The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) has been consistently telling that, the whole idea of the government to form BSNL’s Subsidiary Tower Company, is to privatise it. Soon after the Subsidiary Tower Company is made operational, disinvestment will start through inducting a strategic partner. Thereafter, it will not take long time for the government to privatise the Subsidiary Tower Company. But, still there are some people in BSNL, who do not believe this. What is going to happen in MTNL should serve as an eye opener to such people. Media reports say that, the NITI Aayog has already recommended to the government that, MTNL’s towers should be hived off to a separate company and there after it should be privatised. It is now proved beyond doubt that, the struggle of the AUAB against the Subsidiary Tower Company is 100% justified.

BSNLEU has been raising the demand that, the meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Council should take place periodically. This issue was raised in the last National Council meeting also. As per the communication held between the Secretary & leader of the Staff Side and the GM(SR), 08.08.2018 has been identified as the date for the next meeting of the Standing Committee.

The Unions of the Non-Executives and the Associations of the Executives have together launched various programmes like “Customer Delight Year”, “Service With A Smile”, “BSNL At Your Door Step”, etc., for bringing BSNL into profit. It is only because of the combined efforts taken by the Executives and Non-Executives, that BSNL is surviving even today. However, the BSNL Corporate Management is taking a position that, the unions of the Non-Executives and associations of the Executives, should not conduct any combined agitational programme.  For the recent 3 day strike, the BSNL Management has started taking disciplinary action on the leaders of the Executives Associations. Show-cause notices are being issued to them. This is nothing but a provocative measure by the Management to break the unity of the Executives and Non-Executives. These vindictive and high-handed actions of the Corporate Management, to victimise the leaders of the Executive Associations cannot be allowed.  We cannot allow the Corporate Management to break the unity of the Executives and Non-Executives. The AUAB meeting, taking place tomorrow, will chalk-out appropriate programme of action, to deal with the high-handedness of the Corporate Management.

01.10.2019 को विरोध दिवस के रूप में मनाएं....
1 अक्टूबर हमारे प्रिय BSNL का स्थापना दिवस है। यह अत्यंत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है कि कर्मचारियों को BSNL के स्थापना दिवस 01.10.2019 को विरोध दिवस के रूप में मनाने के लिए बाध्य किया जा रहा है। सत्ता में बैठे हुए लोगों के BSNL विरोधी रवैये की वजह से कर्मचारियों को समय पर तनख्वाह नही मिल रही है, कंपनी इलेक्ट्रिसिटी बिल तक का भुगतान करने की स्थिति में नही है, कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स को विगत 8 माह से वेजेस का भुगतान नही हुआ है और कंपनी के राजस्व में तीव्रता के साथ गिरावट आ रही है। पिछले कई महीनों से BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम का आवंटन और BSNL के रिवाइवल बाबद काफी कुछ कहा जा रहा है। किंतु, हुआ कुछ भी नही है। परिणाम स्वरूप BSNL के हालात बहुत तेजी से बद से बद्तर होते जा रहे हैं। अतः,  BSNLEU, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, BSNL MS, BSNL ATM और BSNLOA ने कर्मचारियों से 1 अक्टूबर 2019 को विरोध दिवस के रूप में मनाने और भोजन अवकाश में प्रदर्शन आयोजित करने का आव्हान किया है। कृपया रिपोर्ट्स और फोटोग्राफ्स CHQ को प्रेषित करें। 

Replying to the unstarred question no.2950, Shri Sanjay Dhotre, Minister of State for Communications has informed the Lok Sabha on 11.03.2020 that pension revision of the employees absorbed in BSNL does not remain pending. He has further replied that the pension revision of absorbed BSNL employees is linked to the pay revision of the serving employees.

The US government has totally failed to contain the spread of Corona Virus. More than 11 lakh people are infected with Corona Virus Disease in the US and 65,000 people have already died. The US is the worst affected country by the Corona Virus Disease. Even many poor countries are managing this disease in a better way. Hence, to save his skin, the US President, Donald Trump, is trying to divert the attention of the US people, by telling that China is responsible for the Corona Virus crisis. The World Health Organisation Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, had already categorically stated that, the Corona Virus has originated from animals. However, even recently, Trump has told that, China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology is the origin of the Corona Virus. In reply to this, the Head of Emergencies at World Health Organsation (WHO), Dr. Michael Ryan, has categorically stated that, the Novel Corona Virus is “natural in origin.” Responding to Donald Trump yesterday, Dr. Michael Ryan stated that, the WHO team had listened “again and again” to many scientists, who had looked at the gene sequences of the virus, “and we are assured that this virus is natural in origin”.

