This is a personal appeal to all the BSNL workers and their unions to help the casual and contract labour in getting justice from the hands of the BSNL Management and the contractors who are employing them.
As per present Labour Acts as also the orders issued by the Government and BSNL Corporate Office, Casual and Contract Labour engaged for works in the BSNL are eligible for getting the minimum wage, social security measures like EPF & ESI, maintaing records of their engagements etc. However, the situation in the field is a different story. In most of the places the labours are paid about half of the minimum wages, social security measures are not implemented and and hire and fore is going on. Those who demand wages or for their other rights are retrenched. It is shameful that in a prestigious PSU like BSNL, where strong and militant trade unions are there, this kind of exploitation of labour is taking place.
This can be changed only if the regular workerss’ unions take up and fight against this injustice. I would, therefore, request all the leaders and workers of the existing unions to take up this issue in right earnest and help the exploited casual and contract labour who are working at your place.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is one of the biggest international financial institutions which was formed afer the II World War in 1945 at Bretton Woods to facilitate international trade, high employment, reduce the poverty around the world etc. But what is the actual situation. It has been used by the Developed countries like US to implement their agenda.
The latest scandal about its Managing Director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn ( shortly called DSK) about raping a chamber maid in the hotel room and him being arrested and put in jail is bringng more and more unfavourable news about the functioning of IMF. It is stated that the women employees are not safe from the sexual advance of the male superior officers.The extravagant pay scales of top level management has surprised all. In the name of helping the developing countries not only the IMF is acting in the interests of the capitalist countries but is also violating human rights and rules. High level enquiry should be conducted on the functioning of the IMF itself.

A paper prepared by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) wants to take away trade union rights of the workers employed in the National Manufactuing and Investment Zones (NMIZ). These NMIZs are being created in the pattern of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) already in existence.
The paper proposes to exempt the NMIZs from the various Labour Acts of the Government viz.The Factory Act, The Industrial Disputes Act, The Trade Union Act, The Gratuity Act, The Provident Fund Act, The Employees State Insurance Act etc.All the labour issues will be dealt by the NMIZ itself which can create its own conciliation and compensation mechanism etc.
The paper also recommends three shifts for women workers, freedom to hire and fire, no compulsion to implement social security measures like EPF, ESI etc., In short this will be nothing less than the slave labour camps where you are compelled to work without any rights.
Despite the trade union acts, minimum wages etc., even in an organised sector like BSNL, the contract worker is denied of minimum wage, social secuity measures etc. In the Delhi Metro, which is a prestigious company, even half of the minimum wage is not actually paid. In such a situation what will happen in the NMIZs? It will be complete slavery.
The Central Trade Unions have to immediately expose this game of the government and stop it to save the workers from the slavery that is planned to garner more profits for the big corporates.

Mr. Ratan Tata, one of the biggest business tycoons in the country has crticised the biggest tycoon in the country, Mr. Mukesh Ambani for staying in a palatial 27 storey apartment, ‘Antilla’, at Mumbai. In an interview with ‘The Times’, the world famous daily, he is reported to have stated “It makes me wonder why some one would do that”. He also stated” The person who lives in there should be concerned about what he sees around him and ( asking) can he make a difference. If he is not, then it is sad because this country needs people to allocate some of their enormous wealth to finding out ways of mitigating the hardship that people have”.
Very interesting! Whether it is Tata, Ambanis or other big tycoons in the country, they have never cared for the ordinary people or the poor. Their only one target was to get more and more profits. I don’t say these people had not contributed any thing for the country. But it is not even 0 . 001 % of their profit. And even that was to get names for them or to avoid taxes or get concessions. Now one of them has started criticising the others. Well and good.
Will all these tycoons and big business people, including Tata have a self critical analysis of what they have done to the poor and the ordinary people? (based on a report in Economic Times 22-05-2011)

NFTE and FNTO are not participating in the meetings of the Joint Action Committee for some time past. NFTE and its allies have intimated that they will not be part of the JAC since there are some differences with BSNLEU. This is not logical since different unions will have different opinion on many matters and still they can come together on common issue of workers as in the case of the Central Trade Unions. FNTO has informed that they are not participating now, but they will implement the decision of the JAC based on issue to issue.
The three lakh BSNL workers as also the company itself is facing serious challenges and it is the time to jointly make all efforts for strengthening the organisation. There can not be any different opinion on the matter. In the same way no union can have any difference on the programme chalked out by the JAC to observe May month as ‘Customer Delight Month’ and ensure that BSNL is able to provide a better service and get the support of the people. But unfortunately NFTE has not come forward to work jointly. FNTO units in some places are joining with the common platform.
As Convener of the JAC I personally request these unions to come back to the JAC and work together for the common cause. It is the call of the time.

The leaders of the Joint Action Committee met Sri Garg, Director (HR), BSNL today, 20th May and discussed about the issues which had to be sorted out to improve the service and to strengthen BSNL. The suggestions given by the JAC were discussed and mostly agreed by the Director(HR). The details of the discussion will be published later.

Shri R.K.Upadhyay, newly appointed CMD BSNL has stated that he is working with MTNL officers to streamline their businesses and synergising the operations. This may be part of the preparation for a later merger of the two telecom PSUs.
Joint Action Committee of the BSNL Unions/Associations have already indicated its opinion on the issue of merger of BSNL-MTNL. While it welcomes the proposal, there are certain issues like disinvestment of MTNL etc. to sorted out.