BSNLEU writes to the Director (HR) on 12-03-2018, expressing it's unhappiness and disappointment, over the dishonouring of the decision of the National Council, by the Admn. Branch, in the matter of extending Rs.429 mobile plan to the Non-Executives. BSNLEU has pointed out that all the mobile operators had already implemented unlimited free voice call, and demanded that the same should be implemented to the BSNL Non-Executives. BSNLEU also suggested in this letter that, a tailor-made mobile plan, equivalent to Rs.429 plan, should be implemented to the Non-Executives of BSNL.

BSNLEU once again writes to the Director (HR) on 14-05-2018, demanding implementation of a tailor-made mobile plan to the Non-Executives of BSNL, equivalent to the Rs.429 mobile plan. BSNLEU also exposes the lame excuses of the Admn. Branch of the Corporate Office, for denying the Rs.429 plan to Non-Executives. BSNLEU also questions the denial of the Rs.429 plan to the Non-Executives, even though the Company will not be incurring any extra expenditure to implement the same.

The Supreme Court has ordered yesterday that, reservation in promotion to SC/ST employees would be “in accordance with law”. The back ground of this judgement is as follows:-

Reservation in promotions are allowed since 1955. However, in 1992, the Supreme Court held that, such promotions are unconstitutional. In 1995, the law was amended to allow quota in promotions. Again this was challenged in the Supreme Court in 2006. However, this time, the Supreme Court held that, framing any law on the matter should satisfy the test of (1) backwardness (2) inadequate representation and (3) overall efficiency. Based on this, many high courts gave judgements, denying reservation in promotions. To face this situation, the UPA government introduced a bill in the Parliament, stating that, all SCs and STs shall be deemed backward. This bill is yet to be passed by the Parliament. It is under these circumstances that yesterday, the Supreme Court allowed reservation in promotions, till it decides legality of the law.

On 04-06-2018, BSNLEU has written to the Director(HR), demanding to hold the JTO LICE. Today, BSNLEU has submitted a corrigendum to that letter, specifically demanding that the JTO LICE should be held for the vacancies of 2016-17 and 2017-18

The All India BSNL Working Women's Coordination Committee is being held at Bengaluru on 30-06-2018. The venue of the meeting is:-

BSNL Employees Union Office

CTO Building Telephone House,

Rajbhavan Road, Minsk Square,

Bengaluru 560 001.

(Land Mark: Next to Cubbon Park Metro Station)

Together with the Committee meeting, a seminar is also being organised. Com.Sudha Sundararaman, AIDWA, is addressing the seminar.

A Grievance Redressal Cell for the retired employees of BSNL has become operational under SR Cell of the Corporate Office. For redressal of their grievances, retired employees can fill up the form available at the *link* below:

https://goo.gl/forms/PI5OasDWWYsulgus2

The progress of the cases will be monitored by SR Cell, to ensure prompt redressal of the grievances. The SR Branch has informed that, those who have already sent their grievance in hard copy or through Email, may also submit once again through the *online link given above* for better monitoring. Retired employees are requested to avail this mechanism for redressal of their grievances.

In the 35th meeting of the National Council, Com.P.Abhimanyu, Secretary, Staff Side, demanded in his initial remarks that, the Rs.429/- mobile plan should be implemented for the BSNL Non-Executives, in the place of Rs.200/- SIM. This was immediately accepted by the Chairperson of the National Council. However, a letter was given to the GS, BSNLEU later on, by the Admn. Branch of the Corporate Office, stating that the Rs.429/- plan is not a permanent plan, and hence cannot be implemented for the Non-Executives. Thereafter, BSNLEU wrote to the Director (HR), demanding that a "tailor-made" plan, similar to that of the Rs.429/-, should be implemented for the Non-Executives. In continuation of this letter, BSNLEU continuously discussed this issue with the Director (HR) and the GM (Admn.). BSNL Management was unable to brush aside the logic of BSNLEU's demand and has finally issued letter today. According to this plan, BSNL Non-Executives will get Unlimited Free Voice Call Facility, as well as 1GB data per day, with 90 days validity. BSNLEU heartily thanks Ms. Sujata Ray, Director (HR), as well as the Chairperson of the National Council, for accepting and implementing BSNLEU's demand. BSNLEU also heartily congratulates all the Non-Executives, for getting this facility.

