CITU has arranged for an online seminar of the leaders of the Public Sector Trade Unions, at 06.00 pm today. This will be a live programme on Facebook and Youtube. Together with Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, Com.Lalit Mishra, GS, Steel Workers Federation of India (SWFI), Com.T. Naredra Rao, General Secretary, Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI) and Com.Samarendra Nath Banerjee, Convenor, All India Co-ordination Committee of Public Sector Trade Unions (AICCPSTU), will address this Seminar. Each leader will speak for 15 minutes. Circle Secretaries are requested to ensure that maximum number of comrades view this live programme.

As has already been informed, the government has decided to freeze three instalments of IDA of the Public Sector employees, falling due on 01.10.2020, 01.01.2021 and 01.04.2021. These three IDAs will be restored w.e.f. 01.07.2021, but no arrears will be paid. 

The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) deplores this IDA freezing. This is nothing, but hitting the public sector employees, which includes the BSNL employees, below the belt. Hence, the AUAB has called upon the entire Executives and Non-Executives of BSNL to organise protest lunch hour demonstrations on 25.11.2020.

The CHQ requests all the circle and district secretaries of BSNLEU to take the initiative and coordinate with the other constituents of the AUAB, for organising powerful lunch hour demonstrations on 25.11.2020. 

The West Bengal circle union has unleashed a massive campaign, to make the 26^th November General Strike a total success. The campaign started on 1^st November, 2020. Com.Animesh Mitra, All India President, as well as Circle Secretary, West Bengal, together with other circle leaders, are visiting each and every district and are conducting physical meetings. So far, 30 such campaign meetings are already conducted.  There is an excellent response from the employees and they turn out in large numbers in all the meetings. CHQ heartily congratulates the West Bengal circle union for organising a successful campaign for the General Strike. The other circle unions should also follow the example of West Bengal.

BSNLEU has been continuously demanding that, the Management should resume the Wage Negotiation, which has been discontinued midway. BSNLEU has been highlighting that, the DoT had instructed the BSNL Management to sign an agreement with the Recognised Unions and sent it back for it’s (DoT’s) approval. Hence, BSNLEU has been focusing that, the discontinuation of the Wage Negotiations by the BSNL Management, is a violation of the direction of the DoT. It is on this basis that BSNLEU has been demanding that Wage Negotiations should be resumed. BSNLEU has taken up this issue for discussion in the 39^th meeting of the National Council also. It is also one of the important demands in the notice that has been issued for the General Strike, to be held on 26.11.2020. Under these circumstances, the Shri Pradeep Kumar, AGM(SR), who participated in the Conciliation meeting today, has informed that the Management is going to resume the Wage Negotiations shortly. Undoubtedly, this is the result of the consistent efforts that has been taken by BSNLEU. We welcome the decision of the Management and request that the negotiations should resume without delay.

Based on the strike notice issued by BSNLEU, for the 26^th November General Strike, the Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi, conducted a Conciliation meeting today. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, participated in this Conciliation meeting on behalf of BSNLEU and Shri Pradeep Kumar, AGM (SR) represented the Management. Com.P.Abhimanyu, elaborately explained about the charter of demands and accused that, the Management is not coming forward to settle any demand. The AGM(SR) gave his version. As regards the 3^rd Pay Revision, the AGM(SR) replied that the demand of the Union that, negotiations for Wage Revision should resume, is being considered and that the negotiations will resume soon. Thereafter, the Conciliation is adjourned to 4^th December, 2020. 

Shri Vinodh Kumar, the Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, Government of Telangana, has addressed today’s gate meeting of BSNL employees, at the CGM Office of Telangana at Hyderabad. Shri Vinodh Kumar extended his total support to the justified demand of the BSNL employees, that BSNL should be allowed to immediately start it’s 4G service. He  also extended his support to the General Strike, taking place on 26.11.2020. CHQ heartily congratulates the Telangana circle union, being led by Com.J. Sampath Rao, AGS and Circle Secretary, for taking the efforts to enrol the support of the Vice Chairman of the Telangana State Planning Commission.

The government has issued an atrocious order, to freeze the IDA of the employees of the Central Public Sector Enterprises. Accordingly, the IDA which has already become due from 01.10.2020 will not be paid. Similarly, the next instalments of IDA, which will become due on 01.01.2021 and 01.04.2021 will not also be paid. These three instalments of IDA will be restored w.e.f. 01.07.2021. However, no arrears will be paid. This tantamounts the government stealing workers' money. BSNLEU severely condemns this atrocious decision of the government.

As per the call of the eight unions and associations, which have called on the BSNL employees to join the 26^th November General Strike, lunch hour demonstrations and gate meetings are organised throughout the country today. The charter of demands, as well as the need to organise the strike successfully, are explained in these meetings. CHQ heartily congratulates all the circle and district unions, which have successfully organised the programme. 

An online meeting is organised today, through which Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, addressed the comrades of NTR circle union and Corporate Office circle union. Com.T.C. Nagar, Circle President, NTR circle, presided over the meeting. Com.R.S. Chauhan, CS, NTR circle & Vice President (CHQ), welcomed all the comrades. The General Secretary, explained in detail about the charter of demands and urged upon the comrades to effectively organise the strike. The meeting is also addressed by Com.Pankaj Atri, CS, and Com.Kamal Kishore, CP & Com.Com.Prem Kumar of the Corporate Office circle union. Com.T.C. Nagar, President, Com.Malhotra and Com.Atri spoke, spoke on behalf of the NTR circle union.

BSNLEU has issued strike notice for participating in the General Strike, to be held 26.11.2020. Consequent to this, BSNLEU has been invited for conciliation. In the letter issued on 17.11.2020, the Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi, has invited CMD BSNL and General Secretary, BSNLEU, to participate in the Conciliation meeting, to be held through video conferencing on 20.11.2020.

