The AUAB of Tirupur, submitted memorandum  to  Shri  S.R. Balasubramaniam, Rajya Sabha member. The meeting took place at the residence of Shri S.R. Balasubramaniam, MP, at Palladam. The representatives of the AUAB explained the present condition of BSNL and sought his intervention for it’s Revival. The MP assured to do the needful in this regard.

The BSNL Corporate Office has issued emergency instructions to tackle the situation that has arisen due to COVID-19. The highlights of these instructions are as follows:-

1. A control room is formed at Corporate Office with five senior level officers. Similar control rooms are to be opened in all circles.
2. Telecommunications being an essential service, telephone Exchanges, OFC networks, BTSs, BFC, MSC, DSAMs and OLTs, MPLS, etc., are to be maintained.
3. Staff on emergency duty should be provided with masks and sanitisers. Proper arrangement for water and soap should be made in all buildings.
4. In cities where lockdown is ordered, CSCs need not be operated.
5. In all other cities also, customers visiting CSCs are to be discouraged. Skeleton staff to be followed. Customers are to be encouraged for online payments.
6. Contingency fund is released to the circles. CGMs are empowered to utilise them.

BSNLEU appreciates the Corporate Management for issuing proper instructions to ensure maintenance of BSNL's services and also safety of the employees. All circle and district unions are requested to ensure implementation of these instructions fully. CHQ also requests all the leaders and comrades to ensure that maintenance of our networks and provisioning of BSNL’s services are carried out effectively.  

As per the call of the CHQ, Telangana circle union has collected funds for the “Contract Workers Relief Fund” from members, pensioners and well wishers. Presently, the distribution of relief to the contract workers, in form of food materials, is being carried out.

Khammam: At Khammam, relief was provided to 17 contract workers today. Each worker got materials worth Rs.1,500/-. Com.M.Saibabu, General Secretary, CITU, Telangana state, Com.S.Upender Rao, District President, BSNLEU and other district level leaders participated.

Hyderabad: At Hyderabad, 36 contract workers were provided with food materials worth Rs.1,800/- each. Com.K.Yadayya, Circle President, Com.B.Sambasiva Rao, ACS, Com.Rama Chandrudu, CS, AIBDPA, Com.Sushi Kumar, DS, and other leaders participated.

Adilabad: At Adilabad, 15 contract workers were provided with relief materials worth Rs.1,500/- each. Com.D, Ramu, DS, Com.Nageswara Rao, Circle VP and other leaders participated.

Mehbubnagar: At Mehbubnagar, 20 contract workers and one casual labourer were provided with the relief materials. Com.C. Krishnayya, DS, BSNLEU, Com.Chinna Saheb, DS, AIBDPA and other office bearers participated in the programme.

Sangareddy: At Sangareddy, 15 contract workers were provided with relief materials worth Rs.800/- each. Apart from office bearers of BSNLEU, the General Manager, Sangareddy, as well as the district secretaries of SNEA and AIGETOA participated in this programme.

The Online Circle Executive Committee meeting of Tamil Nadu is being held today. Com.S.Chellappa, Circle President, is presiding over. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, delivered the inaugural address, throwing light on the international and national situations as well as on the situation prevailing in BSNL. Com.Babu Radhakrishnan, CS, presented the report on activities, based on which deliberations by the Circle Executive Committee members is going on.

As has already been intimated, the AUAB is meeting today to discuss and take decisions on the agenda items that have already been notified.

The Labour Ministry has advised all companies not to cut jobs or salaries, including those of casual workers. In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, Labour Secretary Heeralal Samariya called for a joint effort by all sections of society to address the impact of Covid-19. He expressed apprehensions that the situation may lead to lay-offs or employees being forced to go on leave without pay. If a worker takes leave, he/she should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages for that period, said Samariya. Further, if a unit is made non-operational due to Covid-19, its employees will be deemed to be on duty.

By shedding blood and making immense sacrifices, the working class has achieved it's goal of "8 hour working day". The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in it’s convention held in 1919, has proclaimed 8 hours of work in a day and 48 hours of work in a week. Indian government has ratified this decision of the ILO convention in 1921. 

However, now, at a time when India is under the lock-down, the working hour is being silently increased from 8 hours a day to 12 hours a day. In fact, ever since coming to power, the Modi government has been seriously taking efforts to change the Factories Act, 1948, so as to increase the working hours. However, the Central Trade Unions have organised several strikes to stop it. Even on April 13, 2020, they have written to the Union Labour Minister, opposing the increase of the working hours.

At the same time, the Indian corporates, being represented by the CII (Confederation of Indian Industries), etc., are also mounting pressure on the government to increase the working hours. As a result, even when, the Central Trade Unions are resisting, many state governments, with the tacit support of the Modi government, have silently increased the working hours from 8 hours to 12 hours a day. These states include Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha. 

