The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB), has called for black flag demonstration on 16^th July, 2020, on BSNL’s revival, rolling out of 4G service and also on burning issues of the employees. In this situation, a media named "Telecom Talk" has published news, stating that BSNLEU has given call for the above mentioned programme. BSNLEU wishes to state that, this is a mischievous news. We wish to make it clear that, neither the General Secretary, of BSNLEU, nor any other officer bearer of BSNLEU has issued any such statement.

The Karnataka Circle Union of BSNLEU, organised Com.Moni Bose memorial lectures at Davangere, on 19-05-2018. Dr.Chandra Poojari, Professor, Department of Development Studies, Kannada University, Hampi, delivered the lecture on Neo liberal policies and Communal Harmony. District Secretaries, Presidents, Circle Executive Committee members and branch members from Bangalore and Davangere participated in the program. The contributions of Com. Moni Bose, the doyen of P&T trade union movement, as well as the General Secretary of the AITEU CL III, was remembered. The participants and resolved to march ahead in the path shown by  Com.Moni Bose.

Recently BSNL has started it’s internet telephony service. Customers, by using BSNL’s app ‘Wings’, can make unlimited calls by paying an annual fee of Rs.1,099/- and by using internet service or wi-fi of any telecom operator. This service was launched on 11^th July, by Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communication. It is great to hear that within two weeks BSNL has received 4,000 bookings, for the new service. CHQ requests all the comrades to make effective campaign to make the public aware of BSNL’s Net Telephony service.

[Source: ET – 25.07.2018]

The employees of BSNL are struggling, demanding immediate steps to be taken by the government for the revival of BSNL. At this crucial juncture, Business Line, one of the prominent financial newspapers of the country, has demanded that the government should take urgent steps for the financial revival of BSNL. This is a good development. Business Line has argued that the consumers of India need a strong Public Sector company like BSNL, to safeguard themselves from the high tariffs of the private telecom companies. This is an important view and we strongly support it. Similarly, Business Line argues that BSNL’s vacant lands should be monetised, and the proceeds (amount) should be invested for the modernisation and expansion of it’s networks. We strongly support this view also. However, we do not endorse the view of Business Line saying that VRS should be implemented.

Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS, addressed the Central Committee meeting of the National Telecom Employees Association of Nepal (NTEAN) on 25-07-2019. This meeting was specially organised, on the occasion of the visit by the General Secretary of BSNLEU. 55 members of the Central Committee of the NTEAN attended this meeting. Addressing this meeting, Com.P.Abhimanyu spoke elaborately on the scenario prevailing in the telecom sector in India, the pro- private policies of the government and the united struggles being waged by the employees of BSNL, under the banner of the AUAB. He also explained how the WFTU and the TUI Transports and Communications are uniting the working class world over, in the fight against the Neo-Liberal policies, being dictated by the World Bank and the IMF. He urged upon the NTEAN to join the WFTU and the TUI Transports and Communications, to put up an effective fight against the capitalist exploitations.

The 5th meeting of the BSNL Working Women’s Co-ordination Committee (BSNL WWCC), was held in Tulsi hotel at Vadodara today. Com.K. Ramadevi, Vice President (CHQ) presided over the meeting. Com. Banani Chattopadyaya, moved the condolence resolution. The house stood in silence for a minutes and paid homage to the leaders and comrades, passed away after the last meeting. Com. Tapaswini Trivedi, Gujarat, sang the inaugural song. Com.D.K. Bakutra CS, Gujarat and Com.Anand Narayan Singh, ACS, Gujarat, delivered the welcome address.  Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, inaugurated the meeting and delivered his address. Com.P.Indira, Convenor, presented the report on activities and addressed the meeting. Com.Animesh Mitra, President, Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS and Com.Rama Devi, Vice President (CHQ), addressed and greeted the meeting. Thereafter, deliberations on the report presented by the Convenor started. Com.K.Baghyalakshmi, Kerala, Com.Banani Chattopadyaya, West Bengal, Com.Sharmila Data, Kolkata, Com.Tapaswini Trivedi, Gujarat, Com.Berlin Alice Mary, Tamil Nadu, Com.Hemavati, Chennai Telephones, Com.Amita Nayak, Maharashtra, Com.Revathi Rajesh, Karnataka and Com.Shaveta Malhotra, Punjab, addressed the meeting. Com.P.Indira, Convenor, summed up the discussions. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, made his closing remarks. Many important decisions were taken in the meeting, for the revival of BSNL and the strengthening of BSNLEU, as well as BSNL WWCC. Com.D. Shylla, North East – I and Com.Mamta Bhavsar, Madhya Pradesh, have availed leave for the meeting.

