Monthly Archives: July 2012

Neo-liberal policy vs. need of the people

05 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in General, Uncategorized

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I have been going through the newspapers and the TV channels. Some of the main issues focussed are the floods in Assam, the power shortage in Delhi and other cities, the severe drought in Rajasthan and some other states and also the export of wheat when the poor people of the country are starving without food.

The floods in Assam has taken many lives and lakhs of people have lost all their belongings including their homes. Kaziranga sanctuary is flooded and hundreds of animals have died. In Rajasthan the drought has been serious and there is no water even for drinking. These are, of course,  natural  calamities. But through out centuries,mankind has been able to at least reduce the adverse effect of these calamities to a certain point. Water is made available even in deserts. Immediate action to save the lives of people in case of floods can be done, since these are annual occurences in the Assam region. But unfortunately, no such precaution and prior arrangements are not at all made even though it is well-known that such disasters may happen. And the sufferers are mainly the poor and lower middle class people. The rich and the well to do people can move away during these times and have some cushions to face the disasters. But what about the poor people? The Central and State governments have utterly failed to face the situation. The plea that there are no sufficient funds does not stand scrutiny since lakhs of crores of rupees are snatched away by corrupt politicians and usurped by the super rich, corporates and MNCs.

While the poor people do not get food, wheat is being exported in thousands of tons as fodder to the developed countries. Some times food grains are rotten in the godown of the government. But it will not be supplied to the hungry people. The situation is worse than at the time of the dictators of the past.

The situation has become worse after the implementation of the neo-liberal policy in the country since the 1990s. While crores of people have not even huts and stay in the dirty and muddy areas of the cities, on the other side are the posh areas where the super rich stays in big mansions bigger than the palaces of the kings in the past with all facilities and amenities. 20% rich people owns more than 80% of the assets in the country, while the 80% don’t have even 20% of the total assets. The situation is worsening every day.While Ambanis and Jindals have Rs.50-60 crore salaries, the poor somehow survives with less than Rs.20 per day.  The policies being adopted by the government is increasing the discrimination each and every day.

It is high time that the people as a whole has to raise their voices against this discrimination and complete neglect of the poor and downtrodden in the country and fight for a reversal of the anti-people policy of the government. The government should be compelled to change its wrong policies.

Physicists celebrate evidence of new particle

05 Thursday Jul 2012

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GENEVA – To cheers and standing ovations from scientists,  the world’s biggest atom smasher claimed the discovery of a new  subatomic particle Wednesday, calling it “consistent” with the  long-sought Higgs boson — popularly known as the “God particle” — that  helps explain what gives all matter in the universe size and shape. We have now found the missing cornerstone of particle physics,” Rolf  Heuer, director of the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), told  scientists… »

BSNL can not become a bad and exploiting employer.

04 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, Uncategorized

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The P&T Department and DOT has a honourable past as one of the most efficient Department/s of the government of India.

While there was exploitation  of  Part-time, casual labour etc. , in stages they were promoted to Group D or regularised. Tens of thousands of workers thus reguarised are the backbones of the DOT/BSNL through whose continuous labour the telecom had spread over throughout the country passing hills and rivers, deserts and inaccessible regions. In installing the great telecom infrastructure all over the country, the Line/Sub-Inspector,Lineman and Casual Labour had a great role along with other officials. Thousands of these workers perished while erecting and maintaining  lines on the sides of the Ganges in the high  Himalayan ranges, in the expanding  deserts of Rajasthan, the Kashmir valley and in the great plains of India. It is true that the new generation is not aware of the same and the old generation might have forgotten them in the changed circumstances.

The present Telecom Mechanics, the Regular Mazdoors, the casual labour and the contract labour belong to that great tradition. Some of them have risen up to the post of executives and higher posts in the non-executives, but most of them still continues in their early position.

BSNL Employees Union and United Forum since formation of BSNL havemade  maximum efforts to improve their condition along with those of the higher level cadres, but as it is, the benefits will always be more at the top than at the lower levels.

The maximum sufferers at present in BSNL are the casual and contract labours engaged by the DOT/BSNL for the last many years. More than 4,000 casual labours who have been engaged in the DOT/BSNL for the last 15 to 20 years are still to be regularised though about 6000  similarly placed casual labour have been regularised till 2005. Only very few have been regularised/granted TSM status afterwards, that too only after contempt cases were filed against BSNL management.

There is no valid  justification for regularising these casual labour who have been engaged on the basis that they will be regularised after certain condition like working for 240 days in a year with out break etc. Almost all these 4000 casual labour have fulfilled these conditions. As far as the 2770 casual labour in W.Bengal and others in other circles have full record of their work maintained by the management itself. They are performing the duties of the regular mazdoor, TM, Sr.TOA etc. but at the minimum wages, though they are to be given equal wages( minimum) of the postsin which they are working. The Laws of the country passed by the Parliament on Minimum Wages, Social Security etc. are flatly denied to them.

