Accepting the demand of BSNLEU, the Management took decision to hold the JE LICE as an ‘off-line’ exam. Due to this change, the JE LICE which was scheduled to be held as an ‘on-line’ exam on 07.04.2019 was postponed. Thereafter, despite repeated requests by BSNLEU, the JE LICE for the vacancy year 2017-18 is not yet held. Meanwhile, the JE LICE for the vacancy year 2018-19 has also become due. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), strongly demanding to hold the JE LICE for the vacancy years 2017-18 and 2018-19, without any further delay.

The International women's day was observed by the West Bengal circle union on 08.03.2020, at CTO, Kolkata. Com. Banani Chattopadhyay, Jt. Convenor, BSNL WWCC, hoisted the Union’s red flag. More than 100 women comrades attended the meeting, which was presided over by Com.Banani Chattopadhyay and Com.Mamata Sarkar. The meeting was addressed by Com.Animesh Mitra and Com.Jhumur Bandyopadhyay, Jt. convener, Working Women sub committee, West Bengal. The speakers spoke on the present condition of the women in the country and also deplored the pro-rich and anti-worker Neo-Liberal Policies being followed by the government.

Women’s Day celebration was also observed in the PGMT Office, Panjjim Goa, on 08.03.2020. Com.Amita Naik, member, BSNL WWCC, organised the meeting. A good number of women employees including the AGM (Admn.) participated in the meeting.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, spoke to Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR), over phone yesterday and insisted settlement of the following issues:-

(1)  Payment of April, salary without further delay.

The General Secretary insisted upon the Director (HR) to take the needful action to ensure the payment of salary for the month of April without much delay.
 

(2) Payment of  compensation of Rs.10 lakh to the employees who succumb due to the COVID-19. 

The General Secretary urged upon the Director (HR to take prompt action for implementation of the scheme, under which Rs.10 lakh compensation would be paid in case any employee dies due to Covid-19. The General Secretary told him that the DoT has put in place such a scheme, which has already been implemented by the Department of Posts. The General Secretary  informed the Director (HR) that copies of the orders issued by the DoT and the Department of Posts are already e-mailed to him, together with the request letter of BSNLEU.

(3)   Retention of quarters up to 6 months on normal licence fee.

The General Secretary requested the Director (HR) to take the needful action on the letter written by BSNLEU, for the retention of quarters by BSNL retirees up to 6 months, on the payment of normal licence fee. This demand is being raised in view of the lock-down imposed by the government. 

 The Director (HR) gave a patient hearing and assured to look into the issues and to take needful actions.

In the name of Consolidation of Business Areas, Management is bringing minor SSAs under the control of adjacent major SSAs. In this process, employees, especially the Non-Executives encounter many problems. BSNLEU has demanded that the process of Consolidation of Business Areas should be stopped, pending discussion. All unions and associations of Khammam SSA in Telangana SSA have conducted a massive dharna, opposing this SSA being brought under Warangal SSA. CHQ heartily congratulates the Khammam comrades.

8 और 9 जनवरी, 2019 को होने वाली 2 दिवसीय आम हड़ताल के लिए बीएसएनएल कर्मियों को संगठित (mobilise) कीजिए....

BSNLEU, NFTE, BSNL MS और TEPU ने 8 और 9 जनवरी, 2019 को होने वाली 2 दिवसीय आम हड़ताल में बीएसएनएल कर्मियों को शामिल होने का आव्हान किया है। सरकार की कॉर्पोरेट परस्त और वर्किंग क्लास विरोधी नव उदारवादी नीतियों के खिलाफ भारत के मजदूर कर्मचारियों द्वारा की जा रही यह 18वीं आम हड़ताल है। पीएसयूज में विनिवेश और उनके निजीकरण पर रोक, इस हड़ताल का प्रमुख लक्ष्य है। इसलिए आनेवाले दिनों में बीएसएनएल में विनिवेश और निजीकरण को रोकने के लिए बीएसएनएल कर्मियों को व्यापक पैमाने पर इस हड़ताल में शामिल होना चाहिए। आगामी दिनों में निजीकरण से बीएसएनएल को बचाने के लिए हड़ताल की सफलता जरूरी है। इसलिए  BSNLEU के सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज से अनुरोध है कि वें NFTE, BSNL MS और TEPU के लीडर्स से समन्वय स्थापित कर हड़ताल के लिए कर्मचारियों को संगठित करें।

The Forbes magazine releases the list of richest people in the world, every year. In the list for the year 2019, the Forbes magazine has shown Mukesh Ambani as the 13th richest man in the world. The Forbes magazine has also stated that Mukesh Ambani’s asset worth is 50 billion US dollars. It is very important to note that, the same Forbes magazine declared Mukesh Ambani as the world’s 19th richest man in 2018. It had also stated that Mukesh Ambani asset worth was 40.1 billion US dollars in 2018. Within one year, Mukesh Ambani’s asset worth has increased by around 10 billion US dollars, and he has jumped 6 places, to become world’s 13th richest man. It is also relevant to recollect that the Oxfam, in it's recent report, had stated, that there is a very big concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals in India. The rich is becoming super rich and the poor are becoming paupers. Only Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has to explain why this is happening? Immediately after becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi declared that his entire energy would be spent the poor people out of poverty. But, what is happening in the country, is the opposite.

