Monthly Archives: March 2012

Rs. 205 crore for President’s foreign travel !

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in General

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It is outrageous! The government has spent Rs.205 crore towards the foreign trips of President Smt. Pratibha Patil.During her tenure so far, she has visited 22 countries spending 79 days for the same. This is much more than the amounts and days spent by either Shri Abdul Kalam  or Shri K.R.Narayanan, former Presidents, who were more known and honoured. This information has been received through RTI. The government was very reluctant to give the information and kept it pending for a long period, but were compelled to give after continued pressure.

And interestingly Rs. 16 crore are yet to be paid to the Air india which was used by the President for the tours!

 

Rs.100 increase for cooking gas ?

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in News

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It seems that the government is all set up to increase the price for gas, diesel etc. Certain reports indicate that the price of cooking gas may be increased by Rs.100 which will increase the present price to about Rs. 440. The reports also indicate that if all the subsidies are stopped the cooking gas cylinder price will be increased to Rs. 730.

The government is withdrawing the subsidy to the petroleum products year after year. While last year an amount of Rs. 68,481 crore, it has been reduced to Rs. 24,901 this year, which clearly show that the government is backing out of subsidies. This will adversely affect the common people and their budget.

BSNL starts network in NE through Bangladesh

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Telecom

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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has planned to set up telecom connectivity through Bangladesh for North Eastern region of the country due to tough terrain and geographical isolation, top BSNL Executive said today. “Ministry has attached much importance in consolidating telecom network in NE region and we are interested in setting up an alternative route through Bangladesh due to tough terrain,” Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL R K Upadhayaya told reporters here. Connectivity would be set up between Agartala and Dhaka via Akhaura in Bangladesh and between Sabroom in south Tripura and Cox’s Bazar in Chittagong in Bangladesh to provide smooth telecom connectivity, he told reporters. “Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid between Kolkata and Dhaka. With the implementation of new telecom policy in next financial year, BSNL would be able to expand telecom network across rural India,” Upadhyay said. He hoped that BSNL would retain its business and buy more equipments to provide better service in the country and compete with other telecom companies. Upadhyay came here to discuss with the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar about the development plans in Tripura and the region. Government has planned to extend OFC to 25000 panchayats across the country to provide broadband services, he said.

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We remember Com.K.T.Mohammed, veteran drama writer and actor

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in P&T TU History

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Today, 25th March, 2012, is the fourth death anniversary of Comrade K.T.Mohammed, the renowned drama writer, drama artist and cultural leader. He passed away in 2008. He was in the forefront of presenting dramas with progressive outlook and had written and  directed many dramas and also acted in the same.

I had very close connection with him. KT was a postal worker. He entered P&T Department as a packer, then as an ED and later as Postman. He was fully engaged with the union work. In the 1968 strike he was suspended, and later removed from service. He never came back.  His entire life was dedicated to cultural activities, mainly drama. He formed a drama troupe  and presented many dramas. Despite his full engagement with the drama life, he used to come to the Post Office now and then and also attended and addressed many of the union conferences. I was at New Delhi when he passed away and could not be at the cremation. He was very close with most of the P&T leaders and the connection lasted till the end.

On this death anniversary of Com. K.T., I pay my respectful homage !

Com.Mihir Dasgupta donated Rs. 60,000 to Building Fund – Well done Comrade!

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in BSNLEU

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There are many comrades who have donated Rs. 10,000, Rs. 5,000 etc. to the Building Fund from their own pocket in addition to the collection from the members. It is their commitment and dedication to the union. But here is a special case. Com. Mihir Dasgupta former Asst. General Secretary (CHQ), BSNLEU has donated Rs. 50,000 to the Building Fund. He gave Rs. 25,000 at the time of the AIC at Thiruvananthapuram then and there when it was decided to purchase a building. He donated another Rs. 25,000 at the time of his retirement. His wife, Com.Swastika Das, who is also one of the senior leaders of Kolkatta Telephones, donated another Rs. 10,000. Together, they have donated Rs. 60,000.

My Hearty Congratulations and thanks to these comrades for your full support and liberal donation to this great cause.

we complete 1600 posts in this blog

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in General

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This blog, vannamboodiri.wordpress.com was started in July 2010, but regular posting started only in September 2010. With this posting, it will complete 1600 postings. It has been a pleasant experience of writing and posting some reports, my feelings, organisational issues etc. I am happy that I have been getting co-operation, support and guidance from many comrades. The comments have been helpful.

