Com.P.Shanmugam, Hon'ble MP and General Secretary of the LPF has raised in the Parliament yesterday, the issue of Wage Revision to BSNL employees w.e.f 01-01-2017. The Hon'ble Minister of Communications has replied that Wage Revision is an available option and that it would be explored once BSNL is revived. It is needless to say that this is a positive response from the Hon'ble Minister of Communications on the issue of Wage Revision to BSNL employees.

Organise Lunch Hour demonstrations tomorrow, as per the call of the Central Trade Unions, against changing the Labour Laws in favour of the Corporates, against Modi government's brutal attacks on the Public Sector, demanding Rs. 7,500/- per month to all the non-income tax paying households and other demands. Organise the demonstrations effectively to save the Public Sector, including BSNL.

केंद्रीय श्रमिक संघों के आह्वान के अनुसार कल दोपहर के भोजन के समय प्रदर्शन का आयोजन करें

केंद्रीय श्रमिक संघों के आह्वान के अनुसार कल 03-07-2020 को दोपहर के भोजन के समय प्रदर्शन का आयोजन करें । यह संघर्ष कॉरपोरेट के पक्ष में श्रम कानूनों को बदलने, सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र पर मोदी सरकार के क्रूर हमलों के खिलाफ, सभी गैर आयकर भुगतान करने वाले परिवारों को 7,500 रुपये प्रतिमाह की मांग करने और अन्य मांगों पर आयोजित किया जा रहा है। बीएसएनएल सहित सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र को बचाने के लिए प्रदर्शनों को प्रभावी ढंग से आयोजित करें। 

CHQ is extremely glad to inform that historic decision is taken in the all union/association meeting, held at New Delhi today, to settle the Wage Revision issue and to stop the Subsidiary Tower Company. General Secretaries/Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, FNTO, AIGETOA, SEWA BSNL, BSNL MS, BSNL OA, ATM and TOA BSNL participated in the meeting. Marathon discussion took place, on the ways and means to strengthen unity. It was felt by all that unity should be strengthened to settle Wage Revision and also to stop the formation of Subsidiary Tower Company. Finally, unanimous decision was taken to function under the single banner of “All Unions and Associations of BSNL”. Other decisions taken in today's meeting are as follows.

The CHQ of BSNLEU is extremely glad to note that very serious attempts are being made by our comrades, in presenting memoranda to the Members of the Parliament, as per the decision of the All Unions and Associations of BSNL. In fact, BSNLEU started motivating the comrades, by publishing the photos on the CHQ website. It really worked. Encouraged by the updating of photos of CHQ website, memoranda are being presented to the MPs in a big way. CHQ heartily congratulates all the comrades. CHQ requests that, the task of presenting the memorandum should be completed immediately, in whichever place the same is not done.

The Israel Prime Minister, Netanyahu has come to India. The Narendra Modi government is making a very big “pomp and show” for this visit. In reality, Israel is a rogue state, which has made aggressions and has occupied Palestinian lands. It is not showing any respect to a number of resolutions passed in the United Nations General Assembly, with overwhelming majority. Due to this reason, up to certain point of time, Israel was treated as an ‘untouchable’ by most of the nations of the world. However, due to the continuous pressure of the United States, many countries have started treating Israel with respect now. The UPA government under the Congress party, normalised India’s ties with Israel. After Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister, India has gone very close to Israel. In this process, Israel’s arms producing corporates are the biggest gainers. Reports say that 41% of Israel’s arms exports are being made to India. Even during the present visit of Netanyahu, very big deals on arms, are going to be clinched. This is not good for the sovereignty of our country. It is a tragedy that, the ‘pseudo-patriots’ who raise a very big hue and cry about China, are silent about India’s undesirable closeness to Israel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should keep in mind that Israel is a country which does not respect the United Nations.

Inflation at wholesale level has reached a 4 year high. This is according to the official data released by the government last Monday. The real upward push in the wholesale inflation has taken place in the crude petroleum and natural gas segments. It is interesting to note that, internationally, the price of crude oil fell steeply, after the present government came to power in May, 2015. However, in India, the price of petrol and diesel kept on rising due to the frequent and huge taxes imposed by the government on petrol and diesel.

