The Corporate Office has issued letter today, constituting the Joint Committee to negotiate wage settlement of the Non-Executives. Chairman of this Joint Committee is Shri H.C. Pant, CGM (Legal) of the BSNL Corporate Office. There are 5 members from the Management Side, including the Chairman. From the Staff Side, 8 members are there. In this, 5 are from BSNLEU and 3 are from NFTE. As we have already informed through the website yesterday, the first meeting of this Joint Committee is taking place at 11:00 hrs. tomorrow.

Consequent to the General Secretary's recent visit to Leh, letter was written to the CMD BSNL, about the poor condition of the OFC, between Srinagar and Leh. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, met the CMD BSNL and discussed this issue. Following this, the Core Network Operation Cell of the Corporate Office has taken up the issue with the CGM, J&K circle and CGM, NTR, with a copy to the GS, BSNLEU. We appreciate the prompt action taken by the CMD BSNL on this issue.

The Payment of Medical Allowance without voucher to the retirees was introduced w.e.f. 11-04-2017, with the condition that it would be reviewed after 6 months. BSNLEU has been pressurising the Management to extend the scheme beyond the initial 6 month period. Now, Corporate Office has issued the letter for extending the scheme. However, the Corporate Office has reduced the quantum of the allowance from 50% to 25%. This is a drastic cut in the quantum of Medical Allowance that the retirees have been receiving. For example, a Sr.TOA who retired in 2013, had been getting Rs.5,027 per quarter, as Medical Allowance. However, now they will get only Rs.3,000 per quarter. Corporate Office has effected this cut, as a measure to control the expenditure. BSNLEU strongly opposes this drastic reduction and demands that the quantum should be increased back to 50%.

BSNLEU has already submitted it’s nominees for the Joint Committee on Wage Negotiations. Further, the Union is continuously pressing the Management hard for the early commencement of the wage negotiations. Specifically the Union has demanded that the first meeting of the Joint Committee should take place at least in the 3rd week of July. Today, Corporate Office has issued letter, for holding an exploratory meeting on 20-07-2018, on the issue of Wage Revision. In view of the impending elections to the Lok Sabha, there is great urgency to complete the Wage Revision at the earliest, . BSNLEU will ensure this.

The Establishment Branch of the Corporate Office has initiated the process for holding the JE LICE, for Recruitment Year 2017. For this exam, vacancies up to 31-03-2018 are to be counted. The Recruitment Branch of the Corporate Office will issue further instructions for holding the exam.

BSNL Management issued letter on 01-01-2018, reducing the annual ceiling for reimbursement of outdoor treatment expenses, from 25 days to 23 days. Management justified that, this reduction was effected consequent to the implementation of 78.2% IDA merger. However, BSNLEU strongly protested this reduction. The issue was discussed with the Director(HR) and other officers of the Corporate Office many times. Restoration of the ceiling from 23 days to 25 days, was an important demand of BSNLEU in it’s protest demonstration programme, organised throughout the country on 03-05-2018. Despite our severe protests, the Management has issued letter reiterating the outdoor treatment ceiling as 23 days.

All are aware that BSNLEU has submitted a detailed note to the BSNL Management on curtailment of wasteful expenditure. In that note, curtailment of expenditure on electricity is an important component. This issue has been discussed in detailed with the CMD BSNL, as well as in the All Union / Association meeting held on 09.05.2018. Consequent to these, the Corporate Office has issued letter to all the CGM’s on reduction of energy expenses. For each and every circle, target has been fixed, for reduction of expenditure. This is a welcome move taken by the Corporate Management. It is needless to say that, we can save a very big amount through energy conservation, if needful action is taken by the Circle and District level Administrations, and most importantly by each and every employee. Money saved through energy conservation, is equivalent to the money earned through sales and marketing. All circle and district unions are requested to take necessary steps to achieve the target fixed by the Corporate Office for each and every circle.

At present, pensionary benefits are not being released to the retiring officials, if court cases remain pending against them. As a result, a good number of retiring employees are affected. Corporate Office has now issued direction to the CGM’s and Vigilance Heads, wherein it is stated that vigilance clearance could be given to those retiring persons, against whom personal court cases remain pending. This is a welcome decision taken by the Corporate Office. Utilising this order, circle and district secretaries are requested to take steps, to get the pension payment released, in respect of officials for whom vigilance clearance was not given earlier, in view of pending personal court cases.

Shri R.K. Mittal, Director (CM), has retired on 30.06.2018. Consequent to this, the charge of Director (CM) has been taken over by Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL, for a period of 3 months w.e.f. 01.07.2018.

The Corporate Office has issued one more clarification with regards to the facility of Immunity from Transfers, to the office bearers of the Recognised Unions / Associations. This clarification says that, the facility of Immunity from Transfer will not be extended to those who become office bearers of Recognised Union / Association, after the issuing of their transfer orders.

In the 36^th meeting of the National Council, held on 12.06.2018, it was raised by the Staff Side that, a Screening Test should be conducted for promotion to the cadre of Sr.TOA(G). In reply to this, the Management Side reported that, the circle administrations are empowered to hold the same, and that no special permission of the Corporate Office is necessary in this regard. When pointed out by the Staff Side, that no circle administration is holding the Screening Test for promotion to the cadre of Sr.TOA(G), the Management Side assured to issue instructions in this regard to all the CGMs. Accordingly, the Corporate Office has today issued letter to all the CGMs for holding the Screening Test, with detailed guidelines thereon. Circle Secretaries are requested to take up this issue with their respective CGMs for the conducting of Screening Test.

After much persuasion by the Union, the Corporate Office has finally issued letter for constituting Joint Committee for wage negotiation. The Recognised Unions are told to give their nominees for the Joint Committee.