The BSNL Corporate Office has issued emergency instructions to tackle the situation that has arisen due to COVID-19. The highlights of these instructions are as follows:-

1. A control room is formed at Corporate Office with five senior level officers. Similar control rooms are to be opened in all circles.
2. Telecommunications being an essential service, telephone Exchanges, OFC networks, BTSs, BFC, MSC, DSAMs and OLTs, MPLS, etc., are to be maintained.
3. Staff on emergency duty should be provided with masks and sanitisers. Proper arrangement for water and soap should be made in all buildings.
4. In cities where lockdown is ordered, CSCs need not be operated.
5. In all other cities also, customers visiting CSCs are to be discouraged. Skeleton staff to be followed. Customers are to be encouraged for online payments.
6. Contingency fund is released to the circles. CGMs are empowered to utilise them.

BSNLEU appreciates the Corporate Management for issuing proper instructions to ensure maintenance of BSNL's services and also safety of the employees. All circle and district unions are requested to ensure implementation of these instructions fully. CHQ also requests all the leaders and comrades to ensure that maintenance of our networks and provisioning of BSNL’s services are carried out effectively.  

As per the call of the CHQ, Telangana circle union has collected funds for the “Contract Workers Relief Fund” from members, pensioners and well wishers. Presently, the distribution of relief to the contract workers, in form of food materials, is being carried out.

Khammam: At Khammam, relief was provided to 17 contract workers today. Each worker got materials worth Rs.1,500/-. Com.M.Saibabu, General Secretary, CITU, Telangana state, Com.S.Upender Rao, District President, BSNLEU and other district level leaders participated.

Hyderabad: At Hyderabad, 36 contract workers were provided with food materials worth Rs.1,800/- each. Com.K.Yadayya, Circle President, Com.B.Sambasiva Rao, ACS, Com.Rama Chandrudu, CS, AIBDPA, Com.Sushi Kumar, DS, and other leaders participated.

Adilabad: At Adilabad, 15 contract workers were provided with relief materials worth Rs.1,500/- each. Com.D, Ramu, DS, Com.Nageswara Rao, Circle VP and other leaders participated.

Mehbubnagar: At Mehbubnagar, 20 contract workers and one casual labourer were provided with the relief materials. Com.C. Krishnayya, DS, BSNLEU, Com.Chinna Saheb, DS, AIBDPA and other office bearers participated in the programme.

Sangareddy: At Sangareddy, 15 contract workers were provided with relief materials worth Rs.800/- each. Apart from office bearers of BSNLEU, the General Manager, Sangareddy, as well as the district secretaries of SNEA and AIGETOA participated in this programme.

The Online Circle Executive Committee meeting of Tamil Nadu is being held today. Com.S.Chellappa, Circle President, is presiding over. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, delivered the inaugural address, throwing light on the international and national situations as well as on the situation prevailing in BSNL. Com.Babu Radhakrishnan, CS, presented the report on activities, based on which deliberations by the Circle Executive Committee members is going on.

Utilising the visit of com.P.Abhimanyu,GS, to Chennai, the Tamil Nadu circle union organised a well attended meeting yesterday, in the circle union office, located within the CGM office compound. The meeting was organised, mainly to explain about the status of the wage revision issue, and that too in the backdrop of the meeting of the Public Sector trade unions, held at Hyderabad, on 22-10-2017. Com.S.Chellappa, AGS and circle president, presided over the meeting. Com.Babu Radhakrishnan, circle secretary, welcomed everyone and explained the purpose of holding the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS, addressed the meeting and explained about the decisions of the Hyderabad work shop of Public Sector trade unions, on the wage revision issue. He also explained about the decisions of the All unions and associations, to conduct united struggles, including the 2 day strike on 12^th and 13^th December,2017. He emphatically told that the wage revision could be settled only by breaking the retrograde recommendations of the 3^rd PRC, and called upon the employees to get prepared for that.

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 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.  

