A meeting of the All India Centre is held online today. Com.Animesh Mitra, President, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, Com.R.S. Chauhan, Vice President, Com.Gakul Borah, Treasurer and Com.John Verghese, AGS, attended. 

Review of the functioning of the All India Union was mainly discussed. After detailed discussions, the following decisions are taken unanimously.

1. All the circle unions should hold their Executive Committee meetings online, by 31.08.2020. The software for holding these online meetings will be provided by the CHQ.
2. The Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU will be held online, in the second week of September.
3. A meeting of the All India BSNL Working Women’s Coordination Committee will be held online, in the second week of September.
4. As a part of observing the birth centenary of Com.K.G. Bose, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, will deliver a speech live on the Facebook, on 09.08.2020. It will be a one hour programme between 19:00 hrs. and 20:00 hrs.
5. The Management should be told to organise an online Formal Meeting for BSNLEU, to discuss some of the burning staff issues with the Director(HR). 
6. In view of the continuing restrictions in movement, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is decided to demand that, the Management should hold an online meeting of the National Council immediately.
7. The next meeting of the All India Centre will be held at 15:00 hrs on 08-08-2020.

CHQ is the extremely pained to inform that com.Musthafa, a contract worker from Bidar, Karnataka, who had come to New Delhi to participate in the Mahapadav, passed away on 11-11-2017, due to heart attack. He was only 36 years old. CHQ got all the police and medical formalities completed, and airlifted the body to Hyderabad at 21:30 hours yesterday, the 12-11-2017. Com.Shamburao Sagar, DS, BSNLEU, travelled in the same flight, and from Hyderabad the body was taken to com.Musthafa's native place in Bidar district. CHQ expresses it's heartfelt condolences to all the family members of com.Musthafa.

It is already informed that the next meeting of the “All Unions and Associations of BSNL” will be held on 08.01.2018. This meeting will discuss and decide about the future course of actions, on the issues of Wage Revision and Subsidiary Tower Company. All the circle secretaries and central office bearers are requested to send their suggestions on the future course of actions to the CHQ, through e-mail / whatsapp.

मार्च टू संचार भवन और दुष्प्रचारकों का भ्रामक प्रचार...
AUAB द्वारा 05.04.2019 को मार्च टू संचार भवन आयोजित किया जा रहा है। ऐसी विकट स्थिति में भी कुछ दुष्प्रचारक कर्मचारियों को भ्रमित करने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं। वें यह सवाल कर रहे हैं कि जब आचार संहिता लागू हो चुकी है, दिल्ली में मार्च आयोजित करने का क्या औचित्य है ? यह सही है कि आचार संहिता लागू होने के पश्चात सरकार किसी भी प्रकार का नीतिगत निर्णय नही ले सकती है। किंतु, इसके साथ ही यह भी सच है कि अभी बीएसएनएल के वित्तीय रिवाइवल के लिए DoT को काफी प्रक्रियाएं पूर्ण करनी है, जो आचार संहिता के चलते भी की जा सकती है। उदाहरण के लिए , सरकार के नियम अनुसार पेंशन कॉन्ट्रिब्यूशन के भुगतान के क्रियान्वयन में आचार संहिता की बाधा नही रहेगी। यह केवल सरकार के पूर्व से अमल में लाए जा रहे नियम का बीएसएनएल में क्रियान्वयन मात्र होगा। इसी प्रकार से, बीएसएनएल द्वारा प्रस्तुत भूमि प्रबंधन नीति (Land Management Policy) का DoT द्वारा अनुमोदन आचार संहिता के लागू रहते भी किया जा सकता है। इससे बीएसएनएल को अपनी रिक्त जमीनों को मोनेटाइज करने और उससे भारी राजस्व अर्जित करने में तत्काल सहायता मिलेगी। बीएसएनएल को अपने ऑपरेशनल एक्सपेंडिचर के लिए बैंक लोन की अनुमति भी एक अहम मुद्दा है और इस पर भी आचार संहिता का प्रभाव नही होगा। और तो और, 3rd पे रिवीजन के मुद्दे पर भी DoT द्वारा काफी सारी पूर्व कार्यवाही (groundwork) की जानी चाहिए, जिससे कि लोकसभा चुनाव के तुरंत पश्चात नई सरकार को अंतिम निर्णय लेने में आसानी हो सके। और DoT द्वारा यह सब कुछ क्यों नही किया जा रहा है, यह एक अहम प्रश्न है। यह केवल DoT की बीएसएनएल विरोधी सोच की वजह से नही किया जा रहा है। इसीलिए, इस वक्त मार्च टू संचार भवन बेहद जरूरी है।

