08 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in TU News - India
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The hundreds of Kingfisher workers who were on hunger strike demanding salary for the last one year has ended the same after discussion with the CEO of Kingfisher Sanjay Aggerwal. It is hoped that the pending salary will be paid without further delay.
07 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in TU News - India, Uncategorized
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The 9th Federal Council of the National Federation of Postal Employees is scheduled to be held from 9th to 12th June at Hyderabad. NFPTE which was formed in 1954 got bifurcated in 1985 in to NFPE and NFTE consequent to the bifurcation of the P&T in to Postal and Telecommunication Departments. While the service section of the Department of Telecom was converted in to a PSU, BSNL, the Department of Posts continued as such and NFPE also continued. The present Federal Council of NFPE is the 9th after its formation.
NFPTE has a glorious past organising many historic struggles for the interest of the Central Government employees and specially for the P&T employees. NFPE as also BSNLEU is continuing with this great tradition.
On behalf of BSNLEU and on my own behalf, I convey Best Wishes for the success of the Federal Council and Revolutionary Greetings to all the comrades !
07 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
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Comm.G.K.Padmanabhan, former Secretary General FNPO, passed away at New Delhi on 6th June 2013. He was a capable leader who had good relations with all.
I pay my respectful homage to the departed leader and convey my heartfelt condolence to the family, friends and comrades!
07 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in General
I was reading a book on Rudyard Kipling, the celebrated writer who lived in India during the British Raj and wrote a lot about India and well-known as the author of the “Jungle Book”.
Many interesting facts about the British India can be found in the book. It is stated that in the early stages of the British Rule, the term ‘Indian’ was meant for the British living in India. The Indian people were called as ‘natives’. This terms gradually changed after the First War of Independence, Sepoy Mutiny according to British. The ‘Indian’ was changed to ‘Anglo-Indian’ and ‘native’ to ‘nigger’.
It is stated that small children were generally entrusted to ‘ayahs’ to look after, who were Indian women. The children were even breast-fed by the ayahs and were much more attached to the ayahs than to their parents, who were mostly engaged with their jobs and social functions.
With regrd to the name of Bombay, it is stated that the old name was Mumbai. It was the Portugese, who reached there for business in the end of the 15th century , who gave the name ‘Bom Bhai’ (Good Bay) which became Bombay. And now the name is restored to ‘Mumbai’ itself.
07 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in TU News - India
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Hundreds of workers of Kingfisher held a silent protest before its Mumbai Office yesterday against non-payment of salaries since July2012. They demanded immediate payment of salary. While the workers are in extreme difficulties due to non-receipt of salary for the last one year, its owner Vijay Mallaya is going on foreign tour for the Formula I Championship, of which he is a part-owner.
The workers have held a hunger strike a few days back. Many workers from out stations are also participating in the agitational programmes.
While the workers are in the streets to get their wages, the owner is in preparation to enjoy festivals and tournaments. The government and Labour Department stand as mute spectators.
06 Thursday Jun 2013
Posted in Telecom
While speaking at a function at IIT Rourkee, Kapil Sibal, Communication Minister emphasised the need for hiring top scientists in institutions like IIT. He stated the need for IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) in the field of technology. He also stated the need for desired pay scales.
“Pick up research people of excellence from around the world. Bring them into your institutions. We now have system put in place that allows you to do that. Give them the scales of salary that you want…Young Indians around the world are very keen to come back to India,” Communications Minister said.
I am very happy that the Minister has been frank enough to say the above. But what is happening in his own Ministry, Communications? What is the present position of the C-DOT, which was one of the best R&D institutions in the country, which invented and installed the C-DOT exchanges throughout the country, which still works efficiently. Are sufficient funds allotted to it, at least now? How many young engineers have left it in the last two decades?
Let us hope that the MInister will implement his own words in his own ministry. Let him also take necessary steps to modernise the BSNL Telecom Factories which will help in manufacturing many equipments required for telecom services. ITI is another PSU which can be revived.
06 Thursday Jun 2013
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
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The leaders of the Forum of BSNL Unions & Associations met the Secretary, DOT and presented the copy of the Memorandum submitted to the Finance Minister, Chairman of the Group of Ministers ‘On Revival of BSNL & MTNL’ and demanded for favourable consideration of the points raised by the Forum.
The leaders also raised the issue of 78.2% IDA fitment and requested for issue of early approval and orders.
Secretary, DOT agreed to look in to the matter expeditiously. His attitude was positive. He stated that he may be contacted again by tomorrow.
BSNL workers are requested to fully prepare for the Indefinite strike from 12th June 2013. If the issue is not settled before 12th, the management and DOT will have to face the wrath of the 2,55,000 BSNL workers who are going to hit back.
06 Thursday Jun 2013
Posted in Telecom
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It is reported by PTI that the government may introduce Unified Licensing regime in telecom sector that will enable the users to get mobile, landline, DTH and cable TV services from a single service provider without the latter necessarily owning the full infrastructure. The Secretary, Telecom M.F.Farooqui said that the unified licence is likely to come within a month. According to the proposal operators will be able to provide all telecom services with one licence. However, spectrum licence will be separate.
It is felt that the users will get benefit out of the new decision. However, the details are yet to be understood.
06 Thursday Jun 2013
Posted in BSNL News
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The Government of India has issued a Press Note on 4th June stating that PSUs which had made wage agreement for 5 years can have the next wage revision for the non-executives with effect from 01-01-2012, with certain conditions. A copy of the same is given below:
| Policy for wage negotiations for workmen in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) |
| “The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal for permitting the management of Central Public Service Enterprises (CPSEs) to initiate wage negotiations generally effective from 01.01.2012, subject to the condition that negotiated scales of pay would not come in conflict with existing scales of pay of executives / officers and non-unionized supervisors of the respective CPSEs. This will benefit workmen of those CPSEs which opted for 5 years of wage settlement w.e.f. 01.01.2007 and they can now go for another wage negotiation for 5 years w.e.f. 01.01.2012.
Background : There are 260 CPSEs in the country employing 13.98 lakh persons (2.74 lakh executives, 0.31 lakh non-unionized supervisors and 10.93 lakh unionized supervisors and workmen) as on 31.3.2012.” |
This is an achievement due to the continued struggles of the PSU workers. In BSNL, BSNLEU, the recognised union, insisted for a 5 years wage negotiation at the time of the last negotiation itself. It has raised the demand later also. In the Central Executive Committee to be held at Kolkata in July 7-9, both the Wage Revision from 01-01-2012 and Merger of 50% IDA are notified as main agendas. BSNLEU will insist that the 5 year period wage revision should be implemented in BSNL.
05 Wednesday Jun 2013
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
The Group of Ministers (GoM) appointed to recommend on the revival of BSNL & MTNL and headed by Finance Minister P.Chidmbaram, is scheduled to meet on 11th June as per media reports.
The Forum of BSNL Unions & Associations have already submitted its memorandum to the GoM, as also to the Prime Minister, Communications Minister, DOT and CMD BSNL. Forum has approached the leaders of political parties as also many Members of Parliament to get support to the proposals.
Since the meeting of the GoM is now fixed for 11th June 2013, all the Circle and District Secretaries of BSNL Unions & Associations are reminded to meet the MPs of their constituency, give a copy of the Memorandum and request to take up the issue with Finance Minister and the government for acceptance and implementation of the same. Our comrades should take this responsibility seriously.
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