Many more states are likely to implement it soon. The Central and State Governments are utilising the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country today, and are stabbing on the back of the working class and are serving the corporate class. Now, the Indian working class has to fight back, to restore it's hard won right of "8 hour working day".

It observed that still certain circle councils, as well as a number of local councils, are not constituted. It is true that conducting of circle and local council meeting during this COVID-19 period is difficult. However, it is our duty to ensure that the circle and local councils are constituted by the Management without delay, so that the meetings can be conducted as soon as the situation becomes normal. 

To enable the Management to constitute the circle and local councils, the CHQ has to send the nominations. Hence, all the left-out circle and district secretaries are requested to immediately send the Circle /Local nominations to the CHQ through e-mail / whatsapp. CHQ will immediately approve and send back the nominations. It is also requested that the circle secretaries should immediately forward the Local Council proposals to the CHQ, soon after receiving the same from the district unions and that there should not be any delay on this count.

Com. George Mavricos, General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) has issued the following statement, on the Corona Virus Disease - 2019 (COVID-2019). While congratulating all the workers of Health sectors, who are waging a heroic struggle to treat the patients, at the risk of their own lives, the General Secretary, WFTU, exposes the thirst for profit of the capitalists, utilising this human tragedy.

The employees of Aurangabad, Maharashtra circle, under the leadership of Com.John Verghese, AGS, BSNLEU, Com. Ranjan Dani, CS, NFTE, Com.Datta Dubile, DS, SNEA, Shri Dinesh Satdive, DGM, Shri Arvind Newre, AGM, Shri Sunil Chandorikar, AGM, Shri R.S. Gaikwad, AGM, and many others, took the initiative through the Whatsapp Group to collect donations from employees, both working and retired, to financially help the contract workers, who are suffering due to non-payment of wages. An amount of Rs.1.75 lakh has been collected from 51 persons. Out of this, Rs.1,000/- is being distributed to 141 identified persons. The CHQ of BSNLEU heartily congratulates the leaders and officers who played the leadership role, as well as the employees who have donated for this noble cause.

सर्किल और लोकल कॉउंसिल्स का गठन- सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज कृपया संज्ञान लें...

यह देखा गया है कि अभी तक कुछ सर्किल कॉउंसिल्स और बड़ी संख्या में लोकल कॉउंसिल्स का गठन नही किया गया है। यह सही है कि कोविड-19 के दौरान सर्किल और लोकल कॉउंसिल्स की मीटिंग करना कठिन है। फिर भी, यह सुनिश्चित करना हमारी जिम्मेदारी है कि मैनेजमेंट अविलंब सर्किल और लोकल कॉउंसिल्स का गठन करे, जिससे कि स्थिति सामान्य होते ही शीघ्रता से मीटिंग की जा सके। मैनेजमेंट द्वारा सर्किल और लोकल कॉउंसिल्स का गठन सुनिश्चित हो इस हेतु CHQ को नॉमिनेशन्स भेजना होंगे। अतः, सभी शेष सर्किल और डिस्ट्रिक्ट सेक्रेटरीज से अनुरोध है कि वें यथाशीघ्र, सर्किल/ लोकल कॉउंसिल्स के नॉमिनेशन्स CHQ को ई मेल या व्हाट्सएप के माध्यम से प्रेषित करें। CHQ द्वारा नॉमिनेशन्स तत्काल अनुमोदित कर  वापस प्रेषित कर दिए जाएंगे। यह भी निवेदन किया जाता है कि सर्किल सेक्रेटरीज, लोकल कॉउंसिल्स के नॉमिनेशन्स डिस्ट्रिक्ट यूनियन्स से प्राप्त होते ही शीघ्रता के साथ CHQ को भेजें और इस संबंध में किसी भी प्रकार का विलंब नही किया जाए।

Telecommunications is an essential service like Health Care, Electricity and Water Supply. These services have to remain operational, so that people do not suffer. Hence, BSNL's field staff have to work, to keep our networks operational. In this process, the danger of our staff getting infected with Corona Virus is very much there. So, taking care of the health of our employees is as important as keeping our networks operational. Keeping this in mind, the Vijaynagar Branch of BSNLEU, Bengaluru Telecom District, has come out with the programme of supplying masks to the field staff, providing sanitisers in the CSC and displaying a banner to educate the customers as to what they should. CHQ congratulates the comrades of Vijaynagar, BGTD and Karnataka circle. CHQ desires that our entire comrades throughout the country should take similar proactive steps. This is the need of the hour, to help the nation.

BSNLEU wishes a very Happy Ugadi to all the comrades. The usual celebrations may not be there in this year's Ugadi, since the whole world is facing a crisis due to the Corona Virus infection. Still, let us hope on this auspicious day that, we shall overcome this crisis soon.

