Monthly Archives: November 2014

Don’t Privatise Public Sector Companies, Central Trade Unions.

19 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Corruption, Forum, General

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New Delhi, Nov 19 : Condemning the centre’s move to hand over DVC Thermal Plant to a private sector company, Central Trade Unions today said that government should “desist” from giving PSUs and public funds to private sector for promoting “private gains”.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) alleged that the move was a “virtual” gift of a newly constructed Public Sector Power Plant to private Sector by “frittering” away public funds for private interest and demanded that such a move to should be taken back.

“CITU deplores such move and demands that the decision taken by the DVC Board at the direction of Government of India must be reversed and the Power Plant must remain in the Public Sector under DVC.

“CITU also demands that the government must desist from such handing over of public sector units and public funds to private sector for promoting private gains,” it said in a statement.

CITU said that the Central Public Sector Undertaking (DVC) has set up a thermal power plant in the district of Purulia, West Bengal — Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station.

The first unit of this thermal power plant whose capacity is 600 MW has already been commissioned. Construction of the second phase of this project has already started whose capacity will be 1200 MW.

DVC has already spent more than Rs 6,000 crores for the construction of the first phase of the project and 900 acres of land was acquired by the state government and handed over to the DVC for the construction of the Power Plant.

“The Central Government has now decided to hand over the Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station to the private sector Tata Power. This is nothing, but virtual gift of a newly constructed Public Sector Power Plant to private Sector by frittering away public funds for private interest,” the statement said.

The Central Trade Unions also questioned that when DVC has the capacity and capability to run this unit why it is being handed over to Tata?

“The land was acquired for DVC’s project and not for the Tata. The decision to hand over the Public Sector Unit to a private sector company is in accordance with the policy of the present government,” it said. (PTI)

 

Sanchar Bhawan March by BSNL-DOT Pensioners

19 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

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Tomorrow, 20th November 2014, hundreds of BSNL and DOT Pensioners will be participating in the Sanchar Bhawan March as per the call of the All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA), demanding settlement of their long pending demands including 78.2% IDA fixation for pensioners.

The March will start from the Eastern Court Office, which accommodates Corporate office also, and through the streets will march towards Sanchar Bhawan, the head quarters of DOT. The same will be addressed by Com. S.K.Vyas, Secretary General NCCPA and BCPC and one of the veteran leader of the Pensioners organisations. K.K.N.Kutty, Chairman, Confederation and other leaders of Central employees associations and PSU organisations will address.

All Pensioners are requested to participate in the March.

Forum serves Strike Notice to CMD BSNL and Secretary DOT

19 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Forum

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Today, 19th November 2014, the representatives of the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations, met Shri A.N. Rai, CMD BSNL  and served the Notice for Indefinite Strike w.e.f. 3rd February 2015. The representatives pointed out that urgent steps are required to be taken to improve the services and also for expansion and development.

The strike notice was also served on the Secretary, DOT.

The 20 demands included in the Strike notice, if settled, will improve the financial position of BSNL and improve the serices.

Massive Rally by Greece Workers in Athens

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in TU News - International

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AFP

Athens, Nov 18 Some 32,000 people took to the
streets of Greece to mark the 41st anniversary of a deadly
student uprising that sparked the country’s return to
democracy in the 1970s.
As the march that officials said drew 18,000 people in
Athens was winding down yesterday, the 7,000-strong police
contingent used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a crowd
burning American and European Union flags in front of the US
embassy.
Some 14,000 demonstrators in Greece’s second largest city
Thessaloniki, who were watched over by 1,000 police, went home
peacefully.
The march, which is a left and labour union tradition in
Greece, commemorates the November 17, 1973 Athens Polytechnic
university student uprising against the then ruling military
dictatorship.
More than 20 people were killed in clashes that day, but
it marked the beginning of the end for the junta that had held
power since 1967, with democracy being restored seven months
later.
Each year the demonstrators march to the US embassy for a
protest to denounce the role US intelligence agents played in
the military dictatorship’s rise to power.
In recent years demonstrators have also used the
anniversary to voice opposition to the harsh austerity
measures imposed on Greece by its international creditors
after the global financial crisis.
“At a moment when the government is trying to remove all
sense of social justice through austerity measures, the
demands of the Polytechnic remain current,” the General
Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the country’s main
union, said in a statement.
Last week students clashed with security forces in front
of Athens Polytechnic over a decision by the head of the
University of Athens to shorten by one day the annual
three-day shutdown of the school for the uprising anniversary.

