at Tenkasi, tomorrow and day after tomorrow. In this connection, a press meet was held at Tenkasi today. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, addressed the media persons and explained about  the hurdles being created by the Modi government, in BSNL’s 4G launching and also about the handing over of BSNL’s mobile towers and optic fibre to the private. The General Secretary informed the media that BSNL employees would fully participate in the two day General Strike being held on 28^th & 29^th March, 2022. 

The BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation, West Bengal circle and Kolkata circle organised a March to the Deputy Labour Commissioner’s Office, yesterday the 16.03.2022 at Kolkata. Immediate payment of the wage arrears pending for the past 16 to 18 months, re-engagement of the retrenched contract workers and many other demands were raised. Many leaders, including Com.Animesh Mitra, Secretary General, BSNLCCWF, addressed the gathering at the Deputy CLC’s office.

The 10^th Circle Conference of BSNLEU, Kerala circle, started jubilantly at Kollam, yesterday the 15.03.2022. 227 delegates participated in this conference enthusiastically. The Conference started with Com.P.Manoharan, circle president, hoisting of Union flag, amidst thundering slogans. Thereafter, the inaugural session of the Conference was held. Com.Prasanna Ernest, Hon’ble Chairperson of the Kollam Municipal Corporation, presided over. Com.K. Chandran Pillai, a veteran trade union leader, a former MP and Secretary, CITU, delivered the inaugural address. Shri C.V. Vinod, ITS, CGMT Kerala, Com.P. Rajendran, former MP, Com.V.A.N. Namboodiri, former General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com. C. Chandran Pillai, former Secretary General, Confederation & NFPE, Com.K.G. Jayaraj, GS, AIBDPA, Com.K. Mohanan, former Circle Secretary and Com.N. Guruprasad, CS, AIBDPA, addressed the inaugural session. Thereafter, the delegate session of the Conference started. Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, addressed the delegates session today morning and spoke at length about all the important issues related to BSNL and the Non-Executives. He hit hard at the pro-corporate economic policies of the Modi government, National Monetisation Pipeline and called on the employees to make the two day General strike a total success in Kerala circle.  After the deliberations of the delegates, the General Secretary replied to some the All India level issues raised. Com.Santosh Kumar, circle secretary, summed up the discussions. Election of office bearers is held unanimously.

The inspiring 8th Circle Conference of BSNLEU, Chennai Telephones circle, started today. The conference started with the hoisting of National Flag and the Union Flag. Around 250 comrades, including a good number of women comrades, enthusiastically participated in the open session of the Conference, presided over by Com.Shankar. Com.Sridhara Subramanian, CS, Chennai Telephones, welcomed everyone. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, delivered the inaugural address of the Conference. He explained about the present financial condition of BSNL, the status of 4G launching, National Monetisation Pipeline and the efforts being taken by the Modi government to demolish the entire public sector of the country. Further, he explained about the demands of the two day General Strike, to be held on 28th & 29th March, 2022 and called on the employees to massively participate in the strike. The Conference was also addressed by Shri Sanjeevi, CGM, Chennai Telephones Circle, Com.S. Chellappa, AGS, Com.Babu Radhakrishnan, Circle Secretary, Tamil Nadu, Com. Lingamurthy, Dy.GS, FNTO and other fraternal leaders. After the open session, the circle secretary presented the report on activities and the audited accounts were presented by the Treasurer. Thereafter, deliberations by the delegates started and it’s going on.

The All India Conference of the AIGETOA is being held at Bhopal. The open session of this Conference was held yesterday the 13.03.2022. On behalf of BSNLEU, Com.Prakash Sharma, AGS, greeted the Conference. Shri P.K. Purwar, CMD BSNL, addressed this Conference and has stated that BSNL’s 4G service would be launched in August, 2022. BSNLEU wishes this Conference all success.

The All India Conference of AIBSNLEA, was held at Chennai from 11^th to 13^th March, 2022. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, addressed this Conference on 13.03.2022 and greeted. The Conference is successfully concluded. Com.Rajpal Sharma, Com.V.Shaji and Com.Dinesh Kumar, have been elected as President, General Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. BSNLEU heartily congratulates the new team of office bearers. 

The Circle Conference of Madhya Pradesh circle was held at Indore on 10.03.2022. Around 225 delegates attended the Conference. The Conference started with flag hoisting. Com.B.S. Raghuvanshi, Circle President, hoisted the National Flag. Com.Animesh Mitra, President, hoisted BSNLEU’s red flag. Com. Prakash Sharma, Circle Secretary, welcomed everyone. Com.Animesh Mitra, President, delivered the inaugural address. The open session was addressed by Shri Satyanand Rajhans, CGM, MP circle, Shri M.R. Rawat, PGM, Ujjain. 25 delegates participated in the deliberations, based on the report on activities submitted by the Circle Secretary. Election of office bearers took place unanimously. The conference decided to make the General Strike a resounding success in Madhya Pradesh circle.