Media report says that the United States is mobilising 1,20,000 troops in to West Asia. This is nothing, but for bullying Iran. The US has already imposed sanctions against Iran and has ordered that no country should import oil from Iran. Accordingly, even India has stopped importing oil from Iran. Now, the US is mobilising troops massively into West Asia, presumably to attack Iran. Before attacking Iraq also, US mobilised troops in such a massive scale in 2003. The US has already attacked countries like Iraq and Libya and installed it’s puppet government’s. The oil reserves of these countries are now being looted by the US multinational companies. To play a similar game in respect of Iran, the US is mobilising troops now. This move of the US imperialism should be opposed by all the democratic forces.  

[Source: Times of India dated 15.05.2019]

On 02.07.2019, the SR Branch of the Corporate Office issued letter banning dharna, demonstration, etc., till completion of 8th Membership Verification. This letter was issued to stop the dharna called on by BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF, to be held on 16.07.2019, demanding payment of wage arrears to the contract workers. BSNLEU filed a petition in the Hon’ble Madras High Court, seeking the Hon’ble court’s intervention to the arbitrary action of the SR Branch, banning legitimate trade union activities. The Hon’ble Madras High Court issued an order on 22.07.2019, granting interim stay to the SR Branch's letter on banning demonstrations, dharna, etc. However, the SR Branch high-handedly issued another letter on 24.07.2019, directing all the Chief General Managers to take disciplinary action, including pay cut, on those who participated in the dharna held on 16.07.2019. Consequent to this, BSNLEU issued notice to the CMD BSNL, DGM (SR) and AGM(SR), for proceeding with contempt action against them, for violating the order of the Hon'ble Madras High Court. Today, the SR Branch has issued another letter intimating the CGMs, that the Hon’ble Madras High Court had stayed it’s letter dated 02.07.2019. Thus, the SR Branch has got belatedly enlightened.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, met Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR), yesterday, and discussed the following issues.

1. Awarding of full marks to the questions with multiple correct answers, for the JTO LICE held on 26.05.2019.

The matter is already discussed many times. In the meeting held on 21.01.2020, the Director (HR) assured to sympathetically consider the demand of the Union to award full marks to the questions with multiple correct answers. However, in yesterday’s meeting, Director (HR) replied that the evaluation has been done as per the existing procedure and that awarding of full marks to the questions with multiple answers is difficult. However, the General Secretary insisted that full marks should be given, since whatever method has been adopted in the evaluation has done injustice to the candidates. The issue will be pursued further.  

2. Verification of caste certificates of the ST employees in Maharashtra circle.

BSNLEU has been insisting that the DoP&T orders should be implemented on this matter, according to which the verification of the ST caste certificates should be done only by the District Collectors / Magistrate. The Director (HR) informed in yesterday’s meeting that the caste certificates of 300 ST employees have already been validated by the District Scrutiny Committees. However, the General Secretary insisted that the assurance given by the Director (HR), for referring the matter to the District Collectors / Magistrate should be implemented.   

3. Non-declaration of JTO LICE results in Punjab circle.

The General Secretary told the Director (HR) that no improvement has come on this issue and insisted that the Management should take some pro-active steps, so that the results are declared.

4. Issuing of Presidential Orders to the employees recruited by the DoT, but appointed after formation of BSNL.

The BSNL Management has already filed SLP in the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the judgement of the Hon’ble High Courts. BSNLEU has already sought the co-operation of the Management, so that the Supreme Court case is disposed off at the earliest. The General Secretary informed the Director (HR) that no development has taken place on this issue also.

5. Hold of the JE LICE without further delay.

The JE LICE already notified, has been postponed, based on the demand of BSNLEU to hold it as an Off-line exam. Management has agreed to hold the exam as an Off-line exam, but the exam is not held so far. In yesterday’s meeting, the Director (HR) replied that the Committee formed by the BSNL Management on holding Internal Examinations is expected to submit it’s report within 2 to 3 weeks. The General Secretary insisted that the JE LICE should be conducted, since it will improve the efficiency of the existing staff.

At the end, the Director (HR) assured that needful action would be taken on the issues discussed today.

BSNLEU has expressed it’s own doubts about the announcement made by Mukesh Ambani recently, that Jio has developed it’s own 5G technology. In the website updating made on 18.07.2020, BSNLEU has also given the reasons for that.

Now, an article published in the latest "Frontline" magazine, a detailed analysis has been made, claiming why Mukesh Ambani’s announcement might not be correct. The article has stated that, Jio might not have developed a full-fledged 5G technology, but may be a “5G-like” technology.  The following are the excerpts from that article. 

"IPlytics, a Berlin-based company that monitors technology trends, reported that Huawei of China held the most patents among “5G patent families” in the world. Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE, commanded the largest number of such patents, closely followed by Korean companies, including Samsung and LG.

