The Circle Executive Committee meeting of UP(East) circle is being held at Lucknow today. Com.D.N.Tripati, Circle President is presiding. Com.Premnath Rai, General Secretary, CITU, inaugurated the meeting and spoke in detail about the anti-worker policies of the Modi government and also about the decision of the Central Trade Unions to organise a one day General Strike on 8^th January,2020. Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS, addressed the meeting and explained about the decisions of the Ghaziabad CEC meeting, various aspects of the Revival Package of BSNL, approved by the Cabinet, VRS and the need to make the 8^th January,2020 General Strike a success in BSNL. The meeting was greeted by Com.K.R.Yadav, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA. The report on activities was placed by Com.R.K.Mishra, Circle Secretary. Deliberations by the Committee members started after the lunch break and is continuing.

Private telecom companies, including Airtel and Vodafone Idea, have petitioned in the Supreme Court of India, to permit them to pay their dues of Rs. 1.47 lakh crore, in "easy instalments". These private companies have to pay this huge amount to the DoT, by way of Licence fee and spectrum charge arrears, AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue), on account of the a judgment of the Supreme Court, making changes in the calculation of AGR. The last day for payment of this amount is 23-01-2020. The Chief Justice of India directed that their prayer would be heard by the same bench which delivered judgment on the AGR issue.

1) Com. Parthiv Kanzaria, JTO (OMCR), Vadodara - Rs.1,000/-
2) Com. A K. Joshi, Retd. (OS), Vadodara - Rs.500/-
3) Com. Divyang Shah, (JE-IT), Vadodara - Rs.500/-
4) Com. S H Nai, (TT-DABHOI), Vadodara - Rs.500/-
5) Com. Kantibhai RavaI, Retd. (TT), GR Plot, Vadodara- Rs.500/-
6) Com. Kanubhai RavaI, Retd. (ATT), Padra, Vadodara - Rs.500/-
7) Com. S.D. Shukla, (TT), Dabhoi Tx., Vadodara - Rs.500/-
8) Com. M.B. Kulkarni, Retd.(JE-BB), Vadodara - Rs.500/-

BSNLEU is observing the Birth Centenary of Com.K.G. Bose, the path finder of the P&T Trade Union movement. BSNLEU has decided that, this programme is to be observed for one full year, by organising seminars and special meetings. As a part of this, Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, addressed the Facebook live yesterday the 09.08.2020. 

In his address, the General Secretary explained about the struggles and sacrifices of Com.K.G.Bose. He also explained how the path shown by Com.K.G.Bose is valid even today, to tackle the problems being faced by the working class  movement in general and the BSNL trade union movement in particular. 

In this connection, the General Secretary also delivered a speech live in Tamil on the Facebook, on 08.08.2020. This programme was organised by the Tamil Nadu circle union of BSNLEU. 

BSNLEU has demanded that the reconstitution of the Standing Committee of the National Council should be done expeditiously, for the effective monitoring of the implementation of the decisions taken in the National Council. In this regard, the SR Branch of the BSNL CO., has issued the following letter.

A meeting of the contract workers, belonging to the three districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam was held at Visakhapatnam yesterday the 18-02-2018. More than 200 contract workers participated. Com.Latchi Raju, circle vice president, BSNLEU, AP circle, presided over the meeting. Com. Sagar, District Secretary, BSNLEU, Visakhapatnam, welcomed all the comrades. com.Narasinghrao, President, CITU, AP state and Com.Dharma Rao, Circle Secretary, BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Union, AP circle, addressed the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, addressed the workers elaborately and explained about the problems presently being faced by the contract workers, and about the solutions to them. Com.Narasingh Rao, President,CITU, AP state, translated the speech into Telegu. Com.G.S.N.Raju, district president, thanked all the participants.

