30 Friday Nov 2012
Posted in Neo-liberal policy
Tags
As part of the government policy, NBCC and Hindustan copper Limited have been disinvested this year by 10% and 5.58% respectively. Government got Rs. 124.97 crore from the first and Rs.807.02 crore from the second, a total of Rs. 931.99 crore. This was stated by the finance Minister P.Chidambaram to a question in the Parliament.
This Government will disinvest and sell al the PSU, the assets of the nation, one after the other if the people are not vigilant.
29 Thursday Nov 2012
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
The Central Executive Committee of BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation held at Hazaribagh on 3rd November 2012 has given call to organise March to GM Offices on 12th December 2012 all over the country demanding settlement of the long pending issues of the casual and contract workers in BSNL like Regularisation of Casual Labour and TSM, Wages on IDA basis to casual labour, Minimum Wage to Contract Workers, Implementation of Social Security Measures etc. Despite clear orders by Government and Corporate Management on many of these issues, all are more violated than implemented at the field level. The workers are inhumanly exploited and their rights denied. BSNL Management refuses regularisation on flimsy pleas. The CEC of BSNLCCWF, considering all these has decided to resort to agitational programmes.
The first programme is the March to GM’s Office on 12th December. In January 2013, March to CGM’s office will be organised, the date for which will be decided by the Circle Union.
BSNL Employees union has fully supported and extended solidarity to the programme. The March is to be organised in consultation with BSNLEU at the field level.
Struggle for Unity, Unity for Struggle and Unity and Struggle for progress!
29 Thursday Nov 2012
Posted in General
The inhuman economic blockade of Cuba started by US in 1962 is still continuing causing irreparable loss and damage to the people of Cuba. Despite the large majority of the countries have condemned the US for the blockade, the US Government is not prepared to lift the unjustified and barbaric blockade. The recent session of the UN General Assembly with huge majority once again condemned US for the blockade. There were only two countries to support the US – Israel and Palau. Two other countries – Micronesia and Marshall Island abstained. Except these five countries, including US, all other countries unequivocally condemned the blockade.
Cuban people are put to acute sufferings due to the blockade. Due to the US blockade, other countries are not allowed to do business and trade with this small island nation. It is estimated that Cuba has lost more than 1,066 trillion dollars due to the blockade. The health care and the agricultural sector are seriously affected. Foodstuff has to be purchased from distant countries resulting in very high expenditure. The crime of Cuba is that it achieved its independence defeating the imperialist forces and adopted the socialist path.
Cuba’s five young men are in US jails. Their only crime is that they exposed certain secret missions of the US and its henchmen to attack Cuba and capture the country. It is the fundamental right and duty of all to ensure the safety of their mother/fatherland. That only is what they did.
The people all over the world are demanding that the blockade of Cuba be lifted and the Cuban Five are released. The US should accept the world opinion and end the blockade and free the Cuban Five.
29 Thursday Nov 2012
Posted in TU News - India
The ‘mahapadav’ of more than 50000 ‘scheme workers’ , most of them women, including anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHAs, mid day meal workers, Child Labour Project teachers, Krishak Sathis, para teachers, Sakti Sahayikas, Yashodas/ Mamathas, IKP Animators, Grameen Rojgar Sevaks, etc has started at Jantar Mantar at 11.00 AM on 26th November 2012.
These 50000 workers are here to highlight the common demands of the around 1 crore ‘scheme workers’ employed in different schemes/ programmes of the government of India – recognition as workers, minimum wages, social security benefits and regularisation, raising the slogan – ‘No to honorarium or Incentive; we demand Minimum Wages and Social Security Benefits’
These workers have come from all over the country including from far off states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, and also from Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to all the ‘Hindi speaking’ states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Delhi with the largest contingents coming from Haryana and Punjab.
Around 10000 ‘scheme workers’ from far off places who have reached the national capital earlier and were camping at Ramlila Maidan marched in an attractive and disciplined procession to Jantar Mantar while all the others reached Jantar Mantar directly.
Hemalata, secretary, CITU welcomed this unprecedented mobilisation of ‘scheme workers’ being organised by Centre of Indian Trade Unions. Tapan Sen, MP and general secretary of CITU inaugurated the ‘mahapadav’ while AK Padmanabhan, presided. National office bearers of CITU, Neelima Maitra and AR Sindhu, president and general secretary of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers and state level leaders of ASHAs, mid day meal workers were on the dais.
Addressing the gathering AK Padmanabhan called upon all the scheme workers to unitedly fight against the neoliberal policies of the government which led to increasing exploitation of all workers. He called upon them to join with all the other sections of the workers to intensify the struggle against these policies.
Inaugurating the ‘mahapadav’, Tapan Sen said the government of India was committing a fraud upon the people through its inhuman exploitation of the workers who were providing the most important services related to health, education, food and nutrition for the people, particularly for the poor women and children. The workers who contributed to the human development of the country were forced to starve and suffer because of this atrocious attitude of the government which called them ‘social workers’, ‘activists’, ‘friends’, ‘guests’ etc just to deny them the status of workers.
Tapan Sen demanded that these services should be provided as rights and entitlements to all the citizens and not through ‘schemes’ and ‘programmes’ which can be withdrawn any time as per the whims and fancies of the government of the day and that all the workers in different government schemes should be recognised as workers with all the attendant benefits including minimum wages and social security benefits.
