FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS / ASSOCIATIONS

D-7, Telegraph Place, Gole Market, New Delhi – 110 001.

Press Release                                                                                                06^th January, 2015

Massive three days dharna by BSNL employees

Thousands of BSNL employees sat on dharna to day, 6th January, in front of the offices/exchanges of BSNL demanding immediate action to provide mobile equipments, broadband modem, cables etc. as also installation of BTS/Towers to enable the employees to provide a better service to the customers. The call for organising three day dharna from 6^th to 8^th January was given by the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations which is the umbrella organisation of the unions and associations in BSNL.

This is part of the agitational programmes planned by the Forum for improvement of services as also to pressurize the management and the government to take necessary steps to revive BSNL. The entire cash balance of BSNL of more than Rs.40,000 crore has been taken over by the government in the name of a notional loan, high charges for spectrum compared to the charges taken from private companies, dividend etc. leaving BSNL without any funds for purchase of equipments. Even after surrendering the spectrum two years back, the refund of more than Rs. 6,000 crore to BSNL is yet to be paid. An amount  Rs. 1,250 crore allotted from USO Fund for 2012-13 for the loss incurred by BSNL for providing connections in rural area, according to the policy of the government to provide universal connectivity, is yet to be paid. The government which continues to assure that it will not allow BSNL to die, is in fact planning everything to destroy its own company, in order to favour the private companies, who have donated large funds to the election of the ruling and the main opposition party. It is also reported  that some of the ministers in the UPA and NDA governments  have been the advocates of the private telecom companies, before joining the Cabinet and have received hefty sums from them.

BSNL is not having a regular CMD for almost an year. Two important posts of Directors are also vacant. The Forum demands that these posts be filled up immediately so that there will some governance at least. Fresh recruitment is necessary since more than 1,30,000 employees have retired without any substitute. The BSNL Management with ITS officers, who are on permanent deputation from government, at its helm, has no commitment or interest to take the company to better heights. Their commitment to the BSNL can be measured by the fact that a few hundreds of them have joined the rival private telecom companies immediately after their retirement from service, without even waiting for the cooling period to end. Though decision was taken to recruit Management Trainees, the process is yet to be completed.

It is in this context that the Forum of BSNL unions/associations has decided to organise action programmes, including 3 days dharna from 6^th to 8^th January 2015, a Parliament March on 25^th February, Memorandum to Prime Minister and Indefinite Strike from 17^th March 2015, if the demands are not settled. Despite notice issued to Secretary, DOT and CMD BSNL, with copy to the Communications Minister, none of them have even called the unions/associations for a discussion in the matter. It is under these circumstances that the Forum has been compelled to continue with its action programmes.

The dharna with massive participation have been organised in all the SSAs and CGM Offices, with a total participation of more than 20,000 workers. In New Delhi, the dharna was organised in front of the BSNL Corporate office, with the participation of more than 300 employees. It was inaugurated by V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener of the Forum and was addressed by P.Abhimanyu (BSNLEU), Islam Ahmed (NFTE), K.Sebastin (SNEA), Prahlad Rai (AIBSNLEA), Jayaprakash (FNTO) and other leaders. The dharna will continue for two more days.

V.A.N.Namboodiri

Convener  Mob: 09868231431