It is well-known and understood by all that the present malady of the BSNL is due to the neo-liberal and anti-PSU policy of the government and the  inefficiency of the top management. A track record of the last 12 years since formation of BSNL will vouch for the same. But there is a third element also, the comparatively casual attitude of the workers, inherited from the government mindset.

P&T Department, of which Telecom was a part, was praised as one of the best and efficient service in the whole of India till the nineties. It is almost the same workforce which are in BSNL, since for the last 25-30 years, there has been no mentionable recruitment. There is acute shortage of staff at the lowest level, to whom the lowest level maintenance are entrusted. At this level, more than fifty thousand workers have retired without any replacement. These works are mostly got done by contract workers. These workers are also retrenched in thousands to avoid payment of minimum wages and implementation of social security measures. Hence there is urgent necessity to recruit workforce.

Secondly, the motivation of the workers are drenched by the least-interested management which utterly failed to provide the equipments, accessories etc. for providing connections and maintaining them in good condition. The motivation of the workers need to  be improved by conceding their rightful demands and providing them with necessary equipments and accessories.

The workers have to understand that their future depends upon the future of the company and also that they are public workers who have got commitment to the people/subscribers who contribute to the growth of the company.  They have to remember that they are part of the society, whose essential service has to be maintained in the best condition. Now there are a lot of grievances and complaints by the people about the BSNL services.It is the duty of the workers to ensure a better service to the people, even if the reasons are not due to them. They have to make the management for better governance and service. The more than 2 lakh workers and their unions/associations are capable of doing the same.

The future of BSNL and its workers depend upon the initiative and struggle by the workers in changing the anti-PSU policy of the government, compelling the management for better management and changing their government mindset for providing better service. Can’t we do this ?

Now that the Indefinite Strike has been deferred after a good agreement with the management, it is time to continue our sustained efforts to better the services and to increase our revenue  and profit. My suggestion to the management is to direct all officers at Corporate Office,Circles and SSA levels to immediately start discussions with the Unions at their respective levels to ensure a better service and for getting more revenue at their levels. The Works committees, which have been dormant for some time,should be restored and start working immediately.

BSNL should be saved. People should get a better service. The justified demands of the workers should be settled.

My Hearty Congratulations to the BSNL workers! Due to the  Unity and Struggle of the workers, the management has been compelled to discuss and concede the demand of 78.2% IDA merger with pay, which was a long pending demand. This was possible only because all the unions came together and the workers were fully prepared for the Indefinite strike. I am happy that the initiative taken for this wider unity  has succeeded and demand has been settled.

V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations has issued the following statement: Indefinite Strike by BSNL Workers from 13th June 2012 BSNL executives and non-executives will resort to Indefinite Strike from 13th June 2012 demanding settlement of their long pending demands. The strike is being organised under the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations including 18 All India unions/associations in BSNL. The main demand is that the government and DPE orders granting 78.2% IDA merger in the pay, which was ordered in 2009, should be implemented without any further delay. While most of the PSUs and the government have already implemented full neutralisation for the cost in living, but BSNL management is denying the same for its employees without any justification. The matter was discussed several times with the CMD BSNL, but no positive action has been taken by the management causing irreparable loss to the employees in salary, allowances and pension.  The various allowances for BSNL employees have not been revised since V Central Pay Commission in 1996. Even in the Wage settlement and revision w.e.f. 01-01-2007, the allowances were not revised. It was assured that this will be reviewed after 5 years.  Five years are over but no revision. In contrast, BSNL had even curtailed the Medical Allowance, LTC and Encashment of salary causing much loss to the employees. But at the same time the top level officers, non-absorbed ITSs, who are on  deputation, are given increased Transport Allowance and other 14 allowances. While the Transport Allowance to top ITS officers are increased to Rs.10,000 or more, the lowest level employees are getting only Rs. 300. Discrimination is increasing. The superannuation benefits of the newly BSNL recruited employees are yet to be finalised by the management. While Child Care Leave is granted to non-optee ITS officers, it is denied to the BSNL employees. Even after the Delhi High Court directed to finalise the relieving of DOT-Opted  ITS officers who are  on deputation to BSNL, they are yet to be relieved causing   extreme uncertainty  about the development and expansion of the services.  One of the main reason for the loss of revenue and profit to BSNL is the inefficiency of the top level management, who consists mainly of ITS non-absorbees, in addition to the anti-PSU policy of the government. The Forum of BSNL Unions calls upon all the BSNL workers to participate in the strike and make it a complete success. It is not only to settle the justified demands of the workers, but for a better service to the people. (Courtsey : Ganashakti)

The meeting of the Anomaly Committee formed to recommend ways to remove the anomaly in the Wage Conversion fom CDA to IDA w.e.f. 01-10-2000 met today and almost finalised the report. It is expected that the recommendations will be signed by the Committee without further delay.

I hope that the meeting of the Anomaly Committee today may finalise its recommendations with regard to solving of the anomaly incurred at the time of conversion of CDA to IDA pay scale, in which seniors were getting less pay than their juniors. Com. P.Asokababu and myself are the members from the staff side in the committee.

The Chief Labour Commissioner has fixed a meeting at 1100 AM on 11th June with the BSNL Management and Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations for conciliation of the issues of the indefinite strike given notice by the unions/associations of the Forum. All the General Secretaries of the unions/associations are requested to attend.

There was a meeting of the Forum of BSNL UNions/Associations today, 7th June 2012, held under the Chairmanship of Com. C.Singh, President, NFTE. The meeting finalised the Circular to be sent signed by all the General Secretaries of Unions/Associations participating in the strike. The circular was signed and will be put in the websites of the unions/associations so that the circle/district secretaries can take it and circulate.

The Forum once again directed all the general Secretaries to direct their Circle / District Secretaries to form coordinating committees for organising the strike effectively.