A team of 11 CITU leaders including Hemalata, Varalakshmi, national secretaries, Mercy Kutti Amma, vice president of CITU, Surender Malik, Pramod Pradhan, Prem Nath Rai, general secretaries of the state committees of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh respectively, Uma Maheswara Rao, Tapan Sharma, Gajendra Jha and Radha Raman Sarangi, office bearers of the Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh and Odisha state committees of CITU and Deven Patel, leader of the state government employees and anganwadi employees in Chattisgarh started a fast for two days, during the duration of the ‘mahapadav’ in solidarity with the demands of the ‘scheme workers’.
AR Sindhu, general secretary of AIFAWH said that the exploitation of the ‘scheme workers’ was the biggest scam in the country. Ranjana Nirula, treasurer of CITU and convenor of the all India coordination committee of ASHAS criticised the government for exploiting the services of lakhs of women workers on the name of ‘social work’. Neelima Maitra, president of AIFAWH spoke on the need of all scheme workers to come together. (Courtsey: Ganashakti)
28 Wednesday Nov 2012
Posted in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners
Tags
The Circle Conferences of the Kolkatta and W.Bengal AIBDPA and the Joint Convention of the two circles were held from 26th to 28th November 2012 at Kolkata. The circle Conference of Kolkata was on 26th ,W.Bengal on 28th and the joint convention on 27th November.
The Joint Convention was held on 27th at the CTO Conference Hall. The Hall was not only full, but many comrades were standing outside. Except a few leaders of BSNLEU etc. all others were the DOT-BSNL retirees. A good number of women pensioners were also present.
The Convention was presided over by Coms. Ananta Bhattacharjee and P.Rai, President of Kolkata and Vice-President of W.Bengal Circle Unions of AIBDPA. Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU & Advisor AIBDPA, .K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary,AIBDPA, S.S.Ray, Secretary Co-Ordn. Committee, Animesh Mitra, Dy. GS & Circle Secretary, BSNLEU W.B.Circle, Saibal Sen Gupta,AGS & Circle Secretary, Kolkata, Om Prakash Singh, Circle secretary, Telecom Factory, Adhir Kumar sen, Circle secretary, Telecom Stores, ( all BSNLEU), Supriyo Mitra, Circle Secretary, Kolkata, Susantha Ghosh, Circle Secretary, W.B.Circle, D. Basu, Circle Secretary CORTO and Prasun Upadhyaya addressed and greeted the convention. spoke. Other senior comrades like Pabitra Chakroborty, Dilip Das, Mihir Dasgupta were also present. Shri C.K.Maithi, CGM, Kolkata also greeted the convention.All the speakers congratulated AIBDPA
Comrades Ananata Bhattacharjee and Supriyo Mitra have been re-elected as President and Circle Secretary of Kolkata telephone Circle. Comrades Dipen Mitra and Susantha Ghosh have been re-elected as Circle President and Circle Secretary of W.Bengal circle.
for its growth and activities.
28 Wednesday Nov 2012
Posted in 2G Scam Corruption
Tags
The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Telecom is expected to meet today, 28th November. It is also reported that the meeting may consider the question of another auction for the spectrum in the new year.
It seems that the last auction of spectrum was a well planned drama by the government and the private telecom companies. The Supreme Court had given directions for all the available spectrum to be auctioned. Then why the government has put to auction only a small portion of the spectrum? As the Supreme court has questioned yesterday, why all the spectrum was not auctioned? It is clear that all the private companies have organised a cartel to ensure that the auction is failed.
The government’s intentions are really suspect. It has to explain.
26 Monday Nov 2012
Posted in General
The UPA-II government is facing stiff opposition on its decision for 50 % FDI in multi-brand retail which will seal the fate of more than 4 crore small traders and their families. The government has become so obessed with the reforms and neo-liberalisation policies that it has become blind to the miseries of the people that the policies will impose on them.
It is the duty of the opposition and also the UPA’s allies to defeat the government’s attack on the people. They should unite and defeat the government’s game.
25 Sunday Nov 2012
Posted in Corruption, Uncategorized
Bharti-Walmart charged with bribery in India.
The Multinational Walmart and its Indian Associate Bharti Enterprises have been charged with bribery in India. Walmart operations in Brazil and China are also involved in bribery charges. Certain top officers of the company have been suspended in this connection by the company. Of course, the charges are by the US government and not by India.
In India, bribery is accepted as normal by the government and no company is being charged with the same. Those who receive bribe are punishable, but as we are seeing, not even 10% of the culprits are punished.
The fight against corruption is one of the most important tasks to be attended to urgently. And please note, that the central government is aggressively putting red carpet for the Walmart & other such MNCs.
25 Sunday Nov 2012
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
It is reported that the government is considering to look in to the issue of national security concern of the telecom services provided using the equipments of chinese companies, ZTE and Huwai. The Economic Affairs Secretary is reported to have written to the DOT suggesting that the matter be brought to the notice of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for taking a decision. The companies have stated that they are complying with all rules of the government and denied the charges. The new move from the government seems to have started from the report of the US that the Chinese companies are a threat.
The government should of course enquire in the matter if there is any national security concern for India. But the warning from the US seems to have been started due to business concerns more than National security.
24 Saturday Nov 2012
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
The Joint Forum of BSNL & MTNL leaders readily available met Dr. Smt. Kruparani Killi, Minister of State Communications today and submitted a detailed memorandum on the ITS repatriation issue and requested to take necessary action repatriation of the non-optee ITS officers or allow permanent deputation for all employees as being proposed for the ITS officers. The Minister heard the leaders patiently and stated that she will look in to the matter.
The delegation included Coms. V.A.N.namboodiri, Convener, Joint Forum, K.Sebastin GS SNEA, A.K.Kaushik, GS, TEAM and Sunil Kumar MTNLMEA