 

Reward for Adani – Rs. 6,100 crore funding from SBI

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

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Gautam Adani, the corporate from Gujarat, who has supported Modi with huge election funds is reaping the benefits. The SBI will be providing Rs. 6,100 crore funds for the Adani Company to start a coal and mining project in Australia. Australian Government also will part-fund the project. This has been agreed at the time of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Australia.

Adani group has been given huge benefits in acquiring land for its power projects in Gujarat, while Modi was the Chief Minister there.

‘Tough Steps’ to Improve Railways – Minister

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

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Now, it has become the fashion for the central ministers to issue statements about taking ‘tough’, ‘austere’ ‘unpopular’etc. measures to improve the government services. The latest statement comes from the Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha who stated at the India Rail Summit that, “Some tough steps will have to be taken for restructuring of railways. Though many will not like it but we have to do it.”

What are the tough steps? It is easy to understand. The FDI will be increased, staff strength will be reduced, VRS will be implemented, the profitable sectors will be privatised, the passenger and freight charges will be increased again and also disinvestment will take place. With the slogan ” Business is not the Business of the government” and in full steam to favour the  corporates and MNCs from whom huge election funds have been received, the BJP Government is certainly going to take ‘tough’steps against the people.

It is only through sustained struggle of the workers and common people that this attack on the people can be stopped. It is high time to strengthen the struggles.

 

 

TRAI pushing government to take over Spectrum with BSNL

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, PSU, Telecom

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Rahul Khullar, TRAI Chairman, is pressurising the government to take over 1.2 Mhz spectrum with the BSNL putting the argument that the private telecom companies require more spectrum and the spectrum taking over from BSNL can be given for auction, which will give the government about Rs. 15,000 – Rs. 20,000 crore. The present TRAI Chairman has been acting as a spokesman of the private companies, and putting the same before the government.

We strongly protest against the proposal of the TRAI Chairman suggesting vacation of spectrum by BSNL. This will only further weaken BSNL.  BSNL Management should immediately react and demand the government that no spectrum could be released.

 

Forum Finalises the Strike Notice, Unions/Associations signed

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Forum

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The strike notice for the Indefinite Strike from 3rd February 2014 is finalised and signed by most of the unions/associations today as decided earlier. A few unions are yet to sign and they have been intimated. It is proposed to serve the same tomorrow, 19th November, to CMD BSNL and Secretary, DOT.

General Secretaries of the Unions/Associations are requested to be present at 02.00 PM at Corporate office so that the notice can be served. Those general secretaries who are yet to sign may come and sign at 02.00 PM at C.O.

Massive Protests and Strikes in Italy

17 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by in TU News - International, WFTU

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Friday was a day of anti-government protests and strikes across Italy. While metalworkers’ FIOM Union staged a walkout in northern Italy, the base union COBAS called a 24-hour nationwide public transport industrial action, causing severe disruption in many Italian cities.

Smaller unions representing public sector researchers and private firm workers were also present in the strikes and demonstrations. And all of them were angry at the government’s labor reforms and harsh budget measures. Violence has been recorded in Padua and Milan. Several policemen were injured when a group of protesters tried to climb the Colosseum in Rome. While trains and buses have stopped running and planes have idled on tarmacs and much of Italy slipped into a state of temporary paralysis, thousands of students have gathered in central Rome to protest against the planned education reform. Students are accusing the government of wanting to destroy public free education, turning schools into factories for the job market. The Rome demonstration also featured people demanding greater social housing. Migrants and refugees were also angry about the government as well as the European Union’s migration policies which they described as draconian. (Courtesy: Ganashakti)

 

Utilise the Works Committee effectively.

17 Monday Nov 2014

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After strong demand  and also focusing the issue in the Seminar of the AIC BSNLEU in front of the BSNL Directors present, the BSNL Management has issued clear instructions to re-start the Works Committee as SSA level and hold the meetings immediately.

This opportunity should be used effectively by our union leaders. The difficulties being experienced in improving the services, including the shortage of equipment, staff crunch and other connected matters should be brought to the notice of the management. Your suggestions on improvement of services, development and expansion etc. should be taken with management and pressurise them to do the needful. Before the Works Committee meeting, the leaders should discuss with the workers in the field and take their suggestions also.

This is an opportunity to bring to the notice of the management what is to be done to improve services. We have to utilise the same to the maximum.