[Courtesy: The Hindu dt. 17-07-2018]

It may be recollected that, after assuming charge as the President of the United States, Donald Trump has dishonoured the agreement signed between the US and Iran. He has also imposed inhuman sanctions on Iran. The International Court of Justice, which is the highest court of the United Nations has ordered today that the United States should lift it’s sanctions on Iran, which are affecting the import of humanitarian goods and also products and services connected to the safety of Civil Aviation. It is a matter to be observed, whether Trump will implement this order or not.

The Establishment Branch of the Corporate Office has issued letter for holding the Telecom Technician (erstwhile Telecom Mechanic) LICE for the recruitment year 2018. Detailed instructions including the date of LICE etc., would be notified by the Recruitment Branch of the Corporate Office.

The All India Centre meeting of BSNLEU held today, has decided to call upon the circle and district unions to observe this year’s May Day by organising “Save BSNL – Save Nation” rallies at all circle and district head quarters. The rallies should start with the hoisting of BSNLEU’s flag. Maximum participation by members should be ensured. The rallies should be effectively utilised to campaign among the general public, about the anti-BSNL policies of the government, and also about the need to strengthen BSNL as a Public Sector Company. The issues of immediate allotment of 4G spectrum, financial assistance for the revival of BSNL, wage revision, pension revision, transfer of assets to BSNL, approval for BSNL’s Land Management Policy, opposition to VRS, etc., should also be effectively highlighted in these rallies.

BSNLEU demands that the government should ensure BSNL’s financial revival through capital infusion. It is being argued in the media that why should government waste the tax payer’s money for helping BSNL and MTNL. It is nothing but true that, BSNL has not received even a single naya paisa, as financial assistance from the tax payer’s money, during it’s existence of 18½ years. But at the same time, the Times of India dated 17th July, 2019, has reported the government has made a capital infusion of Rs.2.69 lakh crore in the public sector banks during 2018-19 and 2019-20. This capital infusion is made to help the public sector banks, which have written off  lakhs of crores of rupees as bad loans. It must be remembered that, a bulk of these bad loans are taken by the big corporates and not returned by them. The capital infusion made by the government is only to enable the public sector banks to give fresh loans to the big corporates. So, when the government can make capital infusion of Rs.2.69 lakh crores in the Public Sector banks, and that too within a period of two years, why can't it make capital infusion for the financial revival of BSNL? Our demand is more justified because, it is only because of the anti- BSNL steps of the government, that BSNL has been ruined.

An inspiring election campaign meeting for 8th membership verification was held at Shillong, NE-I  circle, on 14^th September, 2019. The meeting was presided over by Com.Subhra Sengupta, Circle Vice-president and was addressed by Com.Shivjee Ray, CS, Com.M.V.Makhiew, DS,CGM office and Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy GS. The leaders explained about BSNL's financial crisis and also about the issues related to the Membership Verification. As it has happened in all the previous 7 Membership Verifications, BSNLEU will get maximum support in the forthcoming Verification also.

BSNL कर्मियों के वेज रिवीजन के सवाल पर माननीय संचार मंत्री का संसद में बयान...
कॉम पी षणमुगम, माननीय सांसद एवं महासचिव, LPF द्वारा कल संसद में BSNL कर्मियों को  01.01.2017 से देय वेज रिवीजन पर सवाल उठाया गया था। माननीय संचार मंत्री ने जवाब दिया कि वेज रिवीजन का मुद्दा एक उपलब्ध विकल्प है और ज्यों ही BSNL का रिवाइवल होगा, इसकी संभावनाएं खोजी जाएंगी। यह बताने की जरूरत नही है कि BSNL कर्मियों के वेज रिवीजन के मुद्दे पर माननीय संचार मंत्री की ओर से यह बेहद सकारात्मक प्रतिसाद है।

Supreme Court judge, justice Deepak Gupta said on Monday that, Indian citizens have the right to criticise the government, and dissenters cannot be labelled as anti-nationals for holding contrary views. He was delivering a lecture on “Democracy and Dissent”, organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association in the national Capital. The judge emphasised on an individual’s right to dissent, saying it is not just a principle enshrined in the Constitution but also a basic human right. “Criticism of any institution is to be protected — the executive, legislature, judiciary, and even the armed forces. There is no holy cow when it comes to dissent,” Gupta said. “If we stifle criticism of these institutions, we shall become a police state instead of a democracy.”