This inhuman exploitation in BSNL should be put to an end. It is a shame not only to the management, but to all the employees and unions/associations in BSNL. The casual labour should be regularised with out any further delay.  The BSNL Management has to take immediate action for the same as other PSUs and government Departments have already done.

The Post Office

04 Wednesday Jul 2012

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While visiting Cambridge, I went to a Post Office in the main street. The Post Office name was written outside and two big red Post Boxes were there for putting the letters etc.  I went inside. It was busy with many customers. Six or seven counters were functioning. Transactions were going on. Inside also there were post boxes. Postal covers were arranged on an open almirah on the wall. Customers took the necessary articles and paid the cost. Banking transactions were also going on. On another side, stationary were being sold. Money Exchange, conversion of foreign currency, was another work. People were coming and going. It was a lively office. I was standing for some tim watching the counters etc. An official of the P.O. came to me and asked what I wanted. I told him that I am from India and was a retired P&T employee and was just watching how the P.O.works in UK. He smiled and said OK.

The Royal Mail, as the postal service in UK is called, is still used by a good section of the people. Almost every day, the Postman visits our home with letters, which are mainly advertisement materials, letters, parcels etc. The official collecting the mails from the Postal Boxes  comes at the scheduled time. The old red Post Boxes fixed may be hundred years back are still maintained as it is. I felt at home at  the Post Office.

In India also  the Postal administration is making changes for the sustainability of the Post Offices. Union is taking a very important role for a better service and financial viability.

 

Has Corruption become ‘Honourable’ ?

04 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Corruption

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During the last few years corruption seems to have become honourable and even a necessary cap for many of the politicians and top bureeacrats. Those businessmen, MNCs etc. who bribed Ministers and top officers and got benefits and became super-rich used to boast themselves of their ‘achievements’.

Now it seems that in politics also corruption has become honourable. Hundreds of top level politicians and bureacrats are now charged with corruption, punished, arrested etc. and many of them are in jail or bail.Many has escaped conviction. Many escape even FIR with their high political status and being in the ruling party.  But there seems to be no remorse at all forany of  them. They flaunts themselves before the camera, issue statements denying everything and is suppported by many. They are given big receptions when released on bail or on parole. I do not want to mention any specific individual since the fact is known to all.

The media has also got a role in this ‘honouring’ of corruption. Giving wide publicity as if these corrupt persons are ‘heroes’, the public opinion is also being influenced.

This situation should be changed. There should be a strong condemnation of corruption and corrupted persons so that this evil which is adveresely affecting the health of the country should be removed or atleast reduced.

The floods in Mumbai and other cities

04 Wednesday Jul 2012

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For the last few years, floods have become a usual catastrophe in Mumbai at the time of the arrival of monsoon rains. This year is also no exception. The monsoon was late for a few days, but when it started, people are happy that the rains have arrived, but the floods also followed. The floods cause not only traffic jams, but the entire busy life of Mumbai is slowed down and people put to much difficulties. In the floods a few years back, the city was almost under water for more than one day and the people had to walk 20 or more km to reach their homes through the water filled roads.

This is not the case of Mumbai alone. Most of the cities like Delhi, Kolkatta face the same disaster. It is mainly because of water logging since the sewage arrangements are faulty and there is no outlet for the huge rainwater to flow away. Neither the state government nor the Municipality / City corporations take actions to clean the sewage and make ready for the arrival of the monsoon. Heavy taxes are collected towards social amenities, but it is either wasted or whisked away by corrupt officials/contractors.

There should be a strong public movement so that the government and the corporations are compelled to take necessary action so that  avoidable difficulties can be reduced or completely stopped.

 

Air India Pilots end strike.

03 Tuesday Jul 2012

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It is reported that the Air India Pilots have decided to withdraw their strike with immediate effect and join duty. This is as per the statement given by their advocate in the Supreme Court.  The SC directed the government to look in to the issues of the pilots.

A Conciliation meeting will be held on 5th July by the Chief Labour Commissioner Shri N.K.Prasad with both the Air India Management and the Pilots Guild who called for the strike.

An early settlement will put an end to the travails of the travellers and will benefit the ailing Air India.

BSNL should regularise the Casual Labours without further delay.

03 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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There are about 4,000 and odd casual labour working in the BSNL since its formation 12 years back. Most of them are in W.Bengal. They have actually been working since the days of DOT and might have worked 15 years or more by this time. There are some who have been in continuous work for more than 20 years. These labours have contributed their entire efforts for making DOT/BSNL in all its progress and installing and maintaining the services.

They were eligible for absorption as regular employees and thousands of such casual labour have already been regularised till 2005. The left out casual labour are also fully eligible for regularisation. Had their names been forwarded in time to the corporate office, they would have been regularised like others.

