30 Tuesday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Three lakh BSNL workers will go on strike for three days from 1st December to protect the BSNL and its workers. The Management and Government failed to resolve the issues by discussing with the Joint Action Committee.
30 Tuesday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
The Public Sector Banks have written off more than Rs. 26,000 crore being the bad debts of the corporate houses for the last three years! The bank managements make all out efforts for collecting recoveries from the ordinary man, including harassment and court cases. But in the case of big business, corporate houses and top politicians etc. it is another matter. They are allowed to accumulate the loans and after some years it is treated as bad debt and written off. See how much debts have been written off in 2009-2010 by some banks:
State Bank of India Rs. 1,990 crore Punjab National Bank Rs.853 Crore
Bank of India Rs. 744 crore Bank of Baroda Rs.744 crore
Bank of Maharashtra Rs. 236 crore United Bank of India Rs. 174 crore
The rich and powerful has every right and concessions. The poor has nothing. The neo-liberal policies and the economic reforms are for the benefit of the haves and miseries for the have-nots.
30 Tuesday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Top officials of Communications Ministry, Planning Commission, Finance, IT, Dept. of Industrial Policy & Promotion & others are meeting today, 30th November 2010 to discuss and implement the Sam Pitroda Recommendations of restructure of BSNL, including 30% Disinvestment and VRS/Transfer of one lakh employees. The loss incurred by BSNL last financial year is being made to destabilise BSNL so as to help the private telcos. A big conspiracy is being hatched up at the highest level. Unless it is defeated now , the future of BSNL & its workers will be black and blank.
The entire workers should jointly defeat this conspiracy. Make the 3 days strike from 1st December a complete success and give a strong message to the government. Protect BSNL, Protect the country.
29 Monday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
The Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA), All India State Govt. Employees Federation (AISGEF), Confederation of Central Govt. Employees, Co-ordination Committee of Public Sector Unions and many other organisations have extended support and solidarity to the 3 days strike of BSNL Employees. Many of them will be organising demonstrations on 1st December through out the country as Anti-Disinvestment Day.
We thank all of these unions for their support and solidarity.
29 Monday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
It is reported that the MOC Kapil Sibal will review the appointments to the posts of CMD both in BSNL and MTNL after several complaints and court cases against the same.It was reported in the media earlier that the names of R.K.Upadhyay and Kuldeep Singh were finalised for the posts of CMD in BSNL and MTNL respectively.
29 Monday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
The Economic Times today ( 29-11-2010) has reported that the actual loss of BSNL for 2009-2010 is Rs.5995 crore and not Rs.1823 crore as reported earlier. If the income from non-related telecom activities is not taken into consideration, then the loss will be to the extent of Rs. 5995 crore!
29 Monday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
BSNL is facing a serious situation with regard to its finance as also development. Its market share has gone down. Unfortunately in this critical situation, it is ironical that 50% posts of Directors are waiting. Out of six posts of Directors, only three are filled. After retirement of S.D.Saxena, Director (Finance) two years back, the post is still vacant. Shri Kuldeep Goyal,CMD retired a few months back, the post is vacant. Another post is also vacant.
What is the intention of the Government in keeping these posts vacant ? To make it a headless company?
29 Monday Nov 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
The Joint Action Committee of BSNL Unions / Associations which met today, 29th November 2010, reviewed the meeting with the CMD on 26th November and meeting with the Regional Labour Commissioner held today. The JAC felt the management has been dealing with the issues in a casual way and there has not been any break through in the talks. In the meeting with the RLC also the management was non-committal. As such, the JAC decided to fully proceed with its preparations for strike. It was decided that all the General Secretaries should contact their Circle Secretaries immediately and ensure joint action for strike at all levels.
The RLC has called for another meeting with the management and JAC tomorrow.
28 Sunday Nov 2010
Posted in P&T TU History
Some of our comrades were pointing out that if salary cut is imposed on strikers, then a good amount will be lost for the three days strike from 1st to 3rd December strike and it is sometimes difficult to convince the workers. Then all of a sudden I remembered the 1960 General Strike of Central Government Employees, 1968 one day strike and many other strikes in which thousands of employees were arrested, dismissed, terminated, suspended and punished harshly. Nobody was worried about wage loss or dies-non. They were sacrificing their job itself to protect the larger interests of the workers.
I remember a specific incident in this connection. The Indefinite strike of the CG employees in 1960 had started demanding minimum wage and protesting against low pay recommended by the II CPC. . The Jawaharlal Nehru Government called it as Civil rebellion, imposed the draconian Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) for the first time in Independent India, enabling itself with all powers to suppress the strike through arrests, imprisonment, dismissal, termination etc. Workers were arrested and jailed on the simple charge of strike. Leaders and activists has to go underground to evade arrest to lead the strike.
A newly recruited telephone operator, Com.M.N.Namboodiri, with about three months service in Kannur (Cannanore ) in Kerala was arrested in the midnight of the second day of the strike from the lodge he was staying. He was produced next day in the Magistrate Court. Seeing the innocent young man, the Magistrate asked whether he is on strike and if he will join duty he will be released without any action. Com.Nmboodiri replied: I am on strike as per the call of my union. Till the strike is over, there is no question of my joining duty.
The Magistrate got infuriated and without even any trial issued his order sentencing him to rigorous Imprisonment for six months. He was immediately put in the Central Jail, Cannanore.
After the strike he was taken on bail and the punishment reduced. After many years, in 1996, He contacted me on his retirement day and appreciated the union for continuing the struggle for the workers. By that time he had already become a senior officer in the Department. Still he remembered to contact his union comrades of 40 years back.
This was not a lone incident. Thousands of workers have sacrificed their at the call of the union. We are their inheritors. Loss of pay or dies-non will not stop us from going on strike.
28 Sunday Nov 2010
Posted in 2G Scam Corruption
Even after the entire opposition demanded for a JAC to look in to the 2G Spectrum scam the Government is saying a stubborn NO. Some of the UPA partners have stated that they have no objection for a JPC. It means that the majority of the Parliament is not against a JPC? Eleven days have ben completely wasted without doing any business. Then why the government is being so arrogant and stubborn. Whom it wants to save? The people of the country has got a right to know.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 