Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary was observed throughout the country yesterday. Today’s Times of India has carried news on a shocking incident that had taken place at Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Members belonging to the Hindu Maha Sabha had organised this programme. In full public view, Puja Shakun Pandey, National Secretary of the Hindu Maha Sabha, had shot Mahatma Gandhi’s effigy with a toy pistol. This recorded video had been made viral on social media. It is more shocking to note that this incident had happened on the death anniversary of the Mahatma, and that none, including Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, or Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the country, had condemned this incident. It is needless to state that the party ruling at Uttar Pradesh and at the centre, is giving silent support to this shameful incident.

Tamil Nadu circle union has organised massive dharnas throughout the circle on 01^st April, 2019. BSNLEU and Tamil Nadu Telecom Contract Workers Union (TNTCWU) gave call for this programme, demanding immediate payment of wages to the contract workers. Wages have not been paid to the contract workers throughout the country for the past several months.

The process of the 8th Membership Verification has already started and BSNLEU has already submitted it's application for participating in the Verification. However, the Corporate Office has so far not issued the letter, granting minimum trade union facilities to the applicant unions. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, met Shri A.M.Gupta, GM(SR) today, and urged upon him to immediately issue letter, granting minimum trade union facilities to the Applicant Unions.

VRS पूर्ण रूपेण स्वैच्छिक है- हम मैनेजमेंट को कर्मचारियों को VRS लेने हेतु दबाव नही बनाने देंगे....
BSNL और MTNL में VRS का क्रियान्वयन कैबिनेट द्वारा 23.10.2019 को अनुमोदित रिवाइवल पैकेज का एक पहलू है। श्री रवि शंकर प्रसाद, माननीय संचार मंत्री ने उसी दिन मीडिया को संबोधित करते हुए सूचित किया था कि BSNL और MTNL में VRS का क्रियान्वयन पूर्ण रूपेण स्वैच्छिक रहेगा, जिसका आशय है कि किसी को भी VRS के लिए बाध्य नही किया जाएगा। किन्तु, BSNL मैनेजमेंट द्वारा कर्मचारियों में भय का वातावरण निर्मित कर उन्हें VRS पर जाने के लिए दबाव बनाया जा रहा है। श्री पी के पुरवार, CMD BSNL द्वारा 25.10.2019 को कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस में दिए गए उद्बोधन का उद्देश्य भी कर्मचारियों को आतंकित करना ही है। श्री पी के पुरवार ने वह गैर जिम्मेदाराना उद्बोधन, BSNL के एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज व नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज के समर्पण और कार्य संस्कृति को जाने बगैर दिया, जिन्होंने BSNL द्वारा प्रदत्त सेवाओं को उन्नत बनाने के लिए " कस्टमर डिलाइट मूवमेंट", "सर्विस विथ स्माइल" और  "BSNL एट योर डोर स्टेप" जैसे कार्यक्रमों के साथ साथ राजस्व वसूली और उपभोक्ता संतुष्टि के कार्य किए। इसी वजह से श्री पी के पुरवार के उद्बोधन की सर्वत्र भर्त्सना हुई। इसके अलावा हम यह भी बताना चाहेंगे कि 23.10.2019 को कैबिनेट द्वारा अनुमोदित रिवाइवल पैकेज, जो कि प्रेस इन्फॉर्मेशन ब्यूरो द्वारा प्रकाशित किया गया था, में कहीं भी रिटायरमेंट की आयु सीमा 60 से घटा कर 58 किए जाने का उल्लेख नही है। फिर भी, BSNL में 58 वर्ष का क्रियान्वयन करने की अफवाह फैला कर कर्मचारियों में आतंक का माहौल निर्मित करने के प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं। हम पूर्व में यह स्पष्ट कर चुके हैं कि BSNL के गठन के समय कैबिनेट द्वारा स्पष्टता के साथ यह कमिटमेंट किया गया था कि BSNL कर्मियों के लिए रिटायरमेंट की उम्र सीमा हेतु सरकार के नियम लागू होंगे। अतः कर्मचारियों को भयभीत होने की आवश्यकता नही है। हम भी मैनेजमेंट को कर्मचारियों को आतंकित कर VRS लेने के लिए बाध्य करने की इजाजत नही देंगे।

In the Formal Meeting held by the Director (HR) with BSNLEU on 14.01.2020, it was decided to have a separate meeting, to discuss the issues connected with the JTO LICE. This decision is taken since BSNLEU wanted to discuss the issue of granting relaxation to the failed candidates of JTO LICE held on 26.05.2019 and the issue of non-declaration of results of the JTO LICEs in Punjab circle, as additional items. The Director (HR) was kind enough to grant a separate meeting to discuss these two issues. Accordingly, it is informed today that, the Director (HR) has fixed the above stated meeting at 16:00 hrs. tomorrow.

