Vodafone Group CEO, Vittorio Colao, has stated that the Company has lost 80% of it's Indian business, due to the tariff war unleashed by a new operator (read Reliance Jio).  Colao has stated that doing telecom business in India is like "fighting the competition with hands tied at the back". The Vodafone Chief has also severely criticised the role being played by the TRAI in regulating the competition in the telecom sector.

[Source : PTI dated 27-02-2018]

Utilising the visit of Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, to Srinagar, leaders of the unions and associations of BSNL met him, and impressed upon him the need to accelerate BSNL's developmental activities in J&K circle. It is worth mentioning that J&K is a profit- earning circle of BSNL. Despite various constraints, J&K circle earned a profit of Rs 11 cores in 2015-16. In the financial year 2016-17, this amount increased to Rs. 29 cores. The results of 2017-18 are awaited. BSNLEU, J&K circle union is taking keen interest in improving the quality of services. The circle union has attracted the attention of the CMD BSNL, by presenting a memorandum on important issues like shortage of staff , Non-availability of and equipments and materials, etc.

The representatives of BSNLEU met Shri A.M. Gupta, GM(SR) today and insisted for the early conducting of the next National Council meeting. The Staff Side has already submitted it’s items for discussion. The Director (HR) has assured in the floor of the last National Council meeting that, the next meeting would be conducted before the end of September. However, so far date for the meeting has not been finalised. The representatives of BSNLEU urged upon the GM(SR) to hold the meeting before the end of September, 2018. The GM(SR) assured to fix an early date.

The AUAB, Punjab circle, organised a very effective meeting at Bharat Nagar telephone exchange, Ludhiana today, to mobilise the employees for the 3rd December indefinite strike. Com.Surjeet Singh, CS, NFTE & Chairman, AUAB, presided over the meeting. Com.Balbir Singh, CS, BSNLEU & Convenor, AUAB, welcomed everyone and conducted the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU & Convenor, AUAB, Com.Chandeswar Singh, GS, NFTE & Chairman,AUAB, Com.Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSNLEA and Com. Ravi Shil Verma, GS, AIGETOA addressed the gathering and explained the demands. The anti-BSNL and pro-private policies of the Narendra Modi government was explained in detail, and the employees were called on to go on a protracted struggle to safeguard the future of the Company and he future of the employees.

In accordance with the tradition being followed for long, the joint circle conference of Assam, NE-I and NE-II circles is being held at Imphal, Manipur. The conference started today. The National Flag was hoisted by Com. Ksh Santa Singh, Chairman of the Reception Committee and the Union flag was hoisted by Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy GS,BSNLEU.  The joint inaugural session was presided over jointly by Coms. Gakul Borah, D.A.Shylla and M.B.Singh circle presidents of Assam,NE-I & NE-II. The meeting was  addressed by Com.Ksh Santa Singh, Chairman of the Reception Committee, Shri K. Patton, GM,HR,NE-II, Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, BSNLEU, Com. L.Purojit Singh, National Secretary, AISGEF, Shri J.Lunkim, GMTD, Imphal, Com. D.A.Shylla, President, NE-I Circle, Com. Gokul Borah, Treasurer(CHQ) and Circle President of Assam, Com.M.B.Singh, President, NE-II, Com M.R.Das, AGS,AIBDPA, Shri Thangjam Joykumar Singh, an eminent social worker of Imphal. Vote of thanks given by Com.Yaima Singh, senior leader of BSNLEU, Manipur. The conference will continue till 10th February,2019. The Open Session will be held on 9^th February,2019, which will be addressed by Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS,BSNLEU.

Recently, the spokesperson for Congress Party, Randeep Singh Surjewala has blamed the Modi government for the financial woes of BSNL. In reply to this, Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon'ble Minister of State for Communications has stated that BSNL and MTNL, are suffering due to decisions taken under the UPA regime. What Shri Manoj Sinha says is correct. At the same time what Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala said is also perfectly correct. The AUAB has been accusing that BSNL is in a financial crisis today, only because of the anti-BSNL policies adopted by the successive governments that came to power at the Centre. The AUAB has been maintaining that the employees of BSNL are in no way connected with BSNL's present financial condition. What Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala and Shri Manoj Sinha have said, have proved this.

BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF have decided to organise massive dharnas at the Corporate Office, as well as in the circle head quarters on 16.07.2019, demanding the Management to immediately clear the payment of wage arrears of the contract workers, and also to demand the withdrawal of the Corporate Office instructions, for retrenching the contract workers. All circle unions of BSNLEU are requested to take all out steps to ensure that this dharna is conducted massively in all circle head quarters. Circle and District secretaries of BSNLEU are requested to coordinate with the contract workers’ union (BSNLCCWF) to ensure large scale participation of the contract workers also in the dharna.

An election campaign meeting for 8th membership verification was held at Ghaziabad on 5th September 2019. Com.Ramesh Kumar, District President, presided over. It was addressed by Com. Upender Singh Teotia, Circle Secretary, UP(West), Com.J.B.Tyagi, vice-president and circle president, Com.Jugendra Singh, circle treasurer and Com.Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS. The speakers in their deliberations, explained in detail about the present financial crisis of BSNL and the conspiracy of the government to kill the company. They also explained the issues of VRS package, reduction of retirement age from 60 to 58 etc. They also appealed to the employees to keep ready for a long and sustained struggle to protect BSNL and it's employees.

A meeting of the AUAB was held yesterday the 14.11.2019. General Secretaries / representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, FNTO, BSNL MS, SNATTA, BSNL ATM and BSNL OA, participated. The meeting expressed it's serious concern that the Management has not taken any step for the payment of October salary. Employees are facing untold miseries due to the non-remittance of the recoveries made from their salaries for the past six months. Further, the meeting expressed it’s deep anguish about the inability of the BSNL Management to start 4G service promptly, even though government has already decided to allot 4G spectrum.

In the name of VRS, employees are being sent home massively under pressure and duress. In reality, it has become an FRS (Forced Retirement Scheme). Employees are being continuously threatened, that their retirement age would be reduced to 58 years. 3rd Pay Revision, when implemented retrospectively, and pension revision, have become a big question mark for the VRS optees.

A VRS optee can get Pension Commutation only when he attains 60 years of age. However, as per the existing rules, a retiree has to apply for pension commutation within one year of his retirement. Otherwise, he has to undergo medical examination. This issue is going to create a very big problem for all the VRS optees.

If a VRS optee dies before attaining 60 years of age, then his family will not get the benefit of pension commutation. This will cause a massive loss to the family of the VRS optees.

Without sorting out all these issues, the employees are being forced to opt for VRS. After this massive VRS, how the workload will be coped with, or what will be the structure of the Company? Management is not bothered to discuss the road map on all these issues in advance with the unions and associations. They are only interested in retrenching the employees massively.

The AUAB meeting, after thoroughly discussing all the above issues, has decided to organise a 3 day Relay Hunger Strike  on 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd November, 2019, at the Corporate Office, circle and district levels, demanding settlement of all these issues. All circle and district secretaries are requested to organise this hunger strike programme effectively, in coordination with the other constituents of the AUAB. Detailed circular of the AUAB will follow.

The deaths world over, due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), has crossed the 1,00,000 mark. According to the International News Agency AFP, the death toll reached 1,00,859 at 19:00 hrs. GMT on 10^th April, 2020. World over, 16,64,110 persons are affected by the Corona Virus Disease in 193 countries.