Consequent to the continuous struggles conducted by the Non-Executives and Executives, under the banner of the All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB), talks were held with the Minister on 24.02.2018. In that meeting the Hon’ble MoS(C) assured to take the wage revision issue for the approval of the Cabinet. As regards, the issue of payment of Pension Contribution by BSNL, the Hon’ble MoS(C) assured that Government Rules would be implemented. He also assured that BSNL would be allotted with 4G spectrum expeditiously, based on the proposal of BSNL Management. The AUAB meeting held yesterday the 26.06.2018, expressed it’s concern that the DoT is not taking prompt action in preparing Cabinet Note, on the wage revision issue. Similarly, the assurances given by the Hon’ble MoS(C), in respect of Pension Contribution and Allotment of 4G spectrum are also not getting implemented. Hence, the AUAB meeting has decided to organise the following agitational programme:-

1. Demonstrations at the Corporate Office, CCA offices and SSA levels are to be organised on 11.07.2018. In all the Circle Head Quarters, demonstrations should be organised in front of the CCA offices.

2. Relay hunger strike on 24^th, 25^th & 26^th July, 2018, at Corporate Office, Circle and District levels.

All circle and district unions are requested to organise the programme effectively in coordination with the other constituents of the AUAB.

BSNLEU conveys best wishes and warm greetings to all on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev ji’s jayanthi..

The AUAB issued notice for a 3 day strike today. This decision to serve the strike notice was taken in the AUAB meeting held today. The meeting noted with serious concern that the efforts taken by the AUAB, to settle the issues, especially the 3^rd Pay Revision issue, did not make much headway. Further, the AUAB meeting held today has also decided to include some more demands, connected with the revival of BSNL. All circle and district secretaries are requested to effectively organise the strike, in coordination with the other constituents of the AUAB. Since, the time at our disposal is very less, the circle and district unions are requested to organise the strike on a war-foot basis.

The Narendra Modi government, during it's earlier tenure, has already done the needful ground work for the privatisation of the Indian Railways. Now, after coming to power for the second time, it is speeding up the process. Within the 100 days, the government has planned to start at least two private trains. We hereby enclose the press release of the CITU, opposing government's move.

Barnala, Sangrur, SSA of Punjab conducted an impressive election campaign meeting at Barnala on 01.09.2019. Com. Imran Khan, District President, presided and Com. Rameshwar Dass, District Secretary, welcomed. Com. Balbir Singh, Vice President (CHQ), explained in detail about the present financial crisis being faced by the BSNL and its impact on the workers. He told that due to ongoing situation the salary for the month of August, 2019, was not be credited by the BSNL. He called upon the workers to support the BSNLEU, so that the hurdles created by the Management are defeated.  At the end the workers, assured to make BSNLEU, victorious in Sangrur SSA. Com. Parmjit Kumar, Sharma, one of the founder of the union gave vote of thanks.

The 16th All India Conference of CITU, the vanguard of the Indian working class, started this morning at Chennai. Com.K.Hemalata, President, CITU, hoisted the red flag of CITU, amidst thunderous slogans. The Inaugural Session of the Conference started immediately thereafter. Com. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU and Com.A.Soundararajan, Chairman of the Reception Committee, welcomed. Com.Michael, President of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), Com.Amarjit Kaur, General Secretary of AITUC and many other leaders of the Central Trade Unions addressed the session and greeted. Com.P.Abhimanyu,GS,BSNLEU, is attending this Conference as a fraternal delegate. The Conference will come to a conclusion, with a massive rally on 27-01-2020. BSNLEU conveys it’s revolutionary greetings to this Conference of the CITU.

1) Com.N. Narasimha Murthy, VP, BGTD - Rs.5,000/-
2) Com.Raghavendra, Ex.CWC member, KTK - Rs.5,000/-

3) Com.B. S. Surendra, ADS, BGTD - Rs.3,000/-
4) Com.Y. R. Hanchinamani, DS, Belagavi - Rs.3,000/-

5) Com.S.Kumar, OS, BGTD - Rs.2,000/-
6) Com.Parandaman, OS, KTK - Rs.2,000/-

7) Com.Kanyal, CWC member, KTK - Rs.2,000/-

8) Com.T. N. Nagaraj, OS, BGTD - Rs.1,500-
9) Com.Gowthami Bai, BGTD - Rs.1,000/-
10) Com.Shantha Kumari - Rs.1,000/-
11) Com.Krishna Das Prabhu, (Retired), CGMT, KTK - Rs.1,000/-

Notice has been issued for holding an Extraordinary General Meeting of members of BSNL at New Delhi on 15.06.2020. This meeting is being held to accord power to the Board of Directors:-

(a)   To monetise/ sell/transfer/dispose off identified land/ buildings. The sale proceeds will be utilised for the revival / restructuring of the Company including repayment of loans and for meeting Capital and Operational expenditures.

