Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, had a meeting with Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR) BSNL today. The following issues were discussed.

1. Payment of IDA arrears.

BSNLEU is continuously taking efforts that the IDA arrears should be paid to the Non-Executives, based on the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court. This issue was once again discussed with the Director (HR) today. In reply, the Director (HR) told that, file is being put up to the CMD BSNL for the payment of IDA arrears. He also told that, the file is likely to be approved by the CMD BSNL.

2. ATT will continue as a Live Cadre.

The GS and Dy.GS handed over the resolution passed in the Hyderabad CEC meeting of BSNLEU, on the issue of Restructuring. During the discussion, the Director (HR) told that, the demand of BSNLEU that the ATT should be retained as the Live Cadre, has been accepted by the Management. Further, the Director (HR) also stated that, the other demand of BSNLEU has also been accepted that, the decisions taken by the Management on Restructuring, should be reviewed after one year.

3. 3^rd Wage Revision.

The GS and Dy.GS handed over the resolution passed in the Hyderabad CEC meeting on 3rd Wage Revision. The leaders stated that, the issue of 3rd Wage Revision to the Non-Executives of BSNL has been discussed with the erstwhile Minister of State for Communications, Shri Manoj Sinha, and also with the erstwhile Secretary, Telecom, Ms. Aruna Sundararajan. Both of them have directed the BSNL Management to expeditiously sign the Wage Revision agreement. As such, the Union demanded that the, Wage Settlement of the Non-Executives should be completed immediately.

The government has taken a giant move to allow Indian and foreign corporates to loot the national assets of our country. In the name of “National Monetisation Pipeline” (NMP), the Modi government has decided to hand over the national assets at throw away price to the corporates.

According to the announcement of the government, 26,700 kms Highway (worth Rs.1.6 lakh crore), 400 railway stations and 150 trains (worth Rs.1.5 lakh crore), 42,300 circuit kms of Power Transmission Lines (worth Rs.0.67 lakh crore), 5,000 MW Hydro, Solar and Wind Power Generation assets (worth Rs.0.32 lakh crore), 8,000 kms of National Gas Pipe lines (worth Rs.0.24 lakh crore), 4,000 kms Pipe lines of IOC and HPCL (worth Rs.0.22 lakh crore), 2.86 lakh kms of Bharatnet Fibre and 14,917 towers of BSNL and MTNL (worth Rs.0.35 lakh crore), 21 Airports and 31 Ports (worth Rs.0.3 lakh crore), 160 Coal Mining Projects (worth Rs.0.3 lakh crore) and 2 Sports Stadiums (worth Rs.0.11 lakh crore) are going to be sold to the Indian and foreign corporates in the name of “Monetisation”.

Now, it has become clear, why the Modi government has not permitted BSNL to start it’s 4G service. It is nothing but, the government wants to sell BSNL’s mobile towers. Next, the government will sell BSNL’s 7 lakh kms of Optic Fibre also. We have to immediately protest against this decision of the government. The All India Centre meeting of BSNLEU, held today, has called on the employees to organise Lunch Hour Protest demonstrations on 27.08.2021. All the circle and district unions are requested to organise this programme successfully.

The Hyderabad CEC meeting of BSNLEU, held on 06^th & 07^th August, 2021, has decided to organise agitational programmes on the issues of the serving and retired employees, as well as the casual and contract workers. The decisions of the Hyderabad CEC were further discussed in the Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF, held on 18.08.2021. The meeting discussed and finalised the following 14 point charter of demands and the agitational programme. All circle and district unions are requested to make note of this and implement the programme successfully.

Charter of demands.

1. Stop privatisation of the Public Sector.
2. Payment of salary on the last date of every month.
3. 3^rd Wage Revision.
4. Pension Revision with 15% fitment, by delinking from Wage Revision.
5. Immediately pay the wage arrears of the contract workers.
6. Implement 30% Superannuation Benefits to the Directly Recruited Employees.
7. Immediately hold the various LICEs.
8. Introduce a New Promotion Policy, to solve the problem of stagnation.
9. Do not reduce the posts, in the name of “Restructuring”.
10. Settle the medical bills of the serving and retired employees without delay.
11. Implement 7^thCPC pay scale for the casual labourers.
12. Settle the Rule 8 transfers of the DR JEs and other employees.
13. Implement E 1 pay scale for the Non-Executives, as has already been approved by the BSNL Management Committee.
14. Re-engage the retrenched contract workers.