The BSNL Management issued letter on 02-07-2019, banning demonstrations, dharna, etc., till the completion of the 8th Membership Verification. BSNL Management had also threatened in that letter, that any union organising demonstrations, dharna, etc., would be debarred from participating in the 8th Membership Verification. This is a serious attack on the trade union rights in BSNL. Hence, BSNLEU filed a writ petition in the Hon'ble Madras High Court. On hearing our arguments, the Hon'ble High Court granted interim stay to the BSNL Corporate Office's letter dated 02-07-2019. Thereafter, the stay was extended up to 26-08-2019. In the mean while, the BSNL Management filed it's petition to vacate the stay. The efforts of BSNL management to vacate the stay became futile. The Interim Stay granted earlier has been further extended until 12-09-2019. This is a severe blow to the BSNL Management's autocratic methods to curb trade union rights in BSNL. It is also a great victory to BSNLEU, in it's struggle to uphold trade union rights.

The CHQ is receiving many queries about the non-remittance of the deductions made from employees’ salaries, to the concerned organisations, by the BSNL Management. As a result of this, employees are facing extreme hardships, like non-getting of GPF and society loans. In this regard, we wish to inform that, recently the CHQ has written a strong letter to the CMD BSNL, and the matter was also discussed with the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR) on 17.10.2019, with utmost seriousness. Further, BSNLEU has also written to the CMD BSNL, requesting him to write to the LIC Chairman, for condoning the delay in remittance of LIC premium amount, so that the policy holders will not become defaulters. BSNLEU has also sought of the help of AIIEA (All India Insurance Employees Association) in this regard.

कल, 07.01.2020 को रैलीज, मानव श्रृंखला आयोजित करें...
ऑल इंडिया सेंटर द्वारा निर्णय लिया गया है कि  08.01.2020 की आम हड़ताल में शामिल करने हेतु कर्मचारियों को संगठित करने के लिए देश भर में 07.01.2020 को रैलीज, मानव श्रृंखला आयोजित की जाए। इसकी सूचना सभी को पूर्व में दी जा चुकी है। CHQ सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट यूनियन्स का कल रैलीज, मानव श्रृंखला सफलता पूर्वक आयोजित करने का आव्हान करता है। 

10 Central Trade Unions have written to the Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), at Geneva, on 25.05.2020, raising a complaint on the violation of Labour Laws in India. As we have already informed the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar and Assam have already increased the working hours beyond 8 hours a day. Further, many states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, etc., have suspended various labour laws. All these steps are being taken, to help the employers, especially the corporates, to enable them to come out of the financial crisis created due to the COVID-19. The workers are being converted into slaves in all the above mentioned states, for the benefit of the employers and corporates. All these are being done at behest of the Narendra Modi led Central Government. Hence, the Central Trade Unions have sought the intervention of the ILO, to ensure that the labour laws, up held by the ILO, are not trampled in India. These Central Trade Unions are as follows:-

INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCT, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.