1) Com. L.M. Tiwari, DE Phones, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

2) Com. Baskar Das, JTO, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

3) Com. M.C. Upadhyay, Retd. OS, Branch President, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

4) Com. Deepak Singh Bhandari, TT, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

5) Com. P.D. Joshi, TT, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

6) Com. Wahid Husain, TT, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

7) Com. Madhavi Devi, ATT, Nainital – Rs.1,000/-

8) Com. Gurudas, TT, Nainital – Rs.500/-

BSNLEU's 2 day online Central Executive Committee meeting started successfully today. It is heartening to note that even the circle secretaries and CHQ office bearers from far-flung areas like Andaman & Nicobar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam etc., are participating in this meeting. Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS welcomed everyone. Com.Animesh Mitra, President is presiding over the meeting. Com.A.K.Padmanabhan, National Vice-President of CITU, inaugurated the meeting and explained in detail about the attacks being launched on the Public Sector and on the working class, by the Modi government. He told that dissent is not being tolerated by the government; NSA is being used against those who criticise the government and that working people are being devided by using religion. Thereafter, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, presented the note for discussion. He explained about the functioning of the CHQ and AUAB, road-blocks being created in BSNL’s 4G launching, contract workers' issues and the issues of the employees. After lunch, deliberations by the CEC members started and is going on.

West Bengal circle union conducted a convention at Kolkata today, on issues related with improving quality of services, wage revision, Subsidiary Tower Company, attacks on BSNLEU in West Bengal circle and other issues. Around 350 comrades participated enthusiastically in this convention, from the various parts of West Bengal circle. Com.Nazes Nauroz, circle president, presided over. Com.Amitav Chattopadyay, ACS, welcomed every one and initiated the discussion. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and com.Animesh Mitra, circle secretary and vice-president (CHQ) addressed the convention. Both the comrades explained in detail about the various issues connected with the wage revision, unity and struggles, Subsidiary Tower Company, improving the quality of services, attacks being mounted on BSNLEU by Trinamool goons, etc., A good number of comrades participated in the discussion. The convention took many decisions on the subjects mentioned above. CHQ heartily congratulates the West Bengal circle union for conducting a very effective convention.

The Standing Committee on Information Technology has told the government to allot 4G spectrum to BSNL and MTNL at the earliest. The Committee has told in it’s report that allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and MTNL will help them to compete and survive in the market. The Committee is of the strong view that BSNL and MTNL will lose their data market, if they are not allotted 4G spectrum soon. However, the flip-side of the report is that, it has also told the government to consider the voluntary retirement scheme submitted by both the PSUs.

[Source: ET Telecom dated 14.03.2018]

In yet another incident, which shows that the government machinery will go to any extent to defend the interests of the big corporates and the multinational companies, 10 innocent people have been killed, and more than a hundred people are seriously injured in the police firing yesterday, at Tuticorin, in Tamil Nadu. The people in and around Tuticorin town have been conducting struggles, demanding closure of a copper smelter unit, belonging to the Sterlite company. This company is a part of the multinational Vedanta Group. This smelter unit has been causing serious health hazards to the people of Tuticorin city. Serious health problems like cancer, kidney ailments are being caused due to the pollution created by this smelter unit. This is yet another example which shows that big corporates have no care for the environment or the health of the people, but making big profits is only their ambition. BSNLEU strongly condemns the Tamil Nadu government for this brutal police firing. BSNLEU also strongly demands the immediate closure of Sterlite smelter unit at Tuticorin and appropriate compensation to the families of the victims and injured.

Those killed in the police firing at Tuticorin.

As per the news and photos being received from various parts of the country, we can understand that the second day of the Relay Hunger Strike is being observed throughout the country, with more response from the employees, who are massively participating in the hunger strike. BSNLEU heartily congratulates all the participants as well as the circle and district level AUAB’s, for the success of the second day programme.

A meeting of the AUAB was held yesterday. General Secretaries / representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, AIGETOA, BSNL MS, ATM and BSNL OA participated in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress in the implementation of the assurances given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications. 

The meeting expressed it’s severe disappointment that even after the lapse of 8 months, the DoT has not prepared the Cabinet Note, to get relaxation to BSNL, from the affordability clause of the 3rd PRC. Further, the meeting also observed that, the DoT has not taken any action for the implementation of the other assurances given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, such as Pension Revision, Allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and Payment of Pension Contribution on the actual basic pay. The meeting came to the unanimous conclusion to resume the agitational programme, including that of strike. Therefore, the meeting called upon the employees to successfully organise the following programme of action, with the view to mobilise the employees for a strike action.

1. Holding of press conferences at circle and district levels on 29-10-2018, and explaining the demands, especially the anti-BSNL and pro-private policies of the government.
2. Dharna at all levels on 30-10-2018.
3. Rallies at circle and districts levels on 14-11-2018.
4. Mobilise the employees for further serious struggles, including strike, if the demands are not settled early.

CHQ calls upon the circle and district unions to immediately get into touch with the other unions and associations, and organise the above mentioned programme effectively. Through the above mentioned agitational programme, employees should be prepared for the strike action.

The AUAB has already given call to conduct joint general body meetings, during the period from 26^th to 29^th December, 2018, and to explain about the decisions taken in the meeting held on 03-12-2018, between the AUAB and the Hon'ble MoS(C). The AUAB has issued a circular also, explaining the details. This circular is also translated into Hindi.  If required, it may be translated into regional languages also. All circle and district secretaries of BSNLEU are requested to take the initiative and to coordinate with other constituents of the AUAB for successfully holding the joint general body meetings.