The online Circle Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU, Uttarakhand circle, was held enthusiastically today. 26 members of the Circle Executive Committee, attended this meeting. Com.K.S. Soun, Circle Secretary, welcomed everyone and presented the note for discussion. Com.G.P. Kala, Circle President, presided over the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, inaugurated the meeting and explained about the wanton delay being caused in BSNL’s 4G launching, attacks being launched on the Public Sector, trade union rights, as well as on workers rights. He also explained about the salient points of the charter of demands. The meeting was also attended by Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS and Com.John Verghese, AGS. Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, addressed the meeting and stressed on the need to organise the strike successfully. Serious deliberations by the Circle Executive Committee members took place, in which 23 comrades participated. Finally, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, replied to the all the National level issues, raised in the discussion. Com.K.S. Soun, CS, summed up the discussions. Com.G.P. Kala, Circle President, addressed the meeting and concluded it.

Com.K.Hemalata, President, CITU, addressed the Facebook live yesterday. Also being the Vice-President of the WFTU, she thanked BSNLEU, for donating a sizeable amount as WFTU Fund. The delay caused in BSNL’s launching of 4G service, the unprecedented attacks being launched on the public sector, pro-employer Labour Law Amendments, violation of democratic and human rights in the country, were highlighted by Com.Hemalata. She  appealed to the BSNL employees to make the 26^th November General Strike a total success.

BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation (BSNL CCWF) has decided to join the General Strike to be held on 26.11.2020. The decision has been taken in the recently held Secretariat meeting of BSNL CCWF. BSNLEU calls upon it’s circle and district unions to coordinate with BSNL CCWF for making the strike effective.

19.11.2020 को प्रेस वार्ता आयोजित कीजिए- हड़ताल का संदेश व्यापक रूप से प्रसारित हो, यह सुनिश्चित करें....

आठ यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स के आव्हान पर 19.11.2020 को प्रेस वार्ता आयोजित की जानी है।   आम नागरिकों के बीच हमारी हड़ताल का व्यापक संदेश पहुंचाने का यह एक बेहतरीन अवसर है। अतः, BSNLEU के सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज से अनुरोध है कि अन्य यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स से संपर्क स्थापित कर प्रभावी प्रेस वार्ता आयोजित की जाए। प्रेस वार्ता में अधिक से अधिक मीडिया के साथियों को आमंत्रित करें। आठ यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स के महासचिवों द्वारा हस्ताक्षरित प्रेस विज्ञप्ति प्रसारित की जा चुकी है। गैर-हिंदी भाषी सर्कल्स में इस प्रेस विज्ञप्ति का क्षेत्रीय भाषा में अनुवाद करें। हिंदी भाषी सर्कल्स के लिए CHQ द्वारा प्रेस विज्ञप्ति का हिंदी अनुवाद शीघ्र ही प्रेषित किया जाएगा। 

19.11.2020 को भोजन अवकाश में प्रदर्शन और गेट मीटिंग्स का आयोजन....

आठ यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स, जिनके द्वारा BSNL में 26 नवंबर, 2020 को BSNL में आम हड़ताल आयोजित की जा रही है, के आव्हान पर 19.11.2020 को भोजन अवकाश में प्रदर्शन और गेट मीटिंग्स आयोजित करना है। CHQ, BSNLEU के सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज से, अन्य यूनियन्स और एसोसिएशन्स से समन्वय स्थापित करने और कार्यक्रम को पूर्ण सफलता के साथ आयोजित करने का अनुरोध करता है।

भोजन अवकाश में प्रदर्शन और गेट मीटिंग्स, दोनों ही में, कर्मचारियों को सहमत कराने और आम हड़ताल में व्यापक सहभागिता के लिए प्रेरित करने का एक अच्छा अवसर है। अतः, सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट यूनियन्स से तत्परता पूर्वक कार्यवाही का अनुरोध है। प्रत्येक कर्मचारी से मिलें और उन्हें प्रदर्शन और गेट मीटिंग्स में शामिल होने के लिए समझाएं।

Shri Soumitra Chatterjee, legendary film actor, passed away in a Kolkata Hospital last Sunday. He was 85 years old. Mr. Chatterjee made his acting debut in Satyajit Ray’s "Apur Sansar" in 1959. He has won three time national film awards and has also won Dadasaheb Phalke award. He is  a recipient of the Padma Bhushan award. The death of Shri Soumitra Chatterjee, is a great loss to the nation. BSNLEU pays it’s respectful homage to the legendary actor.

As per the call of the eight unions and associations, which are organising the 26^th November General Strike in BSNL, lunch hour demonstrations and gate meetings are to be organised on 19.11.2020. CHQ requests the circle and district secretaries of BSNLEU to coordinate with the other unions and associations and to organise this programme most successfully. 

Both the lunch hour demonstrations and the gate meetings are very good opportunities to convince the employees and to make them massively participate in the General Strike. Hence, circle and district unions are requested swing into action. Approach each and every employee and convince them to participate in the demonstrations and gate meetings. 

As per the call of the eight unions and associations, press meets are to be organised on 19.11.2020. This is an excellent opportunity to take our strike message to the vast sections of the general public. Hence, circle and district unions of BSNLEU are requested to coordinate with the other unions and associations and to effectively organise the Press Meet. Invite maximum number of media persons to the Press Meet. A press statement, signed by the General Secretaries of the eight unions and associations, is already circulated. In the non-Hindi speaking circles, this press statement needs to be translated into regional languages. For the Hindi speaking circles, CHQ will send the Hindi translation of the press statement shortly.