I thank everybody for their support and well wishes in continuing the blog. Thank you all.

KG Bose Bhawan – Thank You Comrades

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in BSNLEU

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On this 22nd March, KG Bose Bhawan, the new office building of the BSNL Employees Union was inaugurated by Com. A.K.Padmnabhan, President  CITU by unveiling the name-plate, cutting the ribbon and entering the building in the presence of distinguished guests like Com. Mohammed Amin, CITU Vice-President, Sudha Sunderaraman, General Secretary AIDWA and other senior leaders. In his inaugural speech he congratulated the union and its leaders for the great achievement. Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU,  welcomed all. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, president of the meeting, after welcoming all the participants, mentioned the decision of the Thiruvananthapuram All India Conference to purchase a building for the union, which has been fulfilled within a short period of two years.  It could be done with the full support of the union members and well-wishers who have liberally contributed to the building fund. Maximum efforts have been taken by most of the Circle/District Secretaries for collection of donations.  I would like to congratulate and thank Com. Mihir Dasgupta, former AGS, BSNLEU, who personally donated Rs. 50,000 to the building fund. In addition, his wife Com.Swastika also donated Rs. 10,000 on her own.  The building has been named as ‘K.G.Bose Bhawan’, in honour and memory of our beloved leader and guide Comrade K.G.Bose, who gave  correct direction and working class ideology to the P&T movement. A booklet on the life and activities of Com.KG written by Com.VAN Namboodiri was released in the function and supplied to all participants.

After the inauguration and greetings by leaders of the fraternal organisations, the meeting ended and lunch was offered to all. Many of the leaders and workers went through the building, appreciated and congratulated the Union.

Coms.M.Krishnan, SG, NFPE was present and addressed along with Coms. Sreedharan (P.III), Giriraj Singh( RMS), Des Raj Sharma, C.C.Pillai (former SG NFPE), Nagabhushanam, Ishwar Dabbas and others. Com.M.S.Raja(Secretary, Confederation) also addressed.  Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA also addressed. Almost all the senior leaders of the BSNL Unions were present in the function. Coms/ Shri Chandeswar Singh (NFTE), K.Vallinayagam (FNTO), G.L.Jogi (SNEA),  Ravindranath (AIBSNLEA), Suresh Kumar (BSNLMS), V.Subburaman(TEPU), R.K.Kohli (NFTBE), B.R.Jhakkatia (SEWA BSNL), Andiappan (FNTBEA), S.P.Sharma (BSNLWRU), Hari Singh (BTU BSNL), A.A.Khan, Sebastian, ND Ram, S.S.Tomar and many other leaders and workers of other unions were present and all of them greeted and congratulated BSNLEU. Senior leader, Com. O.P.Gupta, despite his ailment and old age, also came and conveyed his best wishes. It was a poignant moment when Com.OPG put a shawl on V.A.N.Namboodiri, President of BSNL Employees Union. We are thankful to all these comrades for attending the function and giving us blessings. We also thank the CITU and AIDWA leaders and workers who attended the function. Greetings were received from Coms. Sisir Bhattacharjee, the veteran P&T leader, Ananta Kumar Bhattacharjee (Prsident AIBDPA), Mrs. Parul Bose (wife of Com.KG),Mrs. Jyotsna Bose (wife of Com.Moni Bose), Pabitra Chakroborty (NCCPA), Com.P.V.Chandrasekharan ( President AIBDPA Kerala) and others.

The Central Secretariat of BSNLEU has been fully occupied with the arrangements for the last few days. The staff of Dada Ghosh Bhawan, Coms. T.A.Biju, Pradeesh, Harish, M.L.Tiwari, Baiju, Negi – all have done their best to make the function a great success. But two names have to be mentioned specially, that of coms. G.B.Salakki and  T.A.Biju, who was fully engaged with the work, day and night. We thank al of them for making all the arrangements.

And thanks to Shri Surinder Singhji and his family, the former owner of the building, who came and addressed the function.

The struggle against neo-liberalisation policy

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in TU News - India

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The working class in India has been continuously agitating against the neo-liberalisation policy implemented in India starting in 1991 when Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister and Manmohan Singh the Finance Minister. The socialist pattern of society announced by Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime minister, and the building up of a strong Public Sector, an independent foreign policy based on mutual respect and co-ordination – all have been thrown away. Especially after the collapse of the USSR, Indian government, whether Congress ot BJP has started tilting towards the imperialist block headed by United States. After Dr. Manmohan Singh became the Prime minister, with the full support of the political supremo of the Congress and with capitalist experts like Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Minister Chidambaram to guide, the neo-liberal policy is being implemented in an aggressive manner. India is gradually being downgraded as a subordinate ally of the United States. The Joint military – naval exercises, the tilt in foreign policy which may result in antagonizing our long friends like Iran and Sri Lanka, all are indications of the subordinate status of India.