The 36th meeting of the National Council is being held on 12-06-2018. As a prelude to this, a meeting of the Staff Side is taking place on 11-06-2018. The meeting will start at 15:00 hrs and the venue is Dada Ghosh Bhawan. Staff Side members are requested to attend the meeting without fail.

After getting the clearance of the DPE,  the DoT has to prepare the Cabinet Note, for getting the Cabinet's approval, for the Wage Revision of BSNL employees. This issue was discussed by BSNLEU, with the DoT, on 31-05-2018. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS and Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice-President (CHQ) met Shri Pawan Gupta, Director (PSU-1) and enquired about the status of the Wage Revision. The Director (PSU-1) replied that the DoT is working on the preparation of the Cabinet Note. The Union requested the Director (PSU-1) to expedite the same.

The All India Convention of Central Public Sector Workers, held at New Delhi on 30-05-2018,  has unanimously passed a declaration. It calls upon the Public Sector workers to uncompromisingly fight against the anti-Public Sector policies of the Narendra Modi government. It also demands that the Modi government should give up it's decision to introduce Fixed Term Employment, as well as to immediately settle the Wage Revision of the Central Public Sector workers. All circle and district secretaries are requested to give widest publicity to this Declaration.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, who was in Kolkata yesterday, to address the condolence meeting of Com.Sisir Bhattacharji, also visited the family of our beloved leader Com.Moni Bose. Com.Animesh Mitra, VP(CHQ), accompanied him. The General Secretary enquired about the health condition of Com.Jyotsana Bose, the wife of Com.Moni Bose. She is 91 years old now and is in good spirit, even though some age related problems are there. She conveyed her best wishes to all the leaders and comrades of the Union. Dr. Gautam Bose, son of Com.Moni Bose and Mrs.Gautam Bose were also present during the visit, and they expressed their happiness to the leaders on their visit.

The circle Unions of West Bengal, Kolkata Telephones, Telecom Factory and Telecom Stores organised a memorable condolence meeting yesterday, for the late veteran leader, Com. Sisir Bhattacharji. The meeting was organised in the Alipore Telecom Factory and Com.Shekar Bhattacharya,President,Telecom Factory, presided over the meeting. A large number of comrades attended the meeting. At the outset, the leaders paid floral tributes to Com. Sisir Bhattacharji .Thereafter, the house stood in silence for a minute and paid homage.P.Abhimanyu, GS, addressed the meeting and paid glowing tributes to Com.Sisir Bhattacharji and explained how the path shown by him is guiding BSNLEU in facing the present day challenges. Com. Pabitra Chakraborty, former General Secretary of the Administrative Union, as well as former Vice-President(CHQ), BSNLEU, Com.Animesh Mitra,Vice-President(CHQ) & circle secretary, West Bengal, Com.Sisir Roy, circle secretary,Kolkata Telephones, Com.Om Prakash Singh, Organising Secretary(CHQ) & circle secretary, Telecom Factory, Com.Alok Mitra, circle secretary,Telecom Stores, Com.S.D.Choudhary circle secretary, Telecom Factory, Mumbai and Ms.Moushmi Bhattacharya, niece of Com. Sisir Bhattacharji addressed the meeting and recollected the contributions of Com.Sisir Bhattacharji. A galaxy of leaders, including Com.Saibal Sengupta,AGS, Com.Dilip Das, former AGS, Com.Mihir Das, former AGS, Com.Siddiqi, former circle secretary, Telecom Factory,Kolkata, Com.Biplab Das, Secreatary, Coordination Committee, Com.Tapas Ghosh, Working President, BSNL CCWF, Com. Sunil Patel, circle Secretay, Telecom Factory,Jabalpur and Com.Sanjib Bannerji, AIBDPA graced the function with their presence. CHQ heartily congratulates the four circle unions for organising a befitting and memorable condolence meeting for Com.Sisir Bhattacharji.

