As per the call of the All Unions and Associations of BSNL, dharna programme is being conducted throughout the country, demanding the rolling back of the Subsidiary Tower Company. At Corporate Office, dharna programme is organised at the Eastern Court. Report is coming from various circles, about the successful conducting of the programme.

The CEC meeting, held at Agartala, has decided to give a detailed note to the Management, on curtailing of wasteful expenditures. It is also decided that, all Circle Secretaries and Central Office-bearers should give their suggestions in this regard to the CHQ. Those CEC members who have not sent the note to the CHQ so far, are requested to immediately send the same. Within a day or two, CHQ will be submitting this note to the Management.

The AUAB is conducting dharna programme throughout the country, demanding the rolling back of the Subsidiary Tower Company. The CHQ of BSNLEU has already called on the circle and the district unions of BSNLEU to take the initiative to conduct the programme very effectively. Serious mobilisations among the public, against the Subsidiary Tower Company will certainly create compulsions on the government. Hence, all units of BSNLEU are requested to conduct this programme very effectively tomorrow.  

The CITU has constructed a trade union school at Saket, New Delhi, called Com. P. Ramamurti Bhawan. BSNLEU has collected advertisements from the circle unions, to financially help the construction of Com. P. Ramamurti Bhawan. The CITU has printed and released the souvenir, to commemorate the inauguration of Com. P. Ramamurti Bhawan. The funding by CHQ and circle unions, through advertisements, for the construction of the trade union school, are as follows:-   

CHQ                                        - Rs.1,00,000/-

Maharashtra                            - Rs.75,000/-

Andhra Pradesh                      - Rs.25,000/-

Telengana                                - Rs.25,000/-

Gujarat                                    - Rs.25,000/-

Kerala                                      - Rs.25,000/

Karnataka                                - Rs.25,000/-

                                                -------------------                       

Total =                                    - Rs.3,00,000/-         

Copies of the souvenir are being despatched to the circle unions which have given the advertisements.

The Ernakulam Convention of the Central Public Sector Trade Unions held on 08-04-2018, has drawn the road-map for struggles against privatisation and on the wage revision issue. Following are the views of the Convention.

We have already intimidated about the postponement of the National Council meeting, scheduled to be held on 16-04-2018. The Corporate Office has issued letter for the postponement.

The Central Public Sector Trade Unions conducted a one day convention at Ernakulam, yesterday. 340 delegates participated in the Convention, from all the major Central Public Sector Undertakings. Com. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU, inaugurated the Convention. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, addressed the convention, and gave a detailed picture of how the government is trying to finish off BSNL, by forming the Subsidiary Tower Company. He also narrated about the sustained struggles of the BSNL employees to safeguard BSNL. The GS, BSNLEU also briefed the convention about the developments in the wage revision issue of the BSNL employees. The meeting decided the following action programme on the key issues:-

1. To conduct a nationwide campaign programme in all the Public Sector undertakings.
2. To send Fax to the Prime Minister and Minister of Heavy Industries.
3. To conduct a National Convention on 25th May, at New Delhi, against privatisation, Fixed Term Employment and on wage revision issue.

Compelling the government to roll back the Subsidiary Tower Company is the priority task of the trade union movement of BSNL. To achieve this, the All Unions and Associations of BSNL has called on the BSNL employees to organise massive dharnas throughout the country on 12-04-2018. CHQ calls upon the circle and district unions to coordinate with the other constituents of the AUAB,  and to mobilise maximum number of Non-Executives and Executives in the dharnas.

Architect of the Indian Constitution, as well as a great social crusader, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’s birth anniversary falls on 14th April, 2018. This day is already being observed by our comrades in many parts of the country. The CEC meeting of BSNLEU, held at Agartala recently, has called upon all the circle and district branches to observe this year’s Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Jayanti in a befitting manner. The occasion should be utilised to high light Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’s contributions to the nation and also the need to uphold the secular character of our nation. Reports and photos may be sent by email to the CHQ.

The 36^th meeting of the National Council has been scheduled to be held on 16.04.2018. Notification for this meeting has already been issued. Recently, we have informed that Com.Chandeswar Singh, GS, NFTE, lost his elder brother. On account of this, he has informed the Management that he was not in a position to attend the meeting on 16.04.2018. In view of this, the meeting is getting postponed.