The plea of the management that it is not possible to regularise them after the Supreme Court judgement in Umadevi vs. Karnataka State don’t hold any water. Many government departments and PSUs have regularised their casual labour even after the judgement and utilising the way suggested by the judgement.

It is the unsympathetic and inhuman mindset of the BSNL management which is the main reason for the non-regularisation. BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF have suggested many methods by which these workers can be regularised. It is a life and death question of the workers and their families to get a job after toiling for the DOT/BSNL for maximum part of their lives.

The BSNL Management should stop their crocodile tears and come to the rescue of these most exploited workers and regularise them giving them a better future.

All India Conference of BSNLEU at Ludhiana

03 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in BSNLEU

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The  VI  All India Conference of BSNL Employees Union, the recognised and representative union of non-executive employees numbering about 2,28,000 is scheduled to be held at Ludhiana, Punjab from 25th to 28th of September 2012. The Reception Committee has started its preparatory work in right earnest to make all arrangements for holding the same in an effective manner.

The All India Conference is the forum where hundreds of elected delegates from the thousands of branches all over the country meet and discuss the problems of the workers, assess the work done during the last two years after the last AIC, adopt resolutions on policy as well as issues and also elect the office-bearers for the next term. Since the formation of the BSNLEU in 2001, regular AICs had been held within the stipulated time, which many other unions could not do. The decisions were unanimous, including the election of office-bearers. These unanimity is arrived at after discussion of the various point of views and mutual consultations. Democratic values have always been upheld in  the conferences. The present conference will not be different.

The challenges before the trade union movement are many. More and more attacks are coming on the workers and the trade union movement as part of the implementation of the neo-liberal policy by the government. Jobs have been reduced. The hard-won gains of the workers are being curtailed or reduced one after another. Trade union rights are being curbed. This is fully applicable to the telecom/BSNL workers also.

BSNL has its own problems. The pro-MNC and anti-PSU policy of the government has created many problems for the BSNL resulting in its revenue and marketing share. The management has been far below expectations. The government has almost withdrawn from all its commitments to act to improve the financial viability of the company which it assured at the time of formation of BSNL.

BSNL Employees Union has been in the forefront of the struggles for the advancement of the workers and to save the BSNL and strengthen it. Whether it is in the formation of the Joint Forum, Joint Action Committee or Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations, it has taken a pivotal role in uniting the workers and organising struggles. It will continue to do so.

As the recognised and representative union for the last 7 years or more, it worked in unison with the United Forum for improving the condition of the workers and achieving more and more demands. The Wage revision of 2007 and the New Promotion Policy for Non-Executives have been /path-breaking and appreciated by the entire workers, especially in the challenging times when the company is in financial difficulties. Even those few who opposed the above on their own compulsions had to agree the benefits of the above, when they were implemented and the benefits were actually experienced. BSNLEU will continue its efforts to improve the benefits of the workers.

BSNLEU is connected with the main trade union stream of the country. It has been a party to all the struggles organised by the Central Trade Unions, Platform of Mass Organisations etc. in the past. It will continue to do so. BSNLEU is also connected with the Trade Union International and the World federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).  It has to take more and more effective role in the above.

All these and more will be discussed in the next AIC and necessary decisions taken. For that everybody including the CHQ, Circles, SSAs, Branches and all the workers have to prepare and come with their suggestions and opinions for the better.

Let us make the Ludhiana AIC another milestone in the progress of our Forward March!

Cambridge – the centre of learning

03 Tuesday Jul 2012

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Cambridge and Oxford are two universities in UK which are known world over for their excellence as centres of learning. I got the opportunity to visit the former yesterday, 2nd June 2012. Along with my son and wife, I visited the Cambridge city. In fact, the city really means the Cambridge University and the 31 colleges connected with it. After reaching there, my son went to his office and my wife and myself went to see the town.

We boarded a city bus and toured the entire city which is not very big. The town is full of colleges and connected institutions. Some of the colleges are functioning for the last three to four hundred years.   A few of them are from 13th century onwards.  Kings College, Queens College, Trinity etc. are some of the well known ones.  Some of these colleges are named after famous personalities like Charles Darwin, Churchill etc.   Jawaharlal Nehru studied in Trinity College. There are a large number of students from India even now. Many of the top leaders in India have studied in these colleges. The city has got  some very old churches also.

There is a cemetary of thousands of US soldiers who were killed during the Second World War ( 1941-45) defending Britain from the attack of German planes. Just like the cemetery in Kohima, all these tombs are named with the name of the victims, their designation and the unit they worked at the time of the war.  The cemetery is maintained by the US government.

There is a good museum of the university, but we could not visit the same.

Anyway, we got the chance to see the town and get in to the spirit of learning.