The AUAB has already given the call to organise a Twitter Campaign today, to ensure BSNL’s 4G launching without further delay and also to get BSNL’s Revival Package implemented expeditiously.

 The Twitters are to be sent between 11:00 to 13:00 hrs. today. The matter to be twittered is already sent to all the Circle Secretaries and CHQ office bearers yesterday itself.

 Apart from tweeting this, comrades may also retweet all the messages tweeted with the hashtag #BSNL4GNow.

As per the call given by the CHQ, the various circle unions of BSNLEU have informed that comrades are participating in the March to Sanchar Bhawan programme, from their respective circles, as per the following details. These figures do not include the number of comrades coming to the March to Sanchar Bhawan, from the neighbouring circles of UP (West), Haryana, NTR, Rajasthan and Punjab, from where BSNLEU is mobilising a huge number of comrades. CHQ has already arranged staying accommodation for 2 days, i.e., 22^nd & 23^rd February, 2018, for all the 940 comrades. It is informed that staying accommodation cannot be arranged to other than these 940 comrades.

The Agartala CEC meeting of BSNLEU has decided to observe a “Call Attention Day” on 03.05.2018. Lunch Hour demonstrations are to be organised on that day, by wearing Black Badges. The demands for the “Call Attention Day” are as follows. All circle and district unions are requested to make the maximum mobilisation for this programme.

Demands

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.

BSNLEU, Jammu & Kashmir circle union organised a lively and inspiring seminar, on the revival of BSNL, yesterday the 21-06-2018. Even though J&K is a small circle, BSNLEU circle union has taken serious efforts to organise a largely attended seminar. Incidentally, a bandh was observed in J&K yesterday. Inspite of this, the turnout of the employees in the seminar was very encouraging. Com. Krishan Lal, circle president, delivered the presidential address. Shri S.K.Batra, GM(HR), J&K circle and Shri  M.G.Mufti, GMTD, Srinagar, addressed the seminar and shared the management's views. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, addressing the seminar explained the steps taken by the government to weaken BSNL, and the efforts taken by the united trade union movement of BSNL, for defending and strengthening BSNL.  He also explained about the cut throat competition unleashed by Jio, and about the efforts being taken by the employees to salvage BSNL. Com.Basheer Ahmed Khan, CS, BSNLEU, spoke briefly on the J&K scenario. Com.Abdul Majid Malik, District President, Srinagar, proposed vote of thanks. This seminar will go a long way in motivating the J&K work force of BSNL, for bringing an early turn around for the Company.

The value of Indian Rupee has fallen down into unprecedented depths. Consequent to this, the prices of petrol and diesel are galloping to new heights. As a result of this, the prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. The Times of India, in a cartoon published yesterday, states that the Central Government, is raising the issue of 'Urban Naxalisim', only to divert the attention of the people from these burning problems.