Due to the ongoing crisis in the Indian telecom industry, created by the predatory pricing of Reliance Jio, Vodafone India, India's second largest telecom company, has already decided to merge with Idea Cellular, which is India's third largest telecom company. After merger, the name of the new entity will be "Vodafone Idea Limited". This new company will become India's largest telecom company, with 42% customer market share and 37% revenue market share. Media reports say that the merger process is in the last leg of getting the regulatory approval. In the meanwhile, Vodafone has lost 6.4 lakh subscribers in April, 2018, according to data provided by the COAI.

[ Source : ET Telecom dt. 01-06-2018 ]

The Narendra Modi government's most ambitious privatisation plan, ie., to sell off the  Air India, has hit roadblocks. It is a very bad news for the so -called  economic experts, sitting in the NITI Ayog that, there is no one to buy the Maharaja. Yesterday, the 31-05-2018 was the last date for the prospective buyers to submit their Expression of Interest (EoI). The government had announced it's plan of selling 76% of Air India's shares. Together with that,  the government had stipulated that, the buyer should take over Rs.33,392 crores of Air India's debt also. May be, the corporates want to take over Air India, without the pains of taking over of it's debt. To oblige them, the government may change it's conditions also. However, according to political and economic observers, there is little chance for the Modi government to complete the privatisation of Air India, within the remaining 10 months of it's tenure. This is a great news for the forces which are fighting against the government's privatisation moves.

The CHQ has already announced it's decision to join the "Worker - Peasant Rally", ( Mazdoor - Kisan Sangarsh Rally) to be held at New Delhi on 05-09-2018. Trade unions and peasant's organisations, which are fighting against the Neo-Liberal Policies of the government, are organising this massive rally. The All India Centre meeting of the Union, held yesterday, has fixed the quota for each circle union, for mobilising workers to the Rally. Nearby circles are given the major share for the mobilisation. At the same time, all the circle unions have to fulfill their quota. CHQ is sending  letters to all the circle unions, informing about their quota. Let us make the Worker - Peasant Rally a historic success.

The DoT has finalised the draft Telecom Policy 2018 and uploaded the same in their website for comments. The draft policy is named as "National Digital Communications Policy- 2018". The comments are to be given online only and the last date of submission of the comments was first 25th of May, 2018, which was further extended to 1st June, 2018. BSNLEU has submitted comments online on 31st May, 2018 (see our views).

BSNLEU is the biggest contingent which participated in the yesterday’s All India Convention of Central Public Sector Workers, held New Delhi. Apart from the CHQ leaders, circle secretaries of Jammu &Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, UP(West), UP(East), Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Odisha, West Bengal, Kolkata, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, NE I and  NE II took part in the Convention. Many Central Office bearers also attended the Convention. Apart from this UP(West), Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab circles mobilised a good number of active comrades. CHQ heartily congratulates all the comrades, who tremendously participated to the call of the CHQ. After, the Convention was over, a group photo of the participants was taken, even though a good number of comrades have already left by that time.

The All India convention of Central Public Sector Employees was held at New Delhi, yesterday the 30.05.2018. A presedium, consisting of the leaders of the Central Trade Union, presided over the Convention. Leaders, including com. Ashok Singh, National Vice- President, INTUC, com. Tapan Sen, GS, CITU, com. H. Mahadevan, Working President, AITUC, com. Shanmugam, GS, LPF, com. Swadesh Dev Roye, Secretary, CITU, com. Mahendar Sharma, HMS, com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, com. Subhash Lamba, (Electricity) and many others addressed. Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, briefly explained about the struggles going on in BSNL, on the issues of Subsidiary Tower Company, Wage Revision, etc. The Convention unanimously adopted a declaration, which calls for a one day strike against disinvestment / privatisation, fixed Term Employment, demanding Wage Revision to all PSU employees, without affordability condition. Date of the strike will be announced shortly.