[Source: PTI, Washington, updated at 10:14 IST on May 2, 2020, published by Indiatoday.in]

As per the call of the AUAB, black-flag demonstrations were organised throughout the country today, opposing the cancellation of BSNL’s 4G tender and demanding immediate rolling out of 4G service by BSNL. As per the reports received from circles, demonstrations are successfully organised, with large participation of employees, in most parts of the country. Lock-down, prohibition under section 144 and various other restrictions have been imposed all over the country, to stop the spread of the Corona Virus Disease. However, it is heartening to note that, despite all these restrictions, the BSNL Non-Executives and Executives have successfully organised black-flag demonstrations. Everywhere, social distancing has been maintained in the demonstrations and masks were also worn by the participants. In addition to the black-flag demonstration, the Non-Executives and Executives wore black-badges today, to express their resentment.

Organise District General Body meetings on that day. 

The CEC meeting of BSNLEU has decided to observe martyr’s day on 19^th September, 2020. 19^th September, is the day on which the historic one day strike of the Central Government Employees was held. The All India Centre meeting held on 14.09.2020, has taken decisions regarding organising the martyr’s day. The All India Centre has decided that, floral tributes should be paid at the martyr’s column on that day. (Martyr’s column should be prepared) 

Further, District General Body meetings should be organised by all the district unions on that day. In this meeting, the sacrifices of the martyr’s who lost their lives at Bongaigaon, Indraprastha and other places in the strike that took place in 1968, as well as about those who victimised in that struggles, should be explained. The All India Centre has also decided that, the decisions taken in the CEC meeting held on 10^th & 11^th September, 2020 should be effectively explained in the meeting. Especially, about the conspiracy to deny 4G to BSNL, to benefit Jio and the need to organise a powerful campaign among the employees and the general public, should be effectively explained. 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley claims that because of the bold steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian economy has become the fastest growing economy in the world. Whereas, the former Finance Minister, P.Chidambaram claims that, Indian economy started competing with the developed countries, only after the Neo Liberal Economic policies were introduced in 1991, by the Congress government, led by P.V.Narasimmha Rao and Dr.Manmohan Singh. However, the trade union movement  keeps on saying that, whether the government is run by the Congress Party or the BJP Party, the Neo Liberal Economic Policies being implemented by both these parties, have only helped the rich to become super rich, while the poor have become miserably poorer. Yesterday's Times of India report proves what Arun Jaitley and P.Chidambaram say is wrong, and what the trade unions say is correct. 

As per the report published in the Times of India yesterday, the richest 1% Indians have 58% of the total wealth of India. Just 57 billionaires in India, have the wealth equivalent to the bottom 70% of Indians. Not only this, only 8 billionaires of the world, are having 50% of the world's total wealth with them. This is because, all the capitalist countries of the world are following the same Neo Liberal Economic Policies, being dictated by the World Bank and the IMF. Trade unions also say that Capitalism cannot solve the problems of mankind, and Socialism is the only alternative.

The SR Branch of the Corporate Office has started giving unwarranted instructions to BSNLEU. A few months back, BSNLEU requested it’s circle unions to give advertisements to the souvenir, to be released by the CITU, on the occasion of the inauguration of it’s Trade Union School at Delhi. At that time, the SR Branch gave instruction to BSNLEU that, advertisements should not be collected from customers, as per the CDA Rules. This was a totally unwarranted advice from the SR Branch, because the CHQ of BSNLEU only requested it’s circle unions to give the advertisements, and did not direct to collect advertisements from any customer. Now, a few days back, the SR Branch has again instructed BSNLEU not to criticise the government’s policies on it’s website. BSNLEU has the right to criticise the government’s policies which affect the working class. The SR Branch has no business to object this. Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, met Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR), today, in the presence of Shri A.M. Gupta, GM (SR), and raised his strong objection to the unwarranted instructions being given to BSNLEU, by the SR Branch. All concerned should understand that BSNLEU does not survive on the oxygen supplied by the Management or government. It continues to remain as the biggest trade union of BSNL for the past 14 years, because of the unwavering support being extended by the ordinary workers of BSNL.