DoT द्वारा BSNL को एक और झटका - बैंक से लोन लेने पर पाबंदी

BSNL को एक और झटका देते हुए BSNL द्वारा बैंक से लोन लेने के लिए एक नया अवरोध उत्पन्न कर दिया गया है। DoT द्वारा थोपी गई एक नई शर्त के अनुसार BSNL केवल "कैपिटल वर्क्स" के अलावा किसी अन्य कार्य हेतु लोन नही ले सकता है। जिओ की प्रीडेटरी प्राइसिंग की वजह से BSNL के राजस्व संग्रहण में भारी गिरावट आई है और मैनेजमेंट को कर्मचारियों को सैलरी देने के लिए भी काफी मशक्कत करना पड़ रही है। विभिन्न भुगतानों के लिए कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस द्वारा फण्ड अलॉट नही किया जा रहा है। इस वजह से अगस्त 2018 के पश्चात मेडिकल का भुगतान नही हो सका है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में DoT द्वारा BSNL को पंगु बनाने के उद्देश्य से ही नई पाबंदी लादी गई है। रिलायंस जियो की वजह से निजी कंपनियों की हालत ज्यादा खराब है। किन्तु उनके द्वारा बैंक से लोन लेकर स्थिति को मैनेज किया जा रहा है। एयरटेल का बैंक लोन रु 1,13,000 करोड़ है और आईडिया वोडाफोन का रु 1,20,000 करोड़। इनके द्वारा बैंक से लोन के रूप में लिया गया सारा पैसा जनता का है। जब निजी कंपनियां खुले आम अपनी आवश्यकता पूर्ति के लिए जनता का पैसा बैंक लोन के रूप में ले सकती है तो फिर BSNL बैंक से लोन क्यों नही ले सकता ? निजी कंपनियों के अथाह कर्ज की तुलना में BSNL का कर्ज कुछ हजार करोड़ रुपए ही है, लगभग नही के बराबर। BSNL पर बैंक लोन लेने पर लगाई गई पाबंदी एक नया आघात है, BSNL को पूरी तरह से खत्म करने के लिए। इन सारे अवरोधों को तोड़ने का सिर्फ एक ही उपाय है, अनिश्चितकालीन हड़ताल। इन सभी मुद्दों पर कर्मचारियों को शिक्षित कीजिए और एक दीर्घ अवधि की हड़ताल के लिए उन्हें संगठित कीजिए।

After yesterday’s meeting with the Additional Secretary, Telecom, the representatives of AUAB held discussion with the CMD BSNL. The Director (HR) was also present. The CMD BSNL is giving a presentation to the DoT, on the revival plan of BSNL. In this backdrop, the representatives of the AUAB told the CMD BSNL that the 5% fitment for 3^rd Pay Revision, offered by the AS(T) is not agreeable. They insisted upon the CMD BSNL that the employees should be given 3^rd Pay Revision with 15% fitment.

The BSNL Working Women’s Coordination Committee, which a sub-committee of BSNLEU, is meeting at New Delhi tomorrow. The venue of the meeting is K.G. Bose Bhawan, West Patel Nagar, New Delhi. CHQ has made all arrangements for the meeting.

BSNL Corporate Office has reportedly written a serious letter to the DoT, raising alarm about it’s financial crisis. In it’s latter dated 17th June, 2019, the Corporate Office is reported to have told the DoT, that it will not be able to pay the salary to the employees for the month of June. Further, the Corporate Office has also reportedly told the DoT that, continuing the operations of BSNL will be impossible, unless financial assistance is extended by the DoT.

UP(East) circle union organised a huge lunch hour election campaign meeting inside the PGM office compound today. A large number of comrades attended the meeting. Com. DN. Tripati, Circle President, presided over. Com. K.R.Yadav, Acting Circle Secretary, Com.Nityanand Mishra, ACS and Com. Maya Verma, BSNLWWCC, were on the dias. Soon after the meeting started, there was the heavy downpour of rain which disrupted the meeting. Hence, the venue of the meeting was shifted to the varenda of the CGM office. However, after some time the rain stopped completely and the meeting was reorganised in the original place. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, spoke elaborately on the issues related to BSNL’s financial condition, government's anti-BSNL and pro-private policies, the need strengthening the united struggles to safeguard BSNL. The General Secretary also spoke on the issues taken up and settled during the past 3 years. The big gathering listened to the speech with rapt attention.

As per the decision of the Ghaziabad Central Executive Committee meeting, all the circle unions have to hold their Executive Committee meetings during the period from 01.11.2019 to 15.11.2019. According to this decision, Kolkata Telephones circle union has held it’s Extended Executive Committee meeting on 02.11.2019. Com.Sisir Roy, Circle Secretary and Organising Secretary (CHQ), made a reporting regarding the decisions of the Ghaziabad CEC meeting. After thorough discussion, the meeting has taken many important decisions, including the one to effectively organise the One Day General Strike on 08^th January, 2019.