As a part of the ongoing restructuring, the STR and STP have been merged and hereafter it will be called as Core Network South. While doing this, the Management decided to shift the Head Quarters to Bengaluru. Presently, the Head Quarters of both STR and STP are located at Chennai. BSNLEU took up this issue strongly with the CMD BSNL and demanded that the Head Quarters of the Core Network South should be retained at Chennai itself. Yesterday, in the meeting held with BSNLEU, the CMD BSNL informed the representatives of BSNLEU that, letter has been issued to retain the Head Quarters of Core Network South at Chennai itself.

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.

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 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%.

Validity of the BSNL MRS Card of  the retired employees has earlier been extended up to 30.06.2020. The retired employees came under pressure to fill up the form and apply for revalidation of the BSNL MRS Cards before 30.06.2020. Hence, BSNLEU wrote to the GM (Admn.), BSNL Corporate Office, demanding to extend the validity of the BSNL MRS Card up to 30.09.2020. This demand was raised in view of the hardships that  the retired employees would have to undergo, for filling up the forms for the extension of the validity, at a time when the Corona Virus infection is spreading fast. The BSNL Corporate Office has accepted the demand of BSNLEU and the validity of the BSNL MRS Card has been extended up to 30.09.2020, in respect of the retired employees. 

BSNLEU has demanded that the mobile plan Rs.429/- should be implemented for the Non-Executives, in lieu of the existing Rs.200/- SIM. This issue was taken up in the National Council also, and the demand was accepted.  Thereafter, BSNLEU kept continuously writing letters to the Management, and held discussions also, for the early implementation of the decision. However, now, the Corporate Office has informed the General Secretary, BSNLEU, that implementation of this plan to the Non-Executives is not possible. The reason given is that, this mobile plan Rs.429/- is not permanent and keeps changing, and may be ultimately withdrawn also. This explanation of the Management cannot be accepted. The Management has accepted to implement this scheme to the Non-Executives. Hence, it must be implemented.   

The Central Executive Committee meeting of BSNLEU is being held at ALTTC, Ghaziabad, on 22nd & 23rd October, 2018. Accepting the request of the CHQ of BSNLEU, the Corporate Office has issued letter to all the CGMs, for the granting special casual leave, to all the members of the Central Executive Committee.

The Hon’ble CAT of Ernakulam and Hon’ble CAT of Hyderabad have given judgements in the matter of regularisation of the RTPs / Short Duty Employees, from the due date. BSNLEU has taken up this issue with the Management, with a request to implement the judgement of the Hon’ble CATs. In the meanwhile, many employees are contacting CHQ and are asking for copies of the Hon’ble CAT judgements. The orders are enclosed for the benefit of such comrades.

The Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) has issued order on 03.04.2018, revising the minimum wages (applicable to the contract workers in BSNL) based on the increase in Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA). The BSNL Corporate Office has endorsed this letter to all the Chief General Managers of BSNL. Circle and district secretaries are requested to ensure the implementation of the revised wages for the contract workers.