Internally, the neo-liberal policy has hurt the poor the most. Of course, a number of billionaires and millionaires have arisen in the horizon with lacs of crore of rupees at their command. But the condition of the poor has not only not improved, but has become worse. But the Manmohan Singh government is not worried. It has found out methods to artificcially reduce the number of poor in the country. It has changed the standards for poverty in the country, with the format that Rs. 26 is sufficient for a person to live a day! Attacks on the working class are increasing everyday. Hard earned rights are being taken away arbitrarily. Hire and fire has become way of life. Prices have increased many times making life miserable for the have-nots.

It is against this anti-people anti-working class policies that the trade union movement has been organising struggles after struggles. 14 All India Strikes have been organised participated by crore of workers on an increasing rate as can be seen below:

1. 29th November  1991 participated by  more than   one crore

2. 16th June 1992                                                             1.5 crore

3. 9th September  1993                                                   1.5 crore

4. 29th September 1994                                                  2.5 crore

5. 11th December 1998                                                    2.5 crore

6. 11th May 2000                                                             2.5 crore

7. 16th April 2002                                                            2.5 crore

8. 21st May 2003                                                             3.5 crore

9. 24th February 2004                                                   4.0 crore

10.25th September  2005                                              6.5 crore

11.14th December 2006                                                6.5  crore

12.20th August 2008                                                    6.5 crore

13.7th September 2010                                                 6.5 crore

14.28th February 2012                                                 10  crore

The participation in the strikes has been continuously increasing and in the 28th February 2012 strike, it has reached 10 crore, about 10% of the total population. In the latest strike all the Central trade unions together have given the call, which was for the first time after independence.

There is no other way but to continue the struggle against this anti people, anti-worker policies. Victory is ours.

 

 

 

 

Strike in Portugal against austerity measures and change in labour laws

24 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in TU News - International

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Public services across Portugal ground to a halt as unions staged a 24-hour strike on 22rd March 2012 against austerity measures agreed by the government in return for an international bailout. Garbage went uncollected, ports and schools closed, public transport was disrupted by the country’s second general strike in four months. The strike was against the change in the  labour laws that make it easier to fire workers, reduce holidays and cut layoff compensation, moves the government contends will revive the economy. It is also angry at government austerity measures such as the elimination of public employees’ Christmas and vacation bonuses — each roughly equivalent to a month’s pay — that aim to rein in the public deficit. Unlike the two previous general strikes held in November 2011 and November 2010, yesterday’s action did not have the backing of Portugal’s second-biggest union, the historically more moderate General Workers Union (UGT), which reached an agreement with the government over the labour law reforms.  The metros in Lisbon and Oporto, Portugal’s second-largest city, were closed, forcing tens of thousands of commuters to find an alternative way to get to work or school. The majority of ports, including the port of Lisbon and Viana do Castelo in the north, were closed while garbage collection was halted across the country, according to CGTP. Hundreds of schools closed their doors throughout the country, according to the Fenprof teachers’ union. Demonstrations and rallies were held in 38 cities and towns across the country, including Lisbon, Oporto and Coimbra. Much of the strike passed peacefully, but a skirmish broke out between police and young activists who had organised their own march in one place.

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An educative Souvenir of BSNL CCWF AIC at Lucknow.

24 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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During the CEC meeting of the BSNLEU at New Delhi on 22-23 March 2012, the souvenir published in connection with the All India Conference of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation held at Lucknow on 24-25 September 2011 was given to all the participants. I have gone through the Souvenir. It includes a number of educative articles by Coms. M.K.Pandhe, Tapan Sen, V.S.Achuthanandan, Swadesh Dev Roy, Kali Ghosh, R.S.Yadav, V.A.N.Namboodiri and others mainly dealing with the issue of the casual and contract workers, the need to end the exploitation, the rights of the workers and the urgency of making a change to the better. There are articles both in Hindi  and in English.

My congratulations to Coms. K.R.Yadav, R.K.Mishra and other leaders who organised the AIC in a spectacular way and published this souvenir. The souvenir be read by  our workers and leaders.