[Source: The Hindu dated 24.02.2020]

A conciliation meeting is held today, through video conferencing, by the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi. The meeting is held to discuss the issues contained in the charter of demands, for the 3 day strike, called on by the AUAB and held on 18^th to 20^th February, 2019. From the AUAB, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU & convenor, AUAB, Com. S. Sivakumar, GS, AIBSNLEA, Com.Suresh Kumar, GS, BSNL MS, Com. Anil Kumar, GS, BSNL ATM and Com.H.P. Singh, GS, BSNL OA attended. Nobody attended the meeting from the BSNL Management Side.

In his submission to the RLC, Com.P.Abhimanyu, Convenor, argued the following. This 3 day strike was organised on very important issues of the employees, such as 3^rd PRC, starting 4G service by BSNL, pension revision, payment of pension contribution as per Government Rules and other important issues.

(1)        As regards the Wage Revision, BSNL Management formed the Joint Wage Negotiation Committee, as per the directive of the DoT. After holding many sittings of this joint committee, the Management arbitrarily stopped conducting the meetings.

(2)      Still BSNL is not being allowed to launch it’s 4G service, despite the announcement of the government that, 4G spectrum is allotted to the Company. Even recently, the government has cancelled the tender floated by BSNL, to procure 4G equipments. 

(3)        As regards, the pension revision of BSNL retirees, Shri Manoj Sinha, the then Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, has assured that the Pension Revision of the retired employees would be delinked from Pay Revision of the serving employees. However, thereafter, the DoT had gone back from this assurance. 

(4)        Shri Manoj Sinha, the then Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications has assured that Government Rule will be implemented in the matter of collecting pension contributions from BSNL. However, this assurance has also been thrown to the winds, by the DoT.

The Convenor demanded that another conciliation meeting should be called on expeditiously and officers who are empowered to take decisions, should be called from BSNL and the DoT to attend the meeting. After hearing the views of the representatives of the AUAB, the RLC(C) ordered that the next conciliation meeting would be held at 10:30 am on 24.09.2020.

The grievances of the employees, who are being transferred on bifurcation, from CGM Office, Hyderabad to the CGM Office, Vijayawada, were already discussed with the PGM (Pers.), BSNL CO and with the Director (HR). Once again a discussion took place on this issue between Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR) and com. P. Abhimanyu, GS. Com. S. Chellappa, AGS, was also present. Once again BSNLEU pointed out that without considering the other available options, the Management is punishing the employees of CGM Office, Telangana, by way of forcibly transferring them to Andhra Pradesh circle. The Union representatives also suggested the alternative options. The Director (HR) agreed that the issue could be further discussed.  

The Central Public Sector Trade Unions (CPSTU), which is the umbrella organisation of the major public sector trade unions, is holding it’s National Convention at Ernakulam on 08.04.2018. The major issues to be discussed in this convention is the mad drive of the government, to disinvest and to privatise the public sector undertakings. Together with this, the wage revision issue of the public sector employees will also figure prominently in the discussions. Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, will be representing BSNLEU in this Convention.

The circle executive committee meeting of Telengana circle is held at Hyderabad today. It was presided over by Com. K.Nageshwara Rao, vice president. Com. Sambasiva Rao, ACS, welcomed everyone. The report on activities was submitted by Com.Sampath Rao, Circle Secretary. Com. S.Chellappa, AGS, addressed the meeting and explained about the decisions taken in the Agartala CEC meeting. He also explained about the anti-BSNL policies of the government, and the struggles of the AUAB, against the Subsidiary Tower Company and for settlement of wage revision. Thereafter, discussion by the executive committee members took place. Finally, decisions were taken for the implementation of the directions of the Agartala CEC meeting.

BSNLEU is glad to inform that the negotiation for Wage Revision of the Non-Executives is starting on 20.07.2018. Initially, the Management has issued notification for only an exploratory meeting to be held on 20.07.2018, since the Joint Committee for wage negotiation has not been constituted. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, discussed the issue with Shri A.M. Gupta, GM (SR), today. The GM (SR) informed that, notification for the constitution of the Joint Committee is under issue. As such, the full-fledged meeting of the Joint Committee on wage negotiation will be held on 20.07.2018. All members of the Joint Committee, representing BSNLEU, are requested to kindly attend the meeting without fail.