CHQ is extremely saddened to hear that, Com.Seethalakshmi, former General Secretary of the All India Postman and Class-IV Union (NFPE), has passed away on 01^st August, 2020, at her residence in Bengaluru. Only very recently she was diagnosed to be having cancer.  As we remember, Com.Seethalakshmi is the only woman comrade, who had reached the highest post of the General Secretary of an all India union, in the P&T Trade Union movement. Even when many male comrades hesitate to leave their native places and to come over to work in the union head-quarters at Delhi, Com.Seethalakshmi boldly took over the post of the General Secretary and shifted to New Delhi. She was a great friend and well wisher of BSNLEU. She also addressed and graced our Mysuru All India Conference, held in December, 2018. Com. Seetha Lakshmi had also served as the Deputy General Secretary of the National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) and had taken active part in the Central Government employees, as well as in the general trade union movement. In the death of Com.Seethalakshmi, we have lost an ardent crusader for the cause of the working class. BSNLEU dips it’s banner and pays it’s respectful homage to Com.Seethalakshmi. BSNLEU also conveys it’s heartfelt condolences to the family members and friends of Com.Seethalakshmi.

Immediately after the strike, the CHQ requested the circle secretaries to immediately send the strike figures. However, it is observed that still some of the circle unions have not submitted their report with the strike figures. CHQ requests those circle secretaries to immediately send the report.

The “All Unions and Associations of BSNL” are meeting Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications at 5:00 PM tomorrow. Wage revision, Subsidiary Tower Company, rolling back of the retirement age from 60 to 58 and revision of pension issues will be discussed prominently.

The past few months, the amounts being deducted from the salaries of our employees, are not being remitted to the concerned organisations / agencies. These include deductions on account of GPF, bank loans, society dues, HBA, EPF, LIC, income tax, PLI, etc. Due to the non-remittance of the deducted amounts to the various organisations / agencies, the employees are being forced to pay penal interest. BSNLEU has already discussed this issue with the CMD BSNL. Again BSNLEU has written to the CMD on this issue.

A meeting of the Recognised Unions and Management on Group Term Insurance (GTI) was held on 25.03.2019. From Management Side, Shri Ashutosh Gupta, GM (Trg.) and Shri Goyal, DGM(Trg.), were present. BSNLEU was represented by Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS and Com.Gakul Borah, Treasruer (CHQ). NFTE BSNL was represented by Com.Chandeswar Singh, GS and Com.Islamn Ahmed, President. At the outset the Management given the following informations to the Recognised Unions. 

1. The LIC who has made GTI facility to Executives is ready to give the same insurance benefits to the Non-Executives and it has suggested that the sum assured of insurance can be kept at Rs.20 lakh for Non-Executives, which is within the preview of the Regional Office at New Delhi.
2. If the insurance amount will be more than 20 lakh it may take long time since, it is to be processed by the LIC Head Quarter at Mumbai.
3. The insurance in any case should restricted to 5 times of salary of an employee. Hence, the Non-Executives insured amount can be Rs.20 lakh approx.
4. Since mortality rate is higher in case of Non-Executives, GTI may not be more than of Rs.20 lakh.
5. If the terms and conditions of the GTI for Non-Executives is keeping at par with the Executive policy it may take less time for signing the agreement.
6. According to Executive GTI policy, it is categorised in two groups of employees – i.e, (a) upto 50 years of age and (b)from 50 to 60 years.
7. No saving benefits will be available in GTI.
8. The premium should be in annual basis.

The representatives of the Recognised Unions expressed that they will discussed the matter in their respective levels and will come up with their suggestions / proposals within a short time.

It is interesting to note that the government is moving the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to debar two companies which are engaged by the BSNL Management in the past, for the revival of BSNL. One is Deloitte and the other is BSR, which is an arm of the KPMG. Both, Deloitte and BSR, had earlier acted as auditors of the Infrastructure leasing and Finance Services (IL& FS). A massive corruption of Rs.95,000 crore has taken place in IL&FS, as a result of which that company has collapsed now. The Corporate Affairs Ministry has alleged that both the Deloitte and BSR (KPMG) have helped in the commitment of Rs. 95,000 crore. Based on the recommendations of Deloitte and KPMG, BSNL Management had taken many steps for the revival of BSNL. Now, all can understand what sort of advise/ recommendations could have been given by these two companies, for the revival of BSNL.

[Source: Times of India dt. 11.06.2019]