As of November 2019, Huawei held 3,325 such patents; its nearest rival was Samsung, with 2,846 patents. Nokia’s alliance with Alcatel-Lucent was the most significant non-Asian rival, with a combined tally of 2,308. 

Companies have spent several years developing the relevant technologies, which is why many are sceptical of Ambani’s claims.

.... The idea is that if a full-scale 5G rollout is not immediately possible or feasible, patches based on software solutions as well as open source hardware could be built in order to give a “5G-like” network performance, at least in limited markets or geographies".

Three and half years ago, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India. He told the people of this country that he had come from poor, family and that, he would take every effort to help the poor. However, let us see, who is benefited from the policies and efforts of the Narendra Modi government. Ahead of the World Economic Forum meeting being held at Davos, the Oxfam has released it’s report. According to this report, 73% of the total wealth generated in our country in 2017, has gone to the richest 1% Indians. At the same time, the bottom 67 crore Indians have got only 1% of the wealth increase. The wealth of these richest 1% Indians has increased by Rs.20,913 billion in last year. Further, in 2017 alone, 17 new dollar billionaires have come up in India. Now the total number of dollar billionaires in India is 101. Internationally, 82% of the new wealth created in 2017 has gone to the richest 1% people. Everyday two new dollar billionaires have come up in the world. Now, let the ruling BJP and it’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, tell the people of this country, how their economic policy is different from the economic policy of the Congress Party. Whatever pro-corporate and anti-worker policy that was followed by the Manmohan Singh government from 2004 to 2010, is being followed with more vigour by the Narendra Modi government.

[Inputs from Times of India – 23.01.2018]

Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy. GS and Com. Animesh Mitra, Vice- President (CHQ) met shri Saurab Tyagi, GM (Estt.) today, and reviewed the status of certain important pending issues. The details are as follows:-

1. Wage revision

The Establishment Branch of the Corporate Office is the nodal branch in the matter of Wage Revision. The Union enquired about the status of formation of the joint committee for negotiating wage settlement. The GM (Estt.) replied that file in this regard has already been moved to the CMD BSNL. Further, he wished to know about the procedure adopted for revision of wages w.e.f. 01.01.2007. The Union representatives shared their experiences with him. They also solicited the best co-operation of the Establishment Branch for the forthcoming wage revision, which he assured.

2. Granting 1^st promotion under NEPP, to the RMs who were conferred with Ty. Status.

The GM (Estt.) replied that inputs are still awaited and requested the Union to help in getting the inputs from left out circles.

3. Issuing of POs to the TSMs, who directly became Telecom Technicians:-

For this issue also the GM (Estt.) replied that the cases could not be forwarded to the DoT, for the issuing of POs, since inputs are yet to be received from some circles.

Regarding the above two items, the Union demanded the names of those circles which have not sent the requisite information, so that action could be taken through the circle unions, for making the CGMs to send the inputs to the Corporate Office. The GM (Estt.) accepted this proposal.

4. Stoping illegal recovery of arrears of employees contribution of EPF.

As regards the case of com. Omprakash Jaiswal OS, CGM office, Hyderabad, the GM (Estt.) stated that the Corporate Office has not received any representation. The Union assured that the related papers would be handed over soon.

5. Downgradation of Sr. TOAs from 7100 to 6550 pay scale.

This case has already been rejected by the GM (Estt.) in the earlier discussion. In today’s meeting, the Union informed that some of the affected officials have expressed their willingness to forego any arrears, that will become accrued on account of settlement of this issue. The Union asked why can’t such cases be considered, when the Company need not spend any money. The GM (Estt.) once again replied that to settle this issue, approval of the BSNL’s Board of Directors, as well as the DoT is required, which is not possible.

The AUAB, in it’s notice served today, to the Secretary, DoT and the CMD BSNL, has informed that the AUAB will call on the employees to go on strike, if the issues are not settled by 30th November, 2018. This is also an advance intimation to the circle and district units of the AUAB. During the press meets, dharnas and rallies, the employees should be appropriately told to get ready for the strike action, if the issues are not settled by 30th November, 2018.

Karnataka circle is organising the Circle level Joint General body meeting of the AUAB today, the 02.01.2019 at CGM Office Auditorium, Halasur, Bengaluru. Circle Secretaries, Dist. Secretaries, Presidents, CEC Members, All India Office bearers, as well as the general members of BSNLEU, NFTE BSNL, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, AIGETOA, BSNL MS, TEPU & ATM, are participating in this meeting.  In all, around 400 comrades are expected to take part in the meeting, to be addressed by Circle Secretaries and All India Office bearers of all the unions and associations. The details of the talks held between the Hon'ble MoS (C) and the AUAB on 03-12-2018, which resulted in the deferment of the Indefinite Strike will be explained in this meeting. CHQ of BSNLEU heartily congratulates the Karnataka circle AUAB for taking this initiative.

[Courtesy: Times of India dt. 7th March, 2019.

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, once again met Shri Ram Krishna, DGM(CBB), BSNL CO., today and discussed about the renewal of BSNL’s MoUs with the Canara Bank and the Union Bank of India. The DGM(CBB) replied that progress is taking place and that the MoUs are likely to be signed soon.