Monthly Archives: November 2012

Exempt BSNL and MTNL from charging for extra-spectrum

09 Friday Nov 2012

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According to the Cabinet decision on the recommendations of the Empowered Group of Ministers(EGoM) yesterday,  an amount of Rs.31,000 crore will be charged from the telecom operators as a onetime charge  towards the cost for the extra spectrum of more than 4.4 MHZ available with them.  Out of this, an amount of Rs. 10,890 crores ( by another calculation Rs. 11,818 crores) is to be paid by the BSNL and MTNL, the Public Sector companies. By any calculation, this amount to be paid by these PSUs for  pan India presence is much more than being charged from the private telecom companies like Airtel, Vodaphone etc. which comes to only Rs. 5,000 crore or less. This is completely discriminatory and unjustified.

Further, both these PSUs are in loss for the last three years, especially by the loss incurred for providing connections  in villages and rural areas in implementation of the universal service obligation and social commitment of the government. Private companies shirk away from providing connections in these remote areas due to the heavy loss that will be incurred. Both the PSUs are not in a position to pay these hefty charges also.

As such, the Joint  Forum of BSNL & MTNL Unions/Associations demands the Government to waive the charges for extra spectrum  from the BSNL and MTNL  and allow them to hold the extra spectrum in the interest of the nation.

Cabinet decision on spectrum issues.

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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The government has once again succumbed to the pressure of the private companies. They are now allowed to share spectrum with other companies. This was one of the demands of the private companies.

In fact Airtel, Vodafone etc. had already given service to all of India, even though it they did not have license for the same. The private telcos did not auction for all circles, but shared the spectrum  amongst them making a kind of cartel to cheat the government and people also. DOT had asked the companies to stop this illegal practice.

The present decision will help the private companies.  BSNL which had Rs. 10,000 crore for all over India licence will be  at heavy loss.

Another decision taken by the Cabinet today is that the companies will have to pay a one time charge, which will be found out after the 2012 auction. BSNL and MTNL will have to remit an amount of Rs.10,890  as per government calculation. The Joint Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations  as also the BSNL and MTNL management has asked to waive this one time payment, since both PSUs are in loss for the last two years. But as per the press report no concession is given to BSNL & MTNL. It will be only justice if the BSNL and MTNL is excused from paying this amount.

Again mobile subscriber base gone down in September 2012

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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For the third consecutive month, the mobile subscriber base in India has gone down.  The subscriber base was reduced from 908.36 millions in August 2012 to 906.62 millions in September.  Within one month 17.4 lakh connections have been reduced.

At the same time BSNL added 3.93 lakh additional connections.  After Air-tel, BSNL added more connections.

CPSEs demand more autonomy in running the PSUs

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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The CMDs of the central PSUs have demanded the Heavy Industries Ministry to grant more autonomy and powers to the PSUs to run the organisations effectively. This is fully justified since on most of the issues there is acute delay in getting the nod of the government on many important issues.

It is not sufficient. The unnecessary intervention of the government in the normal running of the PSUs should be reduced. How the 45 million GSM tender and the 95 million tender in BSNL was cancelled due to the intervention of the government is well-known.

Instead of taking all the surplus cash of the PSUs by the government, it should be able to accept the suggestion of the PSUs for further development and expansion.

Red Salute to Com. Samar Mukherjee on his 100th Birthe Day!

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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The living legend CPI(M) leader Com. Samar Mukherjee had his 100th Birth Day on 7th November 2012. A comrade who have been a an energetic Member of Parliament, who took up many important issues of the workers and people, a member of the Politburo of CPI(M) and  respected  by all  has reached the centenary year. He was felicitated in a meeting held at Kolkata attended by senior leaders of the party and many others. Usually, CPI(M) does not  organise birthday celebrations and this was as exception.

I had the opportunities to meet Com. Samar Mukherjee on a few occasions. While he was staying at the Parliamentary Party Office, New Delhi, I met him requesting to take up some issues of the telecom workers in the Parliament. He took up the matter immediately. He was so simple in his manners and I felt no difficulty in interacting with him.

My Best Wishes and Greetings to Com. Samar Mukherjee! Wish him many returns of the Day!

Maruti Workers on Hunger Strike

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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The real picture of the conspiracy of the Haryana Govt and the Maruti Management is exposed now. They were claiming that there was no victimisation of the Maruti workers for the earlier agitations conducted by the employees.