बीएसएनएलईयू की केंद्रीय सचिवालय की बैठक आज  (15.06.2020) वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेंसिंग के माध्यम से उत्साहपूर्वक आयोजित हुई।

बीएसएनएलईयू की केंद्रीय सचिवालय की बैठक, जिसमें सभी केंद्रीय पदाधिकारी शामिल हैं, आज (15.06.2020) उत्साहपूर्वक आयोजित की गई।  इस बैठक में सभी 25 केंद्रीय पदाधिकारियों ने हिस्सा लिया।  बैठक की अध्यक्षता कॉम अनिमेश मित्रा ने की।  सभी सदस्यों  ने एक मिनट के लिए मौन में खड़े रहे और वडोदरा CEC की बैठक के बाद निधन होने वाले साथियों के साथ-साथ प्रवासी श्रमिकों को भी श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की, जिन्होंने लॉक-डाउन लागू होने के बाद अपने गृह राज्यों के लिए रास्ते में चलते हुए या वाहनों या रेल से प्रवास करते हुए अपनी जान गंवा दी थी।  कॉम पी अभिमन्यु, महासचिव, इन्होंने विस्तारित चर्चा के लिए नोट (टिप्पणी) प्रस्तुत किया।  सभी केंद्रीय सचिवालय सदस्यों ने विचार-विमर्श में भाग लिया।  उन्होंने लॉक डाउन अवधि के दौरान CHQ के प्रभावी कामकाज की सराहना की।  उन सभी ने बीएसएनएल के पुनरुद्धार के लिए सरकार की कार्रवाई में असहनीय देरी पर  अपनी गंभीर चिंता व्यक्त की, जिसमें बीएसएनएल की 4 जी सेवा शामिल थी।  बैठक मे कर्मचारियों के गंभीर मुद्दों को निपटाने में बीएसएनएल प्रबंधन की असंवेदनशीलता पर कड़ी नाराजगी व्यक्त की।  बैठक में मोदी सरकार की मजदूर विरोधी और जनविरोधी नीतियों के खिलाफ प्रतिरोधक आंदोलनों के निर्माण के लिए केंद्रीय ट्रेड यूनियन की सराहना की और 03 जुलाई, 2020 को देशव्यापी विरोध प्रदर्शनों सहित सभी कार्यक्रमों में पूरी तरह से भाग लेने का संकल्प किया।

The Supreme Court, which is presently hearing the case of AGR dues, to be paid by private telecom companies, has asked why Rs.13,000 crore could not be recovered from Reliance Jio, towards AGR dues to be paid by Reliance Communications (owned by Anil Ambani). Reliance Jio has acquired 47.50 Mhz spectrum in the 800 Mhz band from Reliance Communications. Further, Jio is also sharing spectrum with Reliance Communications in 15 circles. So, totally Jio is using 58.75 Mhz spectrum from Reliance Communications, in the 800 Mhz band. The total AGR dues to be paid by Reliance Communications is calculated at Rs.25,194.58 crore. On August 14^th, the Supreme Court raised the question why Rs.13,000 crore should not be recovered from Reliance Jio, towards the spectrum it has acquired / using from Reliance Communications.

In the wake of leading private telecom companies like Airtel, Idea and Vodafone, complaining against the predatory pricing by Reliance Jio, the TRAI has issued definition for predatory pricing. This definition is given by making an amendment to the "Telecommunication Tariff order".

According to this, a tariff will be considered predatory, if in a “relevant market”, a telecom operator with over 30 per cent market share, offers services at a price which is below the average “variable cost”, with a view to reduce competition or eliminate the competitors in the “relevant market”, as per an amendment made by TRAI in the Telecommunication Tariff order.

Under the new rules, TRAI will impose financial disincentive of up to Rs 50 lakh per circle on operators if their service rates are found to be predatory in nature.

(Source : PTI dated 27-02-2018)

The All Unions and Associations of BSNL, had decided to conduct week long campaign programme throughout the country, from 7th to 11th May, 2018, demanding the rolling back of the Subsidiary Tower Company, as well as opposing the anti-BSNL and  anti- Public Sector policies of the government. In accordance with this call, the programme of conducting street corner meetings has started throughout the country in right earnest. CHQ calls upon the circle and district unions to effectively organise this programme and send report and photos to the CHQ.

