Recently, the TRAI has laid down new norms regarding Predatory Pricing. It has given the definition as to who is a Significant Market Player (SMP). According to these norms, only an operator having 30% or more market share, or revenue, will be considered as an SMP. As per the new norms, Reliance Jio is not an SMP, since it's market share is only 13-14%. Hence, Reliance Jio can never be held guilty for Predatory Pricing. It may be recollected that Reliance Jio was providing services at zero or near-zero tariffs, since September, 2016. Older operators like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have already criticised that the TRAI's new norms are laid down, only to help Reliance Jio. Now, Rahul Khullar, who was the TRAI Chairman from 2012 to 2015, has also stated that the new norms are designed only to help Reliance Jio. He has stated that the new rules are one sided and not fare. According to Khullar, the norms for Predatory Pricing should be laid down only by the Competition Commission of India, and not by the TRAI.

Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS and Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, met Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR), yesterday and discussed about some of the outstanding issues.

1. Dilution of the existing rules on the functioning of councils.

It was pointed out by the Union that, certain instructions issued by the Corporate Office recently, are diluting the existing rules with regards to the functioning of the councils. It was also pointed out that the Secretary, Staff Side, should have been also taken into confident before issuing such instructions. The Director (HR) directed the GM(SR) to take necessary remedial measure.

2. Re-engagement of the retrenched contract workers.

30% of the contract workers are recently retrenched, by way of a letter issued by the Corporate Office. BSNLEU has already demanded that these retrenched contract workers should be re-engaged for deployment in sales and marketing. The CMD BSNL has already welcomed this proposal. Thereafter, the Director (HR) instructed the Establishment Branch to take the needful action to implement the demand of BSNLEU. However, no action is taken so far. In yesterday’s meeting, the issue was discussed once again with the Director (HR). Accepting the demand of the Union, the Director (HR) directed the GM (Restg.) to issue necessary guidelines for the re-engagement of the retrenched contract workers.

3. One time relaxation for appearing in the TT LDCE.

BSNLEU has long been demanding that a one time relaxation should be given to the non- 10th standard officials, to appear in the Telecom Technician (erstwhile Telecom Mechanic) LDCE. It was pointed out that the issue is lingering on for a very long time without any solution. The Director (HR) directed the Sr.GM(Estt.), to arrange for an internal discussion on the matter.

4. Casual labour wage revision.

BSNLEU has long been demanding that the wages of the casual labourers should be revised based on the lowest of the 7th CPC pay scales. It was pointed out in yesterday’s meeting that the number of existing casual labourers, it’s only around 3,300 and that the additional expenditure on this count would be negligible. It was strongly demanded that the Management should settle this issue at the earliest. The Director (HR) assured to examine.

5. Holding of the 37th meeting of the National Council.

It was assured in the 36thmeeting of the National Council that, the next meeting would be held in September itself. However, no date has been finalised so far. The Union demanded that the date for the meeting should be fixed without further delay. The Director (HR) assured that the next meeting would be held in the first week of October, 2018.

CHQ is saddened to inform that Shri Pritam Singh, father of Com.Balbir Singh, President, passed away at Ludhiana yesterday the 02-12-2018. CHQ offers it's heartfelt condolences to Com.Balbir Singh, and to his family members.

The circle executive committee meeting of BSNLEU, Odisha circle, was held Bhubaneswar yesterday the 11-02-2019. Com.S.C.Bhattacharya, circle president, presided over the meeting. Com.Saroj Ranjan Das, circle secretary, welcomed everyone and presented the report on activities. Com.A.Dhupal, former circle secretary and Com.Sahadev Biswal, former CHQ organising secretary, greeted the meeting. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, addressed the meeting and spoke at length about the 3 day strike call and it's charter of demands, ways and means to overcome the present financial crisis of BSNL, the undue advantages being given to Reliance Jio, by the government, the 5 day street corner meetings, rallies with family members, etc. All the district secretaries who participated in the discussion assured to successfully implement the 3 day strike, as well as the street corner meetings and rallies with family members.

"बीएसएनएल बचाओ - देश बचाओ" अभियान की आज से शुरुआत- देशव्यापी नुक्कड़ सभाएं आयोजित करें ...
ग़ाज़ियाबाद केंद्रीय कार्यकारिणी कमिटी की मीटिंग में लिए गए निर्णय अनुसार, जिसकी जानकारी सीएचक्यू के परिपत्र क्रमांक 04 दिनांक 08.04.2019 के द्वारा दी जा चुकी है, देश भर में "बीएसएनएल बचाओ - देश बचाओ" अभियान आज से शुरू करना है, जो 30.04.2019 तक जारी रहेगा। तदनुसार, सम्पूर्ण देश मे नुक्कड़ सभाएं आयोजित करना है। BSNL के रिवाइवल हेतु उठाए गए मुद्दों पर आम जनता का सहयोग प्राप्त करना है। BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम का आवंटन, रिलायंस जियो समर्थक नीतियां, VRS हेतु हमारा विरोध इत्यादि मुद्दों पर प्रमुख रूप से नुक्कड़ सभाओं के माध्यम से प्रकाश डालना है।सीएचक्यू का सभी सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट यूनियन्स से अनुरोध है कि इस अभियान को प्रभावी रूप से आयोजित करें और CHQ को रिपोर्ट प्रेषित करें।

Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy GS, addressed two largely attended meetings at Moradabad and Bareilly on 7th September. Com Upendar Singh Teotia,CS and Com.Naresh Pal, Organising Secretary  (CHQ), accompanied with him. At Moradabad, the meeting was presided over by Com.Balkaran Yadav, President. Com.Amrish Verma,DS, welcomed everyone.  At Bareilly, inspite of heavy rain, a good number of Non-Executives attended the meeting, which was presided over by Com.Sowran Singh, District President. Vote of thanks was given by Com.Ashraf Ali, District Secretary. In both the meetings, the Union representatives elobratedly explained to the employees all issues related to the revival of BSNL, the conspiracy of the government to weaken BSNL,  delay in the payment of salary, VRS, reduction in retirement age from 60 to 58, etc.

The Circle Executive Committee meeting of Telecom Factory Mumbai was held on 16th November, 2019. Com Naikodi Presided over. Com Sunil Choudhri, Circle Secretary and Organising Secretary (CHQ) addressed the meeting. Com John Verghese, AGS, Spoke   on BSNL’s Revival Package, VRS 2019, Ghaziabad CEC meeting decisions, Relay hunger strike of AUAB on 20th, 21st and 22nd November, and the General Strike to be organised on 08-01-2020.

AUAB के आव्हान अनुसार आज देश भर में प्रभावशाली प्रदर्शन किया गया...
BSNL के नॉन एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज और एग्जीक्यूटिव्ज द्वारा AUAB के आव्हान को पूर्ण प्रतिसाद देते हुए, दो माह के वेतन का त्वरित भुगतान, कॉन्ट्रैक्ट वर्कर्स के वेज एरियर्स,  4G सेवा की शीघ्र शुरुआत आदि की मांग करते हुए आज देश भर में प्रभावशाली प्रदर्शन किया गया। BSNLEU सभी कर्मचारियों को संयुक्त प्रदर्शन सफलता पूर्वक आयोजित करने के लिए दिली बधाई देती है और कर्मचारियों को 24 फरवरी, 2020 की एक दिवसीय भूख हड़ताल में में शामिल होने के लिए तैयार रहने का आव्हान करती है।

The BSNL Corporate Office has allotted funds to the circles today, for the payment of the salary for the month of March, 2020.

The Staff Side of the National Council has submitted it's items for discussion in the forthcoming 39th meeting of the National Council. The Management has already been requested to hold the National Council meeting online, since no physical meeting is possible in the present COVID-19 situation.

As per the decision of the meeting of All Unions and Associations of BSNL, held yesterday, the representatives of All Unions and Associations met Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, today and registered their strong protest against formation of Subsidiary Tower Company and appointment of Shri Amit Yadav, Jt. Secretary (Admn.), DoT, as CMD of Subsidiary Tower Company. Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, FNTO, BTEU, BSNLMS, TEPU, SEWA, BSNLOA, TOA BSNL and BSNL ATM participated in the discussion. The Unions and Associations in one voice expressed their severe protest for the appointment of an IAS officer as the CMD of the Tower Company. The Unions and Associations informed the CMD BSNL that they had already observed two strikes, against the decision of the Central Cabinet to form Subsidiary Tower Company. Still, the government has not reversed it's decision, and hence the Unions and Associations, have decided to intensify their struggles demanding the rolling back of Subsidiary Tower Company. The CMD BSNL could not give any convincing reply to the questions of the representatives. Further, the representatives pointed out that according to the decision of the government, to appoint Shri Amit Yadav as the CMD of the Tower Company, and the functional directors of BSNL would be the members of the Board of that Company, the status of BSNL Board is also downgraded. The CMD BSNL kept silent on that point. Since, General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com. P. Abhimanyu, has proceeded to Shimla to attend the circle conference of Himachal Pradesh. Com. Swapan Chakraborty, Dy.GS, represented BSNLEU in this meeting.

The All India Convention of Central Public Sector Trade Unions is being held at New Delhi on 30.05.2018. The Convention is being called to oppose the disinvestment / privatisation moves of the government, to oppose the fixed term employment ordinance and demanding immediate settlement of wage revision of the Public Sector employees. The All India Centre meeting of BSNLEU, held today, has decided that all the circle secretaries of BSNLEU should participate in this Convention. Hence, CHQ requests the circle secretaries to attend the meeting without fail.

CHQ has already intimated that, the BSNL Welfare Board meeting would be held on 03.08.2018. CHQ has also requested the CEC members and other interested comrades to send items, to be taken up for discussion in the Welfare Board meeting. Since the time is running out, CHQ requests that, the items may please be submitted by 15.07.2018.