बीएसएनएल एम्प्लॉईज यूनियन की गाज़ियाबाद में  22 और 23 अक्टूबर 2018 को सम्पन्न सेंट्रल एग्जीक्यूटिव कमिटी मीटिंग में वेज रिवीजन पर प्रस्ताव पारित

तृतीय PRC की अनुशंसाओं में उल्लेखित "एफोरडीबिलिटी क्लॉज़" को रिलैक्स करने हेतु कैबिनेट के अनुमोदन के लंबित रहते वेज रिवीजन के निराकरण हेतु डॉट द्वारा मान्यताप्राप्त यूनियन्स के साथ निगोशिएशन्स की अनुमति के बाद इस संबंध में हुई प्रगति पर बीएसएनएल ईयू की सेंट्रल एग्जीक्यूटिव कमिटी चिंता व्यक्त करती है। जॉइंट कमिटी फ़ॉर निगोशिएटिंग वेज सेटलमेंट की कई बैठकें हो चुकी है और नए पे स्केल्स लगभग लगभग फायनलाइज किए जा चुके हैं।

किन्तु हाल ही में, HRA के रिवीजन को ले कर गतिरोध उत्पन्न हो गया है। जॉइंट कमिटी में मैनेजमेंट साइड द्वारा बताया गया कि बीएसएनएल की चिंताजनक वित्तीय स्थिति के मद्दे नज़र नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज का HRA रिवीजन नही किया जा सकता है। उन्होंने यह भी बताया कि मैनेजमेंट द्वारा 31.12.2016 को देय HRA फ्रीज करते हुए एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज के लिए 3rd PRC की अनुशंसा की जा चुकी है। उन्होंने यह भी तर्क दिया कि चूंकि एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज के लिए HRA फ्रीज करना प्रस्तावित कर दिया गया है, नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज को HRA रिवीजन नही दिया जा सकता है। स्टाफ साइड को यह भी बताया गया कि  HRA रिवीजन से रु 570 करोड़ का अतिरिक्त वित्तीय भार बढ़ेगा, परिणाम स्वरूप DOT द्वारा वेज रिवीजन प्रस्ताव खारिज़ करने की संभावना बनी रहेगी।  मैनेजमेंट साइड द्वारा यह भी प्रस्ताव रखा गया था कि बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय स्थिति सुदृढ होने पर HRA रिवीजन पर विचार किया जा सकता है। किंतु मैनेजमेंट का यह प्रस्ताव किसी भी रूप में स्वीकार्य नही है।

बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय स्थिति के नाम पर कर्मचारियों को HRA रिवीजन से इंकार न केवल अ-न्यायसंगत है बल्कि दिग्भ्रमित करने वाला भी है। यह ध्यान में रखा जाना चाहिए कि सम्पूर्ण टेलीकॉम मार्किट में मची उथल पुथल रिलायंस जियो की प्रिडेटरी प्राइसिंग की वजह से है। यह भी नही भूलना चाहिए कि एयरटेल और वोडाफोन आईडिया जैसे बड़े ऑपरेटर्स भी हानि की स्थिति में पहुंच गए हैं। साथ ही, इन ऑपरेटर्स पर भारी कर्ज भी है, जबकि तुलनात्मक रूप से बीएसएनएल का कर्ज नगण्य है। हम यहां यह भी बताना चाहेंगे कि 2017 में एयरटेल, वोडाफोन और आईडिया की तुलना में मोबाइल सेगमेंट में बीएसएनएल की तीव्र वृद्धि हुई है। इसके अलावा ट्राई की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भी रिलायंस जियो के अलावा बीएसएनएल ही एकमात्र ऐसी कंपनी है जिसने वर्ष 2017 में AGR में वृद्धि दर्ज की है। ट्राई की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक जून में समाप्त तिमाही में बीएसएनएल के AGR में 6.8% की वृद्धि हुई है।

इसलिए, हम यहां यह इंगित करना चाहेंगे कि बीएसएनएल डूबने वाला जहाज नही है। मार्किट के विश्लेषकों ने भी इस तथ्य की पुष्टि की है कि अप्रैल 2019 के बाद कॉल और डेटा के टैरिफ में बढ़ोतरी होना शुरू होगी। अतः बीएसएनएल का वित्तीय संकट ज्यादा समय तक नही रहेगा। जैसे ही रिलायंस जियो द्वारा निर्मित तबाही से मार्किट उबरेगा, बीएसएनएल की वित्तीय स्थिति में भी सुधार होना शुरू हो जाएगा।

ऐसे में, बीएसएनएल की वर्तमान वित्तीय स्थिति का हवाला दे कर कर्मचारियों को आगामी दस वर्षों के लिए HRA रिवीजन नकारना पूर्ण रूप से अस्वीकार्य है। बीएसएनएल ईयू की यह सीईसी मीटिंग बीएसएनएल मैनेजमेंट से नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव कर्मियों के वेज रिवीजन के अविलंब व शीघ्र निराकरण की मांग करती है, वह भी HRA रिवीजन के साथ।