The CEC meeting held at Agartala, noted with serious concern that, the BSNL Management is on an outsourcing spree. Each and every work, including those works which can be done by our employees, are being outsourced. May be “some quarters” are getting benefitted out of these outsourcings. It is an undeniable fact that huge money of the Company is going into the drain, due to these outsourcings. This has got to be stopped. So far as the Non-Executive cadres are concerned, Direct Recruitment is being made only in the JE cadre. But, no recruitment is being made in the cadre of Sr.TOA, even though acute shortage is there, due to large scale retirements. Hence, the Company has to go in for direct recruitment in the cadre of Sr.TOA. A lot of wasteful expenditures are severely affecting the finance of the Company. BSNLEU has already drawn the attention of the CMD BSNL, as well as the Director(Finance) on this count. We learn that recently, four officers from the Corporate Office, have visited Sri Lanka, in connection with a cricket match. This only shows that the top Management is in no mood to curtail wasteful expenditures. Instead, the Management tries to curtail the existing medical facilities of the employees, in the name of overcoming the financial crisis. The Agartala CEC meeting has decided to give a detailed note to the Management, demanding the curtailment of these wasteful expenditures. The Corporate Office has recently given an instruction to the CGMs to substantially reduce the number of the contract workers. Immediately, this may result in some savings. But, in the long run, this will seriously affect the quality of our services, since the contract workers are largely engaged for maintenance works. In view of the foregoing, the Agartala CEC meeting has decided to conduct a “Call Attention Day” on 03.05.2018. Lunch hour demonstrations will be conducted throughout the country on that day, by wearing black badges. The following are the demands for the “Call Attention Day”.

1. Stop the mad rush for outsourcing works.
2. Curtail wasteful expenditures of the Company.
3. Do not curtail the medical facilities of the serving and retired employees.
4. Do not retrench the contract workers.
5. Conduct fresh recruitment in the cadre of Sr.TOA.

All circle and district unions are requested to take all out efforts to conduct the programme effectively.

The 16^th All India Conference of the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF) is being held at Chennai since yesterday. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, has been invited to address the Inaugural Session of this Conference yesterday. Since the General Secretary was in the CEC meeting of BSNLEU yesterday, he greeted the AISGEF Conference today. The General Secretary called on the State Government employees to join shoulder to shoulder with the working class of India, to fight against the pro-rich policies of the government, and also to strengthen communal harmony in the country.

The CEC meeting of BSNLEU, held at Agartala, has made serious deliberations on various important issues, and has taken decisions.  All the Circle and District Unions are requested to implement these decisions, within the time frame, as set by the CEC meeting.

The three day CEC meeting of BSNLEU, being held at Agartala, came to a successful conclusion today. The meeting carried out elaborate discussion on all the crucial issues being faced by BSNL and it’s employees. In addition, a mid-term review of all the decisions taken in the last All India Conference, as well as in the Tiruvananthapuram and New Delhi CEC meetings was done. At the end of the three day discussions, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, summed up the discussions. The meeting has taken various important decisions, which will be updated on the website soon.

The CEC meeting of BSNLEU is continuing in Agartala for the second day today. CEC members are deliberating on the report on activities submitted by the General Secretary.

In today’s CEC meeting at Agartala, Com.C.K.Gundanna, circle secretary, Karnataka, offered to host the next All India Conference of BSNLEU at Mysuru. The house unanimously accepted the proposal of the Karnataka circle union. The CEC meeting also unanimously resolved that the next All India Conference shall be held in the month of February, 2019. CHQ heartily congratulates the Karnataka circle union for their proposal.

The three day Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU started at Agartala, the capital of Tripura, today. The NE1 circle union and the Tripura district union have made excellent arrangements for the meeting. The meeting started with Flag hoisting. The National Flag was hoisted by Com.Balbir Singh, President. The Union Red Flag was hoisted by Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS. Floral tributes were paid in the martyr’s column. A brief, but impressive cultural programme marked the beginning of the CEC meeting. Com.Balbir Singh, President, is presiding over. Com.Mitun Ranjan Bhowmik,Chairman, Reception Committee, welcomed everyone. Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS, welcomed everyone, on behalf of the CHQ, and briefly spoke on the importance of the CEC meeting. Com.K.Hemalata, President, CITU, delivered the inaugural address and spoke elaborately on the anti-worker and pro-rich policies of the government. She praised BSNLEU for it’s role in the fight against the anti-BSNL policies of the government. Com.V.A.N Namboodiri, founder General Secretary of BSNLEU spoke and greeted the meeting. Shri Ashish Pathak, GM, Tripura also greeted the meeting. Finally, Com.Shankar Bhardan, Joint General Secretary of the Reception Committee, proposed vote of thanks. After the lunch break, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, presented the report on activities. Thereafter, deliberation by CEC members started and is going on.