In implementation of the call given by the CHQ of BSNLEU, donations for “contract Workers Relief Fund” was jointly collected by the district unions of Meghalaya and CGMT Office of NE 1 circle. From the collected amount, food materials were distributed to the contract workers at Telephone Exchange, Shillong on 13th May, 2020. Com. Shivjee Ray, CS, NE-I circle, Com.Biswajeet Singh, Circle Treasurer, Com.M.V. Makhiew, DS, CGMT Office, and other comrades participated in the programme. CHQ appreciates both the Meghalaya and CGM office district unions.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressed the nation through TV at 8:00 pm yesterday and announced that the entire nation would be locked - down for 21 days, starting from midnight of 25th March, 2020. The Prime Minister stated that this lock- down is unavoidable, to stop the spread of the dreaded Corona Virus. BSNLEU welcomes the announcement of the Prime Minister and calls upon the BSNL employees to adhere to this decision of the government, as well as to the various other instructions related to the close-down.

Com.M.K. Alam, former District Secretary, Surendranagar, Gujarat circle, has passed away yesterday the 26.07.2020. He has been affected COVID-19 and was under treatment for the past 12 days. Com.M.K. Alam is the elder brother of Com.Ataullah, the present District Secretary of Surendranagar. The CHQ pays it’s respectful homage to Com.M.K. Alam and also conveys it’s heartfelt condolences to Com.Ataullah and all other members of his family and friends.

वर्किंग क्लास के साथ विश्वासघात- कार्य के घंटे, 8 घंटे प्रतिदिन से बढ़ा कर 12 घंटे प्रतिदिन किए गए....
अपना खून न्यौछावर कर और अत्याधिक बलिदान कर, वर्किंग क्लास ने "8 घंटे के कार्य दिवस" के लक्ष्य को हासिल किया था। अंतर्राष्ट्रीय श्रम संगठन (ILO) ने, 1919 में आयोजित अपने सम्मेलन में एक दिन में 8 घंटे और सप्ताह में 48 घंटे कार्य की घोषणा की थी। ILO सम्मेलन के इस निर्णय का 1921 में भारत सरकार द्वारा समर्थन किया गया था।

अब, जबकि, इस वक्त भारत लॉक डाउन के दौर से गुजर रहा है, चुपके से, कार्य के घंटे, 8 घंटे प्रतिदिन से बढ़ा कर 12 घंटे प्रतिदिन किए जा चुके हैं। वास्तव में, मोदी सरकार सत्ता में आने के बाद से ही, फैक्ट्रीज एक्ट 1948 में परिवर्तन हेतु गंभीर रूप से प्रयासरत रही है, जिससे कि, कार्य के घंटों में वृद्धि की जा सके। बहरहाल, इसे रोकने के लिए सेंट्रल ट्रेड यूनियन्स द्वारा कई हड़तालें भी की गई है। हाल ही में, 13 अप्रैल, 2020 को उनके द्वारा कार्य के घंटो में वृद्धि के विरोध में केंद्रीय श्रम मंत्री को पत्र भी लिखा गया है।

इसी दौरान, CII (कन्फेडरेशन ऑफ इंडियन इंडस्ट्रीज) का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हुए भारत के कॉर्पोरेट्स आदि के द्वारा भी कार्य के घंटों में वृद्धि हेतु सरकार पर दबाव बनाया जा रहा है। परिणामस्वरूप, सेंट्रल ट्रेड यूनियन्स के प्रतिरोध के बावजूद, कई राज्य सरकारों द्वारा मोदी सरकार के मौन समर्थन से चुपचाप तरीके से कार्य के घंटे, 8 घंटे से बढ़ा कर 12 घंटे कर दिए गए हैं। इन राज्यों में, गुजरात, राजस्थान, पंजाब, हिमाचल प्रदेश व ओडिशा शामिल है।

कई और राज्यों द्वारा भी इसे शीघ्र लागू करने की संभावना है। केंद्र और राज्य सरकारें, आज देश मे व्याप्त असामान्य स्थिति का लाभ उठाते हुए, वर्किंग क्लास की पीठ में छुरा भोंक कर, कॉर्पोरेट क्लास को सहयोग कर रही है। अब, भारत के वर्किंग क्लास को, "8 घंटे के कार्य दिवस" के, संघर्षों से अर्जित अपने अधिकार की पुनर्बहाली के लिए, जवाबी कार्यवाही करना चाहिए।

As it has been already informed, the AUAB has given call to submit memorandum to all the MPs, seeking their intervention in BSNL’s expeditious launching of 4G, as well as it’s revival. 

However, it is observed that submitting the memorandum is going on at a slow pace. This may be due to the lock-down and severe restrictions in movement, to control the spread of Corona Virus Disease. However, our circle and district unions should keep in mind that submitting memorandum to the MPs is very essential to mobilise the public opinion in favour of BSNL’s survival and revival. 

Hence, despite the lock-down and restrictions, somehow, our circle and district secretaries should take the initiative for submitting memorandum to the MPs, on behalf of the AUAB. The CHQ considers this as an important duty and calls upon the circle and district unions to fulfil this duty despite all difficulties.