Today’s Times of India has reported the decision of the NITI Aayog about privatising MTNL’s tower business. We reproduce the same hereunder:-

“The panel (read NITI Aayog), headed by economist Rajiv Kumar has also recommended that government should begin selling assets in MTNL, once a top state-run company, which is now the third-biggest loss maker behind BSNL and Air India. The proposal is to hive off the telecom PSU’s towers into a separate company and sell off the entity. An outright stake sale has not been proposed, given the large real estate holdings.”

बीएसएनएल ईयू द्वारा बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय स्थिति के संबंध में  कर्मचारियों को यह संदेश दिया जा रहा है। यह सत्य है कि बीएसएनएल विकराल वित्तीय स्थिति के मध्य फंसा हुआ है। कंपनी को हर माह अपने कर्मचारियों के वेतन की व्यवस्था के लिए भी काफी जद्दोजहद करना पड़ रही है। कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस के लिए मेडिकल व अन्य बिल्स के भुगतान के लिए फंड्स अलॉट करना भी संभव नही हो पा रहा है। कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स के वेजेस भुगतान में भी कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस द्वारा फण्ड अलॉटमेन्ट के अभाव में भयंकर विलंब हो रहा है।

ऐसे समय में, कंपनी की वित्तीय समस्याओं को ले कर कुछ दुष्प्रचारक कर्मचारियों में भय निर्मित कर रहे हैं। इन दुष्प्रचारक तत्वों द्वारा फैलाई जा रही विभिन्न अफवाहों से कर्मचारी विभ्रम की स्थिति में है और अपने भविष्य को ले कर चिंतित भी। अतः बीएसएनएल ईयू यह अपनी जिम्मेदारी समझती है कि वह जो कुछ भी हो रहा है उसका यथार्थ चित्रण कर्मचारियों के समक्ष रखे।

हम यहां यह स्पष्ट रूप से बताना चाहेंगे कि बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय स्थिति पर रिलायंस जियो द्वारा सितंबर 2016 से शुरू किए गए मूल्य युद्ध ( Tarrif War) की वजह से बेहद भयावह असर हुआ है। न केवल बीएसएनएल, वरन एयरटेल, वोडाफोन और आईडिया भी अलाभप्रद स्थिति में पहुंच गए हैं। सच तो यह है कि सम्पूर्ण दूरसंचार उद्योग ही "तनाव" में है। बावजूद इसके, बीएसएनएल की स्थिति एयरटेल, वोडाफोन और आईडिया की स्थिति से कहीं ज्यादा बेहतर है। सभी निजी कंपनियों पर भयंकर कर्ज है। उदाहरण के लिए, एयरटेल पर रु 95,000 करोड़ का कर्ज है एवं वोडाफोन और आईडिया भी कुल रु 1,20,000 करोड़ के ऋण में है। तुलनात्मक रूप से, यह सुखद खबर है कि बीएसएनएल पर कुछ हजार करोड़ का ही कर्ज है।

इसके अलावा, रिलायंस जियो से कड़ी प्रतिस्पर्धा के बावजूद बीएसएनएल के ग्राहकों की संख्या में उल्लेखनीय वृद्धि हो रही है। वस्तुतः 2017 में बीएसएनएल के ग्राहकों की वृद्धि एयरटेल, वोडाफोन और आईडिया से अधिक थी। 2017 में बीएसएनएल की ग्राहक वृद्धि दर 11.50% थी, वहीं एयरटेल की वृद्धि दर थी मात्र 9.13%। वोडाफोन की ग्राहक वृद्धि दर केवल 3.83% रही तो आईडिया की 3.14%।

बीएसएनएल की समस्या सिर्फ यही है कि उसके राजस्व संग्रहण (Revenue Collection) में बेतहाशा गिरावट आ रही है। लेकिन दूरसंचार उद्योग के विशेषज्ञों का यह मानना है कि वर्तमान में जारी टैरिफ वार ज्यादा समय तक नही चलेगा, ज्यादा से ज्यादा मार्च 2019 तक यह जारी रहेगा। उनके अनुसार, इसके बाद टैरिफ में वृद्धि होना शुरू होगी। इसका मतलब बीएसएनएल सहित सभी टेलीकॉम कंपनीज के राजस्व में वृद्धि की शुरुआत होगी। परिणाम स्वरूप, बीएसएनएल की नगदी समस्या (Cash Problem) शनैः शनैः समाप्त होती जाएगी।