Yesterday the Maruti workers started Hunger Strike at the Mini Secretariat at Gurgaon demanding reinstatement of the sacked workers and release of the 147 workers who are in jail in connection with the earlier agitation. The workers in the jail are also refusing to take food. The police manhandled the workers when they were making arrangements for the hunger strike. It was only after the Central Trade Unions like CITU and AITUC intervened that they were allowed to sit in hunger strike. Despite the intervention a few leaders of the union were taken in to custody and were not released till evening yesterday.

While labour laws and Industrial Disputes Act etc. are there to deal with strikes and such other agitations, the Haryana Government in collaboration with the Maruti Management is dismissing, jailing and victimising the workers. Even the right to protest is being suppressed.  This is what is happening in the neo-liberalisation era. Corporates and employers are given full freedom to do whatever they want. The entire trade union movement in the country has to react against these anti-worker policies to defeat the same.

Meeting of Forum of BSNL Unions/Assns with CLC

07 Wednesday Nov 2012

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As scheduled the joint discussion by the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) with the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations and BSNL management was held today. Both sides expressed their view points in the matter of repatriation of the non-opted  ITS officers to DOT. The meeting is postponed to 3rd January 2013  for further hearing.

The case in the Delhi High Court has been postponed to 18th December 2012 with direction to the BSNL management to repatriated the non-optee ITS officers to DOT before 15 th December. The management wanted 10 years to complete the repatriation in a progressive way. The court did not accept the proposal.

Victory of Socialist Revolution in USSR

06 Tuesday Nov 2012

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95 years have passed after the successful socialist revolution in Russia. Later the USSR was formed and for about 60 years the USSR matched in all respects with the USA and even surpassed in many areas. The collapse of the USSR in the eighties completely changed the political balance of the world.

During those 60 years, USSR assisted in the liberation of many countries, including India, from the colonial masters and helped them to grow and develop infrastructure. It could stop the US attack on Communist Cuba more than once. The so called invincible war machine of Hitler has to eat dust before the Red Army of the Soviet Union and completely surrender.USSR’s role in the success of the allies is appreciated worldwide.

In the march of time some times such things as collapse of the Soviet Union happens. But the setback is temporary. The mankind will certainly march ahead to socialism and communism in the long run. That is what history has taught us.

CLC meets of BSNL Unions/Assns for discussions on ITS issue

06 Tuesday Nov 2012

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The Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) has called the BSNL Management and the Foru of BSNL Unions/Associations for joint discussion regarding the proposed agitation by the workers on the  repatriation issue of ITS officers. The meeting will be held at Shram Shakti Bhawan at 04.00 PM on 7th November 2012.

The third face of the agitation, one week Hunger Strike was over by 3rd November. The Non-cooperation is continuing. The next programme is massive joint demonstration in Delhi and Mumbai jointly by the unions/associations both in BSNL and MTNL.  This the decision taken by the BSNL and MTNL Unions/Associations after the MTNL Unions after the MTNL Unions also joined in the agitation.

The next step is the March to Parliament by the BSNL and MTNL workers under the leadership of the Forum on 22nd November, on the first day of the Winter Session of the Parliament.  Massive preparations are going on for the success of the Parliament March.

 

Conduct VI Membership Verification without delay

06 Tuesday Nov 2012

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The V Membership Verification in BSNL for recognition of the majority union was conducted on 1st February 2011, result declared on 4th February and the recognition granted to the majority union, BSNL Employees Union, on 14th February. The period of recognition is for two years from 14th February 2011 to 13th February 2013. Hence the VI Membership Verification should be conducted in such a way as to ensure that there is no vacuum after 13th February 2013, without any recognised union after 13th February 2013 to represent the problems of the workers.

Today is 6th November 2012 and there are only three months left for the completion of the VI Membership Verification. It took more than four months for the verification process  last time from 16th September 2010, on which date the meeting of all unions were held to finalise the dates of the verification. The letter calling for nomination of unions for participation in the verification was issued on 01-10-2010 and notification for conduct of verification issued on 01-12-2010 and election conducted on 1st February 2011. It took four and half months last time. Now there are only four months left for the process.

BSNLEU demanded for change of rules so that proportionate representation can be ensured. But no progress has been made in the matter. BSNLEU cannot wait for more time since the recognition will be over by 13th February 2013. As such BSNLEU has no other option but demand the management to start the process of Membership Verification immediately. And as per the decision of the Central secretariat meeting of the union held today,  the union has demanded the management to start the process immediately. The United Forum partners have also agreed to the decision of the BSNLEU.

The time has come to organise the campaign for the VI Membership Verification in right earnest. As at present BSNLEU has full confidence in the workers that they will support BSNLEU which has sincerely taken up the issues of the workers, fought for the defence of BSNL, and won many achievements for the BSNL workers.