A meeting of the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour is meeting on 14th January 2011 in which the representation made by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU as also BSNLC&CWF on the issues related regularisation of left out casual labour, implementation of payment of due wages to the contract labour, implementation of social security measures to the contract workers etc. will be discussed. Com. Namboodiri has been invited to be present. BSNL management also will be present.

On 12th January 2011 two massive meetings were held, one at Ernakulam and the other at Thrissur.

Ernakulam: More than 400 comrades have gathered at the PGM office premises at Ernakulam. The Convention was presided over by Com. P.S.Peethambaran, District President. Com. A.P.Honey Kumar, District Secretary welcomed those present. Com.VAN Namboodiri, Convener, United Forum inaugurated the Convention. In his speech, he narrated the developments connected with the formation of BSNL as also the struggles organised by BSNLEU and the Joint Forum to save and improve BSNL. The achievements including the good wage revision and NEPP was explained. Coms. K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS and other leaders spoke. Many senior leaders including Coms. P.A.Kumaran (AIBDPA), N.Ramesh (AIBDPA), K.Padmanabhan, Circle Org. Secretary, K.N.Mohanan, Circle Vice-President, P.Gopakumar, ACS, S.Pratapkumar, Circle Treasurer were present. Com.P.K.P.Nair proposed vote of thanks.

Thrissur: By the time the leaders arrived at the Convention place near the PGM office premises, a huge gathering of more than 600 workers were eagerly waiting to receive them. In addition members  of Security staff Association, AIBDPA and BSNLC&CWF were also present. The leaders were garlanded and honoured by all the Branch Secretaries. Inaugurating the Convention, Com. VAN Namboodiri, Convener United Forum called upon the workers to continue the sustained struggle to save and improve BSNL and its services. He also mentioned about the achievements of BSNLEU during the last two years of recognition including the Wage revision and NEPP. He exposed the government and the bureaucracy as also the MNCs and big business for the huge scams in the country and demanded stern action against all those involved. He called upon the workers to ensure a big victory for BSNLEU and UF in the coming verification. Coms.K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President and other leaders spoke. Coms. Gopakumar, ACS, Pratapkumar, Circle Treasurer, Senior leader Com.M.R.Chandran and other leaders were present.Coms. A.N.Rajan welcomed and P.A.Sankaranarayanan proposed vote of thanks.

Kottayam:  The meeting at Kottayam was attended by a large number of workers. Members from all parts of the SSA has gathered to hear Com. VAN Namboodiri, Convener, United Forum and President, BSNLEU. The meeting started at 13.30 hours immediately after the campaign reached at Kottayam. Com. Lalaji, District President, presided. Com.V.Karthikeyan, District Secretary, BSNLEU welcomed all. Com. VAN Namboodiri Inaugurating the Convention explained the achievements of the United Forum and also briefed the Charter of demands in the fifth membership verification. Com.Namboodiri was given a warm welcome by the house. Coms.R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, Gopa Kumar, ACS, P.R.Mohanan, Dist. Secretary, AIBDPA, V.S.Thankappan, CGPA leader, Ruby Chacko, Security Staff Association, P.K.Suresh Kumar, BSNLC&CWF, K.S.Geetha, Convener, Mahila Committee attended and addressed. The workers expressed their satisfaction in the settlement of Wage Revision and NEPP and assured the leadership that vast majority of the workers will support BSNLEU in the verification.

A meeting of the BSNL Pensioners was also held at Kottayam which completely supported the BSNLEU in the present verification

Alappuzha: The last meeting on 11th January was held at Alapuzha, the Venice of East. Hundreds of workers thronged the convention place. As soon as the leaders arrived, the meeting started with Com.P.Shaji Mon, District President in the chair. Com. R.Balakrishnan Nair, Dist. Secretary welcomed. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU inaugurated the Convention. Coms. K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary,Gopakumar, ACS, R.Vijayakumar, ACS, N.Ramesh Circle Secretary, AIBDPA and other leaders addressed.

The campaign for member verification in Kerala continues with Com. VAN.Namboodiri, President and other leaders touring main centres in the state. On 11th January morning the first meeting was held at Tiruvalla, the head quarters of Pathanamthitta District. The meeting started at 10.00 hours. Com.K.J.Sanal Kumar, Circle Vice-President presided over the meeting. A large number of workers were present.  Inaugurating the election convention, Com. Namboodiri explained our struggles against the neo-liberal policies of the government along with other PSU unions and our struggles against privatisation, VRS etc. The great achievements of the last  six years were also briefed. The charter of demands of the United Forum for the next two years were explained. Coms. R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, KMohanan, Circle Secretary, K.Gopakumar, ACS, Omanakkuttan Nair, D/Secy, Security Staff Assn., C.P.Pappy, AIBDPA,Beena John, Mahila Committee, K.Santhosh, BSNLC&CWF and other leaders addressed. District Secretary Com.R.Mohanan Nair assured that like last time, more than 90% votes will be polled for BSNLEU in the District.