Dates of the programmes.

The meeting fixed the dates for the agitational programmes as follows: -

1. Demonstrations on 14.09.2021.
2. March to SSA and BA (Business Area) Offices on 22^nd September, 2021.
3. March to the CGM Offices on 05^th October, 2021.

As per the decision of the Hyderabad CEC meeting, the CHQ has given call to conduct the “Meet the Members” campaign, from 01.09.2021 to 15.09.2021. During this programme, the anti-BSNL and anti-Public Sector steps being taken by the government, are to be explained to the employees. The CHQ has prepared a campaign material and the same has already been sent to the circle secretaries through Whatsapp. This material should be translated into regional languages and used for printing the pamphlets. This pamphlet should be distributed to the employees during the “Meet the Members” campaign. For the Hindi speaking circles, the CHQ is printing the pamphlets in Hindi and directly sending them to the district unions.

In 2016-17, BSNL's subscriber share was 8.6 per cent, which significantly went up to 9.4 per cent in 2017-18. By the end of 2018-19, it had again grown and reached 9.9 per cent and in 2019-20 it had crossed the 10 per cent, to touch 10.3 per cent. However, by 2020-21 (as on March 21, 2021), it had slightly come down to stand at 10.03 per cent, according to the Ministry's data. 

[ Courtesy: NDTV. com dt. 23-08-2021]

BSNLEU wishes a very Happy Onam to all. Let this festival bring everlasting joy, peace and prosperity in the lives of all.

A Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF has already been formed at the All India level. A meeting of this Co-ordination Committee was held yesterday the 18-08-2021. The meeting reviewed the implementation of it's decision to form the Co-ordination Committees at the circle and district levels. After discussion, the meeting decided that the Co-ordination Committees should be formed in all circles and districts by 10^th September, 2021. The CHQ calls upon all the circle and district secretaries to immediately take action for forming the Coordination Committees in all the circles and districts, by 10.09.2021.

The Hyderabad CEC meeting has decided to organise a "Meet The Members Programme", from 21-08-2021 to 05-09-2021. Due to certain unavoidable reasons, the All India Centre has rescheduled this programme. Accordingly, the “Meet The Members Programme” will now be organised from 01-09-2021 to 15-09-2021. All the circle secretaries and CHQ office bearers are requested to kindly make note of this. The district unions may kindly be informed accordingly.  All out efforts may be taken from now onwards, to make the programme successful.

The Circle Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU, Tamil Nadu circle, is held physically  at Chennai today. The meeting started with the hoisting of BSNLEU’s Flag. Com.S.Chellappa, President & AGS, presided over the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, delivered the inaugural address. In his speech, the GS explained in detail about the functioning of the CHQ, decisions of the Hyderabad CEC meeting, as well as the movement for Revival of BSNL, being spearheaded by the AUAB. All the Executive Committee members participated in the debate enthusiastically. Many decisions are taken to strengthen the Organisation and to effectively implement the decisions of the Hyderabad CEC meeting, as well as the calls of the AUAB.

A physical meeting of the Chennai Circle Executive Committee was held yesterday the 16.08.2021. The meeting was held in the Union Office at Flower Bazar. Com.D. Parandhaman, presided over the meeting. Com.Sridharasubramanian, Circle Secretary, welcomed everyone. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.S. Chellappa, AGS, addressed the meeting on behalf of the CHQ. In his address, the General Secretary explained about the struggles being launched by the AUAB, the decisions of the Hyderabad CEC meeting and the issues of Non-Executives taken up / resolved by BSNLEU. The General Secretary also replied to the All India level issues raised by the Executive Committee members. Healthy debate was made by the Executive Committee members on the report on activities presented by the Circle Secretary. The meeting took many decisions to strengthen the organisation in Chennai Telephones Circle.

As regards the BSNL Employees Health Insurance Policy 2021, the last date for submitting option had been fixed as 17.08.2021 and the last date for withdrawal of option had been fixed as 19.08.2021. Today, the Corporate Office has issued a letter, extending the last date for submitting option to 19.08.2021 and the last date for withdrawal of option to 22.08.2021. The dates have been extended to enable more number of employees to submit their options. 