The Corporate Office has recently issued letter for retrenching 30% of the contract workers, for cutting down the expenditures of the Company. BSNLEU has already demanded the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR) that, the retrenched contract workers could be gainfully re-engaged in sales and marketing activities. Several rounds of discussions have already taken place with the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR). Eventhough, the CMD BSNL and the Director (HR) have already accepted the proposal of BSNLEU, no letter has been issued so far for the re-engagement of the retrenched contract workers. In today’s meeting with the GM(SR), the representatives of BSNLEU demanded early implementation of the assurance given by the Director (HR). The GM(SR) assured that necessary action would be taken in this regard.

All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) of   Jharkhand circle conducted a preparatory meeting at Ranchi on 29th November 2018 in the telephone exchange for the indefinite strike from 3rd December 2018. The meeting was addressed by Com. Swapan Chakraborty Dy.GS, BSNLEU, Com.Mahavir Singh, National  Secretary and Circle Secretary of NFTE-BSNL, Com.B.Narayan, former Vice-President of BSNLEU (CHQ), Com. Sashikant Prasad, CS, AIBSNLEA, Jharkhand, Com.Ajai Kumar, DS, SNEA, Com.Arvind Kumar, CS, AIGTEOA and Com.Maheswar Prasad, CS,BSNL MS. Addressing the meeting the leaders explained in detail the background of taking decision for the agitational programme by the AUAB and appealed to all employees to participate in the indefinite strike from 3^rd December till the issues are settled. All employees expressed their concern and assured that the strike will be complete in the circle and agreed to sacrifice the wages for the Indefinite Strike.

Consequent to the call that has been given for conducting protest demonstrations tomorrow, against VRS, Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR), called the concerned unions and associations for talks today. Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, AIBSNLEA, BSNL MS and BSNL OA participated in the talks. Com.Swapan Chakraborty represented BSNLEU. The Director (HR) appealed to the representatives of the unions and associations to call off the demonstration. However, this was not accepted. As per the call, protest demonstrations will be held tomorrow, as per schedule.

BSNLEU और BSNLCCWF द्वारा 16.07.2019 को कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस और सर्किल हेडक्वार्टर पर विशाल धरना आयोजित किया जाएगा...
BSNLEU और BSNLCCWF ने निर्णय लिया है कि 16.07.2019 को कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस और सर्किल हेड क्वार्टर पर  कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स के वेजेस के एरियर्स का शीघ्र भुगतान करने और कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस द्वारा जारी  कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स की छटनी के निर्देश को वापस लिए जाने की मैनेजमेंट से मांग करते हुए विशाल धरना आयोजित किया जाएगा। BSNLEU की सभी सर्किल यूनियन्स से अनुरोध है कि वें सर्किल हेडक्वार्टर में विशाल धरना आयोजित करने हेतु हर संभव प्रयास करें। BSNLEU के सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज से अनुरोध है कि वें कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स यूनियन्स (BSNL CCWF) से संपर्क कर अधिक से अधिक संख्या में कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स की भी धरने में सहभागिता सुनिश्चित करें।

Com.Balbir Singh, Vice President, addressed a well attended election campaign meeting at GMTD office Bhopal on 04th September, 2019. The meeting was presided over by Com. Rashid Ali, District President. Com. Salamat Ali, District Secretary welcomed all. Com. Balbir Singh, explained about the present financial crisis of BSNL, it's reasons and the role of AUAB, particularly, the role of BSNLEU, in the revival of BSNL were explained. VRS, reduction of retirement age from  60 years to 58 years, 4-G spectrum for BSNL, and other staff issues were also explained. He clarified the rumours being spread on the issue of wage revision and told that the struggle for wage revision will continue. The meeting was also addressed by Com. Prakash Sharma CS & AGS, Com. B.S Raghuvanshi, Circle President, Senior leaders, Com. H.S.Thakur and S.C Shrivsatva.