The Kerala BSNLEU comrades have assured Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU that they will be in the forefront in the membership verification and will ensure further more support to BSNLEU in this verification. Com. Namboodiri was touring Kerala Circle from 10th January 2011. A small report of the tour:

Thiruvananthapuram : The Kerala tour started from Thiruvanathapuram on 10th January 2011. The first meeting was held at PGM office, TVM. More than 500 workers were waiting eagerly for the arrival of Com. VAN Namboodiri, founder General Secretary and present President of BSNLEU. He was warmly greeted by the workers. Com.Namboodiri, inaugurating the Convention spoke in detail about the achievements of BSNLEU /United Forum since the last few years, including uniting the entire BSNL workers for sustained struggle against the anti-workers policies of the Government and for improving BSNL and its services. During the period, despite severe adverse conditions, BSNLEU has been able to get a very good wage revision as also Promotion Policy. He mentioned about other achievements also. Coms. R.Muralidharan Nair, Asst. General Secretary,  K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU and others addressed.Com.K.Radhakrishna Kurup preside and V.S.Srikumaran Nair proposed vote of thanks.

Thiruvanathapuram CGM Office: As usual, almost the entire staff of CGM office was present in the meeting. Com. G.Bhaskaran presided. Com.C.Santhosh Kumar, Dist. Secretary, welcomed and assured the leaders that this time also. high % of votes will be received by BSNLEU in the CGM Office. Com. VAN Namboodiri inaugurated the Convention and spoke about achievements and sought full support not only from the members but also from other employees. Coms. A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, BSNLEU, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary and R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS addressed.

Kollam: Next meeting on 10th January was at Kollam SSA. The large number of employees gathered at the GM office premsies welcomed Com. Namboodiri and other leaders with shouting of slogans. The convention was presided by Com. K.Mohanan Pillai, District  Vice-President. Com. C.Muralidharan Pillai, Dist. Secretary welcomed all. General Secretary was garlanded by all the Branch Secretaries, AIBDPA, Mahila Committee, Security Staff Association  and others. Inaugurating the Convention, Com.Namboodiri on the one side, spoke about the achievements of BSNLEU and on the other side lambasted the double talk of NFTE and FNTO and their malicious propaganda. Coms. Mohanan, Circle Secretary, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, Venu Gopala Pillai, Circle President (TEPU),  Aravindakshan Nair,(AIBDPA), K.N.Jyothi Lakshmi, Convener, Circle Mahila Committee, and other leaders were present /spoke.

Order has been issued for introducing EPF for casual labours. The case was taken by the BSNLEU and BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation, Now orders been issued introducing the same. One more feather in the cap for both the organisations. Please visit www.bsnleuchq.com for the order.

President, General Secretary and all other office-bearers of BSNLEU and United Forum are on hectic tour covering each and every SSA along with the concerned Circle Secretaries. The feed back from the leaders are very much encouraging. The workers, despite malicious propaganda by certain unions, are very happy with the good wage revision as also NEPP. Hundreds of other issues have also been settled.

Reports are also being received about many comrades joining BSNLEU from other unions like NFTE, FNTO, SNATTA etc.  We welcome all of them. As the recognised union, which is again going to  be the recognised union, we assure that all the issues of the workers will be promptly taken by us.

After the facts of the discussion between BSNLEU and SNATTA on 16th December 2010 has been put in the BSNLEU website, SNATTA leaders have become panicky and is desperately trying for damage control. Since the truth has come out, they have become nervous and are trying to hide the real facts that have happened during the discussions.

Now they publish in their website that they have not demanded four seats and were satisfied with two seats. What they stated was that NFTE has offered 4 seats and unless the same is given by BSNLEU, it will be difficult for them. Regarding the issues of Direct Recruited TTAs, for that matter any cadre or any section, we have made it clear that it is the responsibility of BSNLEU, as the recognised union, to take up each and every case and that it will take also.

It is now clear that the SNATTA leaders have managed to  take a decision to desert BSNLEU and join with NFTE by hiding the truth of the discussions from their committee members and also by distorting completely what has happened in the discussions. The main issue of dispute was about the seats and even that they told that they will intimate BSNLEU later. But they never called and it was from their website only that we could get the information that they have joined NFTE alliance.

The truth has now come out. It is now for the Direct Recruited TTAs, whether members of SNATTA or not, to realise how much untrue stories are told by SNATTA leaders to justify their wrong  decision, which is not in the interest of the Direct Recruited TTAs.

We are at a loss to understand what happened between the talks with BSNLEU and before their final decision was taken?

I will be leaving CHQ for an organisational  tour of Kerala in the  next week in connection with the membership verification. It is also an opportunity to meet old comrades who were working with me for a long period before I shifted to CHQ, Delhi.

Kerala was always in the forefront of struggle. It was a bulwark for defending the rights of the workers. In all the verifications it stood in the forefront. This time also the same feat will be repeated, no doubt. Congratulations for Kerala Comrades!

United Forum of BSNL Unions has called upon all the affiliated organisations to organise massive dharnas on 11th January 2011 with the following demands:

1. 78.2% IDA fixation     2. Payment of Bonus for 2009- 2010. 3. modification of NEPP as demanded by the Union. 4. Reduction in salary to those appointed on or after 01-01-2011 – corrective measures required. 5. Early introduction of NE-12 pay scale.             ORGANISE THE PROGRAMME EFFECTIVELY WITH MASS PARTICIPATION.