फरवरी माह के वेतन का भुगतान 20.03.2019 तक होगा- CMD BSNL का AUAB को आश्वासन.
AUAB के प्रतिनिधियों ने आज सुबह 10.30 am पर CMD BSNL श्री अनुपम श्रीवास्तव से मुलाकात की। श्रीमती सुजाता रे, डायरेक्टर (HR) भी मौजूद थीं। AUAB ने मांग की कि फरवरी माह के वेतन का भुगतान होली के पूर्व किया जाए। CMD BSNL ने कंपनी की वर्तमान आर्थिक स्थिति पर संक्षेप में प्रकाश डालते हुए आश्वासित किया कि वेतन का भुगतान 20.03.2019 तक कर दिया जाएगा।

BSNLEU has issued a press statement yesterday the 08.08.2019, wherein it has accused that BSNL 63 land parcels are being transferred to the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) at a throw-away price. The ET Telecom has carried an article based on BSNLEU’s press release.

As per the report published by the Financial Express yesterday the 08.09.2019, the Finance Ministry has not only rejected the DoT’s proposal for the revival of BSNL & MTNL, but has also suggested to close down both the PSU’s. As per the report, the Finance Ministry is of the view that the expenditure for closing down BSNL & MTNL would not be as high as Rs.95,000 crore, as argued by the DoT. It is also reported that the Finance Ministry has given direction to work out afresh, the expenditure for the closing down BSNL & MTNL.

Anant Mishra a gold medallist in MSc, from Rajasthan University, wore a black band at his convocation ceremony yesterday, in protest against the recent police attacks on students at Jamia Milia University and Aligarh Muslim University. Anant Mishra is pursuing MTech from IIT, Gandhinagar. He had tied the black band on his right arm to express his protest. He was arrested for wearing black band in the convocation ceremony.

[Curtesy: Times of India dated 20.12.2019]

As has already been intimated, the AUAB is meeting today to discuss and take decisions on the agenda items that have already been notified.

In the meeting held at the circle union office at Chennai yesterday, the Tamil Nadu circle union presented an apple iPad to the General Secretary. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu circle union, com. S.Chellappa, AGS & CP and com. Babu Radhakrishnan,CS, handed over the iPad to com.P.Abhimanyu,GS. "Our CHQ is maintaining a very effective communication with the circle and district unions, through website, email and Whatsapp, and this apple iPad will enable the General Secretary to maintain the communication in a more effective manner", said com. S.Chellappa, AGS & CP, while presenting the gadget. CHQ sincerely thanks the Tamil Nadu circle union for presenting this iPad and assures that the CHQ will live up to the expectations of the members.

The 7th circle conference of West Bengal circle, started jubilantly at Kolkata on 27-01-2017. Com Shyamal Chakraborty, President CITU West Bengal, inaugurated the conference. Com Saibal Sengupta, AGS, addressed the Conference on behalf of the CHQ. Com Om Prakash Singh, Circle Secy, Telecom Factory & Organising Secretary (CHQ), Com. Tapas Ghosh, Working President, BSNLCCWF, Com. Biplab Das, Secretary, BSNL Coordination Committee also addressed the inaugural session. A working women's convention and a seminar on the development of West Bengal Circle also took place in the Conference. Com Kalyani Chakraborty, Convenor, All India Bank Employees Federation, com. Animesh Mitra, CS&VP(CHQ) com. Banani Chattopadhyay, com. Jhumur Baandyopadhyay, com. Sutapa Roy and com. Mamata Sarkar addressed the Women 's convention.   The Seminar was addressed  by com. Animesh Mitra, CS, West Bengal circle & Vice president (CHQ),  shri R N Jha CGMT WB circle,  com Tapas Ghosh, CS, SNEA,  com. Ranjit Mukherjee, NFTE,  Com Arindam Choudhury, SNATTA,  and Partha Das, SC/ST Welfare Association.

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 AUAB is trying to have a meeting with the Secretary, Telecom, to find out the status of the implementation of the assurances given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, in the meeting held on 24.02.2018. However, so far no meeting has been granted to the AUAB, by the Secretary, Telecom. In today’s meeting, the representatives of BSNLEU urged upon the CMD BSNL to use his good office for arranging a meeting between the AUAB and the Secretary, Telecom. Representatives of BSNLEU pointed out to the CMD BSNL that, in the past also, the CMDs of BSNL have played crucial role in arranging meetings between the Unions and Associations of BSNL and the Secretary, Telecom. The CMD BSNL accepted this demand and assured that expeditious action would be taken in this regard.