All Unions and Associations of BSNL, Jammu (J&K), organised a well attended meeting for the preparations of “indefinite strike by the BSNL Employees from December, 3rd, 2018. Com.Krishan Lal, Circle President, BSNLEU, presided over the meeting, Com. M.K Kaul, DS, BSNLEU, CGMT, office conducted the proceeding of the meeting. Com. Balbir Singh, President, BSNLEU, Anil Sharma, Circle Secretary, SNEA. Ravi Mukhi, Circle president, NFTE, Amrik Singh, Circle Secretary, AIGETOA and Com. Manjit Singh, DS, BSNLEU, Jammu, addressed the meeting. The leaders, told the participants that all the efforts and struggles to settle the burning issues of the BSNL, employees, have failed and hence the call for indefinite strike from 3^rd December,2018, demanding wage revision, etc., AUAB, Leaders also explained the latest developments taking place on the issues of workers including the meetings held with, CMD and Director (HR), BSNL. The leaders told that the BSNL has become the victim of anti public sector and pro-private sector policies, pursued aggressively by the Modi, Government. In fact, the govt. wants to finish off BSNL, to benefit the private Telecom Operators particularly the ‘Reliance Jio”. The leaders emphasized that the existence of BSNL, is necessary for the people of the country.  The meeting concluded with slogans to make the indefinite strike call a grand success.

A meeting between the AUAB and the BSNL Management was held today at 17:30 hrs. Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, Ms. Sujata T. Ray, Director (HR & Finance) and Shri A.M. Gupta, GM (SR), were present. From the AUAB, Com.P.Abhimanyu, Convenor, Com.Chandeshwar Singh, Chairman, Com.K. Sebastin, GS, SNEA, Com.Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSNLEA, Com.Pathak, AGS, AIGETOA, Com.Suresh Kumar, GS, BSNL MS, Com. H.P. Singh, Dy.GS, BSNLOA and Com.S. Sivakumar, President, AIBSNLEA, participated. The CMD BSNL explained the serious financial crisis being faced by the BSNL and appealed for the cooperation of the AUAB, for deferring payment of the salary for the month of February,2019. The AUAB representatives firmly rejected the request of the CMD BSNL. They told in one voice that payment of salary of the employees should not be deferred. Thereafter, the CMD BSNL said that the 3 day strike, called on by the AUAB from 18.02.2019 will be self-defeating, and appealed to call off the strike. The representatives of the AUAB rejected the appeal of the CMD BSNL and reaffirmed that the strike will take place at any cost. They told the Management that the repeated assurances given by the the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications are not implemented by the DoT. The AUAB also told the CMD BSNL that, plenty of time is already given to the DoT, and that the strike will now take place successfully. The AUAB told the Management in categorical term that, there is no question of going back from the decision to go on strike.

BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम का आवंटन एक नीतिगत मामला है, जिसका निर्णय सरकार को लेना है- TRAI का वक्तव्य...
हाल ही में, DoT द्वारा BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम आवंटन का प्रकरण TRAI को प्रेषित किया गया था। DoT ने TRAI से BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम आवंटन हेतु अनुशंसा का अनुरोध किया था। अब ज्ञात हुआ है कि इस मुद्दे पर अनुशंसा करने से TRAI ने अपने हाथ खींच लिए है। TRAI ने कहा है कि स्पेक्ट्रम का एडमिनिस्ट्रेटिव एलोकेशन एक नीतिगत मामला है और इस पर सरकार ही निर्णय ले सकती है। अतः, गेंद अब सरकार के पाले में है। अब सरकार को निर्णय करना चाहिए कि क्या BSNL को 4G स्पेक्ट्रम आवंटित करना है या नही।

As has already been intimated, BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF have decided to organise massive dharnas at the Corporate Office and at all circle head quarters on 16.07.2019, demanding immediate payment of 6 months’ wage arrears to the contract workers and also demanding to stop the retrenchment of contract workers, based on Corporate Office order. All the circle secretaries are requested to organise the dharna effectively at their respective circle head quarters, by making the necessary coordination with the BSNLCCWF.

An election campaign meeting was organised by BSNLEU, Telecom Factory, Jabalpur, at Richai, on 05.09.2019. Com.Fayaz Ahmed, Secretary, Circle Council, presided over. Com Sunil Patel, Circle Secretary, welcomed all. Com. Prakash Sharma, AGS, addressed the meeting. Com.Prakash Sharma attacked on the failure of Management which has compelled the workers of Telecom Factory to remain on duty with no job. He also informed the gathering about intentions of snatching the land of all the seven telecom factories by the Govt. in the name of revival of BSNL. He assured the workers that BSNLEU will leave no stone unturned to protest the intentions of reducing the retirement age to 58 years. Meeting was also addressed by Com.B.S. Raghuwanshi, CP, BSNLEU, MP Circle, Com.Suryabhan Namdeo, CP, Telecom Factory and Com.Bhaskar Rao, District Secretary. Proceedings were conducted by Com.L.N.Tiwari. Before meeting at Richhai, Com.Prakash Sharma also addressed the well attended Gate Meeting at Right Town Factory, Jabalpur.