It will take at least 3 more years for BSNL to procure 4G equipments through the tendering process and launch it’s 4G service. Hence, the AUAB has been demanding to upgrade the existing 4G compatible BTSs, for launching BSNL’s 4G service. On 01.07.2021, the BSNL Management Committee approved the upgradation of 18,500 BTSs, for launching 4G service in the South and Western Zones. This will cost the Company only around Rs.550 crore. This proposal of the Management Committee went for the approval of the BSNL Board. However, in the BSNL Board meeting, the two Government Directors from DoT did not approve the upgradation proposal. Hence, the proposal for upgrading the existing BTSs and launching 4G service has been put on hold. Under these circumstances, the AUAB has written to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister for Communications, seeking his intervention to remove the roadblocks created by the Government Directors in BSNL Board.

The Corporate Office has allotted funds for the payment of July, 2021 salary. On 13.08.2021, BSNLEU wrote to the CMD BSNL, demanding to disburse the salary for the month of July, 2021 immediately, in view of the Onam Festival falling on 21.08.2021. Further, based on the Ministry of Finance letter dated 11.08.2021, BSNLEU has also demanded that salary for the month of August, 2021, should be paid to the BSNL employees posted in Kerala circle on or before 19.08.2021.

The Extended Circle Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU, West Bengal Circle, was held yesterday and today, in K.G. Bose Smriti Bhavan at Kolkata. It is inspiring to note that, 51 delegates from 18 districts attended this meeting, even during this pandemic situation. Com.Banani Chattopadhyay, Circle President, hoisted the Union Red Flag and presided over the meeting. Com. Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary, welcomed everyone. Com. Pijush Chakraborty, delivered the inaugural address of the meeting. Thereafter, serious deliberations took place based on the report on activities presented by Com.Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary. Com.Bidyut Goswami, Treasurer, presented the financial report. Com.Sisir Roy, Organising Secretary (CHQ), greeted the meeting. The Extended Circle Executive Committee meeting has taken many important decisions to strengthen the Union and for the Revival of BSNL. The CHQ heartily congratulates the West Bengal circle union for organising this Extended Circle Executive Committee meeting, which will go a long way in strengthening the Union. 

BSNLEU conveys it's best wishes and warm greetings to all, on the occasion of the Nation's 75th Independence Day.

The CHQ calls upon all the circle unions to maintain a district wise BSNLEU membership register. A copy of this district wise membership list should also be sent to the CHQ through email on bsnleuchq@gmail.com. 

The All India Union will prepare an All India Membership Register. Preparation and maintaining of this list has become necessary now. Hence, all the circle unions are requested to complete this work, within a month.

Presently, Sikkim is a Business Area (BA) within West Bengal circle. It is reliably learnt that, recently the Chief Minister of Sikkim has met Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of Communications and has demanded circle status for Sikkim. The Chief Minister is reported to have mentioned via Twitter that, the Hon’ble Minister of Communications has accepted his demand. Whether Sikkim will be become a separate circle or not, has to be waited and seen. 

BSNLEU-बीएसएनएल ईयू 15 सितंबर-2021 के दिन  "युवा कर्मचारी सम्मेलन"-Young Workers Convention” का आयोजन करेगा।

बीएसएनएलईयू-BSNLEU की हैदराबाद सीईसी-Hyderabad CEC की मीटिंग में विभिन्न मुद्दों पर कर्मचारियों को शिक्षित करने के लिए ट्रेड यूनियन क्लासेज-Trade Union Classes आयोजित करने की जरूरत को रेखांकित किया गया है। *15 सितंबर-2021 को युवा कर्मचारी सम्मेलन-Young Workers Convention आयोजित करने का निर्णय लिया गया है। यह एक *ऑनलाइन सम्मेलन-Online Convention* होगा। बीएसएनएल के निदेशक (मानव संसाधन) श्री अरविंद वाडेरकर-Shri Arvind Vadrernarkar, Director(HR) ने इस सम्मेलन का उद्घाटन भाषण देने के लिए सहमति दी है। इस अधिवेशन में युवा कर्मचारियों के विभिन्न मानव संसाधन-Human Resources के  मुद्दों पर चर्चा होगी। बीएसएनएल-BSNL के पुनरुद्धार-revival के लिए उनके सुझाव और समस्याओं के समाधान के लिए एक मजबूत ट्रेड यूनियन आंदोलन की जरूरत पर भी चर्चा होगी । इस ऑनलाइन सम्मेलन के लिए लिंक-Link यथासमय भेजा जाएगा । बीएसएनएलईयू-BSNLEU के सीएचक्यू-CHQ ने बीएसएनएल-BSNL के सभी युवा कर्मचारियों से इस बैठक में भाग लेने का अनुरोध किया हैं।