The SNATTA has issued notice for organising black badge wearing demonstration and for submitting memorandum on 14.03.2022, demanding settlement of issues including the burning problem of ensuring sufficient vacancies for the forthcoming JTO LICE. BSNLEU is in full agreement with this demand. Hence, GS, BSNLEU, has written letter today, to Com.Suresh Kumar, GS, SNATTA, informing that leaders and members of BSNLEU will participate in SNATTA’s programme, to be organised on 14.03.2022. The CHQ calls upon all the circle and district secretaries to participate in SNATTA’s programme with our members.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, discussed with Shri Saurabh Tyagi, PGM(Estt.) yesterday, about the payment of special concessions / facilities to the employees working in Kashmir Valley and demanded early settlement of the issue. The PGM(Estt.) assured that needful action would be taken expeditiously in this regard.

Only 3 weeks are left for the commencement of the 10^th All India Conference of BSNLEU, which is being held at Guwahati from 02^nd to 04^th April, 2022. In this connection, the CHQ wishes to give the following advisory to the circle and district unions, as well as to the delegates and observers.

1. The All India Centre has already announced the number of delegates and observers eligible for each circle. Only the delegates and observers allotted for each circle, will be allowed in the Conference. No extra delegate or observer will be allowed.
2. All the circle secretaries are requested to send the names of the delegates and observers who will participate in the Conference, on or before 25.03.2022. This is very important and all the circle secretaries are requested to do this without fail.
3. The Flag hoisting ceremony will start at 09:00 am on 02.04.2022 and the Conference will be over at 05:00 pm on 04.04.2022. All the delegates and observers are requested to maintain these timings. All the delegates and observers are expected to attend the Conference fully. No delegate or observer will be allowed to go out for sight-seeing, when the Conference is in session. Any violation in this regard will be viewed seriously.

The call of the Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF for black badge wearing demonstration and submitting of memorandum to the GMs and CGMs, on the burning issues of the Non-Executives, pensioners and contract workers, has been successfully carried out throughout the country. Black badge wearing demonstrations were organised and memorandums were submitted. CHQ heartily congratulates all the comrades for the successful implementation of the call.

As all are aware, BSNLEU took the initiative for the implementation of a Group Health Insurance Scheme for the employees. The MoU signed between BSNL and the New India Assurance Company was cancelled. Thereafter, the Corporate Office invited quotations from Insurance Companies. However, the premium amount quoted by these companies are very high. Hence, a stalemate has come. Under these circumstances, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.Anand Kumar Singh, AGS, met Shri S.P. Singh, GM(Admn.), yesterday and demanded that the Management should take steps to break the deadlock and to implement a Health Insurance Scheme without further delay. The GM (Admn.) assured that needful action would be taken.

The 3^rd meeting of the reconstituted Wage  Revision Committee is held today. The Staff Side members strongly argued for Wage Revision with 5% fitment. They also demanded that the pay scales already finalised by the Wage Revision Committee, should be implemented without any change. After a lot of discussions, the following decisions were taken.  

1. The view of the Management will be taken on the Staff Side’s demand for Wage Revision with 5% fitment. 
2. The number of employees who are facing / will face stagnation, from 2022 up to 2026, will be collected. 
3. The instances given by the Staff Side, regarding reduction in pension, in case of 0% fitment, will be looked into by the Management Side.
4. Pay reduction if any, that will arise after the Wage Revision, will be further studied by the Management Side.

AUAB organised a Twitter Campaign on 08.03.2022, against the arbitrary order issued by the DoT, for grabbing the ALTTC, Ghaziabad, which is BSNL’s prestigious training centre. The Twitter Campaign was also organised against the arbitrary grabbing of BSNL’s lands, buildings and office spaces in various circles. This Twitter Campaign organised by the AUAB was highly successful. More than 10,000 tweets were made and it became trending. BSNLEU heartily congratulates all the comrades who actively took part in the Twitter Campaign.

SNATTA is organising black badge wearing demonstrations on 14.03.2022, on important issues, including the issue of non-availability of sufficient vacancies for the JTO LICE. The All India Centre meeting of BSNLEU, held online on 05.03.2022 has decided to support this agitation. Hence, the CHQ requests members of BSNLEU to join the black badge wearing demonstrations to be organised on 14.03.2022, by SNATTA.

BSNLEU observed the International Working Women’s Day yesterday the 08.03.2022. The BSNL Working Women’s Co-ordination Committee organised a very good Facebook live programme, addressed by Com.A.R. Sindhu, Secretary, CITU and Com.P. Indira, Convenor, BSNLWWCC. Various circle unions of BSNLEU have also organised the programme effectively.