Today is Bakrid, the day of peace, sacrificice and fraternity! My Bakrid Greetings to all my blog readers!

Comrade J.Sampth Rao, the dynamic Circle Secretary of A.P.Circle, BSNLEU has retired from service today, 31st August 200. The hard work, commitment and inspiring leadership of Comrade Sampath Rao made A.P.Circle, the biggest in the country.

I salute comrade Sampath Rao and Wish him a Happy and Healthy Life. But I also expect him to be in the leadership for more years!

A very happy news! BSNL has topped in the number of connections provided in July 2011.
BSNL provided 17,72,670 while Airtel provided 15,10,279 and Vodafone 14,91,167 connections. Other companies provided less than the above. For the first time in many years BSNL has come to the top in new connections.
The interesting fact is that BSNL has got the top position, mainly because the leading telcos provided fewer numbers than in the previous months. The increase in charges by these companies may be one reason. However, once you reach at the top, it becomes your responsibility to maintain that apex position.
Let us ensure that we keep the first position and work hard for the same.

A few comrades have posted comments stating why there are no posts in my blog for the last two days ie. 29th and 30th August.
The fact is that I am away from Delhi. On the tour I took the laptop but forgot to take the data-card. I found that only after I reached Calicut in Kerala.That is why there were no posts. Now I have purchased a BSNL data card and has started my work. The Calicut comrades were quick to give a connection.
I hope to continue with my blog without break in future. Thank you friends!

Whatever critics may say, Anna Hazare has been able to make a change in the situation. The peoples wrath against corruption has been channelised and as a result the Parliament has reached a consensus on certain important issues connected with tackling corruption. The people are fed up with corruption which hazzles them at each and every moment of their life. Corruption has become a part of life and the maximum sufferers are the people at the lowest strata. That is why the Anna movement got such a massive support. The Parliament has understood that to ignore such a mass movement will be dangerous. And it is good that a consensus has reached on the major issues.

The ruling party, Congress, has utterly failed and bungled at each and every stage dealing with the Anna fast. That may cost them in future.
Now the question is what will be the final decision of the Parliament after getting the recommendations of the Standing Committee? Let the government keep its words, otherwise further struggle will certainly start.

It was a marathon session for both Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha. Both of the sabhas discussed for hours on the statement submitted by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on the Lok Pal Bill and suggestions by Anna Hazare.
The discussion was very interesting.
At the end of the discussion in both the houses Pranab Mukherjee finalised the discussion and agreed to the main three demands of Anna Hazare, framing a citizen charter, bringing the lower government officials in the ambit of the Lok Pal Bill and also forming Lokayuktas in all states.
Anna Hazare stated that he had succeeded half way and has declared to end his fast tomorrow.
It has been a fight against the reluctancy of the government to bring a strong Lok Pal. And the civil society has succeeded. But unless the bill is adopted nobody can predict what will happen. So far so good.

“There is large-scale exploitation of contract labour by way of payment of less than fair wages, bad working conditions, non-payment of social security and long working hours. We are trying to amend the Contract Labour Abolition Act to ensure level field. We are in the process of consultation. Once it is complete, we will place it before Cabinet.”
“When we talk about fair wages and social security, expenses of industry and establishment will naturally increase. Our study on amendments is with the Committee Secretaries. On approval, we will move the proposal forward. The Labour Ministry feels that this is the need of the time because contractualisation is increasing day by day. We have to ensure that workers are protected, not exploited.”

(P.C.Chathurvedi, Secretary, Labour Department, in an interview with correspondent Economic times)

It was a historic day for the BSNL Casual and Contract workers. Hundreds of workers from all parts of the country assembled at the Corporate Office premises (Eastern Court) to participate in the dharna called for by the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation on 26th August demanding regilarisation of the left-out casual labour, Wages based on IDA instead of CDA, Implementation of minimum wages and social security measures like EPF and ESI to contract workers and also protesting against victimisation and retrenchment.
About 1,000 workers participated. The dharna area was decorated and the flags and banners of the various circle unions were displayed.
The dharna was inaugurated by comrade Tapan Sen, Member of Parliament and General Secretary of the CITU. He narrated the struggles undertaken on the issues of the casual and contract workers by CITU. The labour laws are being violated by the management. The Central Trade Unions have taken the issue of the unorganised workers as one of the major issues in the struggles being organised. He also asked the workers to attend in large numbers in the meeting to be held in Mavalankar Hall on 7th September being organised by the Central Trade Unions.
Comrade V.A.N.Namboodiri, President of the BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF presided. He spoke on the sustained efforts and struggles organised by BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF to settle the issues of the workers. The issue was raised in the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour and a separate session was held to discuss these issues which had galvanising effect on the management. Orders have been issued on the Minimum Wage, implementation of EPF,ESI etc. but these are not implemented at the field level in many places. The issue of regularisation of casual labour was discussed several times, but so fat it has not been settled. He called upon the workers to strengthen the union in order to wage more struggles and to get the issues settled.
Comrade Tapas Ghosh, Secretary General, BSNLCCWF spoke about the major demands of the workers on which the dharna is being organised. He also informed the participants about the meeting held with Director (HR) on the earlier day.
Comrades P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU addressed and assured that BSNLEU will give all support and help in settling the demands of the casual and contract workers. He also stated that a separate session for casual and contract workers issues will be held along with the CEC meeting to be held at Jaipur next month. Comrades P.Asokababu, Dy.GS, K.R.Yadav, Vice-President, S.C.Bhattacharjee, Treasurer, Swapan Chakraborty AGS and Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary BSNLEU W.Bengal addressed the house. Comrades H.L.Makkar. President, R.S.Chouhan, Circle Secretary,Delhi NTR, Sonia Arora, Ram Babu, Maheshwal, Circle Secretaries of BSNLCCWF also spoke.
Such a dharna of casual and contract workers was held for the first time in Delhi. The workes are very much inspired. The struggle has to be continued so that justice is meted to the concerned workers without delay.

The BSNL and DOT both want to impose VRS on the BSNL workers with the intention of retrenching workers. But now there is a difference. BSNL is proposing to retrench 21,000 through VRS but the DOT wants that it should not be less than 1,00,000.
According to the BSNL management, for grant of VRS to 21,000 an amount of Rs. 4000 to 5000 crore will be required which the DOT is not agreeable. DOT wants VRS for more and less grant to be given.
The Unions are completely opposed to VRS and has stopped thrice earlier the plan of the management to impose VRS.

The telecom companies are to pay an arrears of Rs. 587 crore to the government towards the licence fee and spectrum charges – Bharti Airtel Rs. 17.66 crore, Reliance Rs. 132.56 crore Idea Cellular Rs. 27.94 crore Spice Communications Rs. 3.29 crore, Aircel Rs. 1.77 crore and MTNL 4.92 crore.
Why the government is not taking any serious action for collecting the arrears. Is it that the Government does not want money? No, the government wants money but it does not want to disturb the mighty private companies.