(b)  To accord power to the Board of Directors to issue Government Guaranteed Bonds aggregating up to Rs.8,500 crores.

Shri Anantkumar Hegde, BJP MP, from Karnataka has spitted venom against BSNL employees. He has stated that, all the BSNL employees are traitors (Desh drohis). Participating in a function at Uttara Kannada, Karnataka state, he has stated that the Prime Minister has provided funds and technology to BSNL, but the employees are not willing to work. “BSNL has become a black mark for the entire country and we will finish it”, said Shri Anantkumar Hedge. All the 88,000 BSNL employees will be fired and the government will privatise BSNL, said Mr. Anantkumar Hegde.

BSNL has always gone to the rescue of the people, whenever natural calamities like cyclone, flood, etc., struck the nation and when all the private telecom companies shut down their services. The BSNL employees have organised many movements like "Customer Delight Year", "Service with a smile" "BSNL at Your Door Steps" , etc., to improve the quality of services and customer satisfaction. Shri Anantkumar Hedge, MP, does not know anything about the devotion and dedication of BSNL employees. BSNLEU strongly condemns Shri Anantkumar Hedge’s outburst.

Com. P. Swaminathan, TM, Kurnool SSA and com.T. Mastan Vali, TM, Ananthapuram, were killed in accidents while on duty. Due to the lack of proper communication between the Andhra Pradesh circle and the Corporate Office, undue delay has arisen in giving appointments on priority basis, to the wards of the deceased employees. BSNLEU CHQ and Andhra Pradesh circle union are continuously taking up this case. As a result of this, a fresh letter was written by Andhra Pradesh circle to the Corporate Office on 04.12.2017. This issue was discussed by the representatives of BSNLEU with shri A.K. Singh, DGM (Estt.) today. It was replied that necessary approval would be given by the Corporate Office within a few days. The Union representatives further pointed out that the due to the inordinate delay in giving approval to these cases, all the CGA vacancies of AP circle for the years 2015 – 16 and 2016 – 17 are already filled up. Hence, it was demanded that the Corporate Office should give it’s approval to consider the appointments against future vacancies. This is also accepted by the DGM (Estt.).  

Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS and Com.John Verghese, AGS, met Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, today and discussed the following issues.

1. Extension of payment of Medical Allowance, without voucher, to pensioners.

Payment of Medical Allowance, without voucher, to the BSNL retirees, is implemented initially for 6 months. However, the same is not extended further. The Union representatives urged upon the CMD BSNL, to ensure that the letter for extension of the same is issued without further delay. The CMD BSNL responded positively and assured to do the needful.

2. Holding meeting of the Staff Welfare Board.

The Union representatives told the CMD BSNL that the BSNL Staff Welfare Board meeting has not been held for a very long time, as a result of which staff welfare issues could not be discussed. They urged upon him to hold the meeting at the earliest. The CMD BSNL assured to do the needful.

With extreme sadness, CHQ wishes to inform that Com.Sisir Battacharji, veteran leader of the Indian P&T trade union movement, passed away in a Kolkata hospital this evening. He was 95 years old, and had been unwell for some time. BSNLEU leaders of West Bengal and Kolkata circles were with him, when the leader breathed his last. It is pertinent to mention that Com. Sisir Bhattacharji had worked shoulder to shoulder with Com.K.G.Bose and other stalwarts. He had immensely contributed not only to the telecom trade union movement, but to the  P& T trade union movement as well. BSNLEU dips it's banner and pays it's respectful homage to the departed leader. It conveys it's heartfelt condolences to  the family members and relatives of Com.Sisir Bhattacharji. Branches are requested to fly the Union Flag on half-mast for three days, as a mark of respect to the leader.