BSNL is going to complete 11 years in 1st October 2011. The question of corporatisation of DOT/DTS was taken up seriously by the Government in 2000. Immediately, the National Action Committee of Telecom Unions consisting of All India Telecom Employees Union class III (Namboodiri) All India P&T Industrial Workers Union,All India Telegraph Traffic Employees Union, All India Telecom Administrative Offices Employees Union, Indian Telecom Employees Union, All India Telecom Civil Wing Employees Union and All India Telecom Employees Union LS and Group D ( Mishra ) strongly opposed the same and went on sustained agitation. It was as part of this agitation that a One Day Strike was organised on 28th June 2000.
I was the Convener of the National Action Committee. Our leaders toured the important centres all over the country and organised the strike. Maximum propaganda was given through pamphlets, press statements etc.The recognised Federations, NFTE, FNTO and BTEF did not join. But the strike was a good success with a lot of workers belonging to even the Federations participated.
The agitation did not stop with this.In continuation, the following programmes were organised:
1. 09-08-2000 Serving Strike Notice for 24-25 August 2000
2. 15=-08-2000 ” Save Telecom – Save Nation Day” by organising massive dharna.
3. 21-08-2000 to 23-08-2000 – Lunch Hour Demonstrations
4. 24-25 August 2000 – 2 Days Strike
All the programmes were successfully organised. The agitation against Corporatisation continued. But on 29th September 2000 the major Federations agreed for the corporatisation. We opposed till the last.
And on 01-10-2000, BSNL was formed.
Once it was formed despite our opposition, the task became to save it and improve. The National Action Committee Unions in their All India Convention held at Vishakhapatnam on 22-23 March 2001 formed BSNLEU. BSNLEU became the Recognised Union in December 2004 and till now the position continues. BSNLEU with its alliance in the United Forum as also the Joint Action Committee consisting of all BSNL Unins /Associations are jointly opposing disinvestment and privatisation. To stop disinvestment and privatisation serious struggle will be necessary. Let us be prepared for the same.
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