इसके साथ ही, AUAB द्वारा किए गए संघर्ष की बदौलत बीएसएनएल को शीघ्र ही 4G स्पेक्ट्रम भी मिलने जा रहा है। 4G स्पेक्ट्रम मिलने के 6 माह पश्चात बीएसएनएल सभी सर्कल्स में 4G सेवाएं प्रदान करने की स्थिति में होगा। इधर AUAB  सभी कर्मचारियों से सेल्स व मार्केटिंग में अपनी व्यापक रूप से सहभागिता का अनुरोध करते हुए  "बीएसएनएल-आपके द्वार" मूवमेंट की शुरुआत कर ही चुका है। इसके साथ ही AUAB ने मैनेजमेंट से अनावश्यक खर्चों में कटौती की भी मांग की है। AUAB ने उच्च प्रबंधन के आरामदेह और शाही खर्चों पर लगाम लगाने हेतु आवश्यक खर्च कटौती मापदंड का पालन करने की भी मांग की है। इन मापदंडों का अनुपालन सुनिश्चित करवाने के लिए AUAB की लड़ाई लगातार जारी रहेगी।

अतः बीएसएनएल ईयू सभी को सूचित करती है कि बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय समस्याएं शीघ्र ही समाप्त होंगी। बीएसएनएल का भविष्य बेहद सुनहरा है। हम दुष्प्रचारकों की अफवाहों और उनके द्वारा गढ़ी गई कहानियों पर विश्वास न करें।

आओ, हम विश्वासभरे कदमों के साथ एक बेहतर भविष्य की ओर अग्रसर होंवे। निःसंदेह भविष्य हमारा है।

The state-owned power distribution utility, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL) has snapped services of the telephone services provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) office in Bhusari Colony since March 2 due to non-payment of bills. MSEDCL’s move has in return disrupted around 2,000 telephone and 1,000 wireless connections in the area, displaying the sorry state of affairs of state-run service providers and the lack of communication therein.

[ Courtesy: Pune Mirror dt. 06-03-2019 ]

Due to the disruption created in the telecom sector, by Reliance Jio, older telecom companies continue to suffer. Vodafone Idea, the biggest telecom company in the country, continue to run in heavy loss. It’s 4^th quarter (period from January to March, 2019) loss is Rs.4,881 crore. During the same period in 2018, Vodafone Idea’s loss remained at Rs.5,033 crore.

We have already reported that 147 scientists and scholars have written to the government, demanding withdrawal of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). Scientist and Nobel Laureate, Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, has also raised his voice against the CAB now. In an interview to the Telegraph, Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, who is an Indian origin, settled in the US, has severely criticised granting of Indian Citizenship based on religion. He has stated that an independent judiciary will never accept the CAB. He has further stated that the disease of nationalism and racism have affected many parts of the world and have now affected India also. He has expressed his concern that the government itself is dividing the people in the name of religion. 

Com. P. Abhimanyu,  GS, telephonically talked to Shri S. K. Gupta,  Director (Finance), BSNL today,  and enquired about the status of the payment of salary for the month of April, 2020. The Director (Finance) replied that BSNL's revenue collections in the month of April are greatly affected due to the Lockdown and hence the Management is trying for bank loans to pay the salary.  The General Secretary urged upon the Director (Finance) to take necessary steps, to ensure early payment of the salary and  avoid sufferings of employees.

CHQ circular no.10, carrying the decisions of the online CEC meeting, held on 10^th & 11^th September, 2020 is attached hereunder. Hindi translation of this circular will be updated on website / circulated shortly. Circle Secretaries of non-Hindi speaking circles are requested to translate this circular in their regional language and to send it to the district secretaries. This circular should be widely circulated among the office bearers at the circle, district and branch levels.

The unions and associations of Karnataka circle organised had made a massive mobilisation in the strike preparatory meeting held at Bengaluru today. Com.K.S.Sheshadri, CS, NFTE, presided over the meeting. Com.C.K.Gundanna, CS,BSNLEU, welcomed all. Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS,BSNLEU, com.Gopalakrishnan, Secretary,NFTE, com.Panduranga Naik, Jt. Secretary,SNEA, com. Srinivasa Reddy, AGS, AIBSNLEA, com.T.Jagdish, SEWA BSNL, com.Sridhara Babu, Jt.Secretary, AIGETOA, com.Pattaiah, AGS, FNTO, com.Mallikarjun, President, BSNL MS, and com.Mohan, CS,ATM addressed the meeting and explained the demands. The leaders urged upon the employees to massively participate in the two day strike, and also to get ready for an indefinite strike, in case the issues remain unsettled.