MEETING WITH PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON LABOUR ON 15^TH FEBRUARY,2015, KOLKATA

A Meeting with Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour was held on 15^th February,2015 in Kolkata.  After meeting with BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation on 29^th September,2014 in Parliament Annex Building, New Delhi, the said Committee visited in Kolkata, West Bengal on 15^th February as per our complaints regarding Contract and Casual Labourers issues. Comrade, Animesh Mitra, Vice President of BSNLCCWF and  Subhashis Roy, Assit. Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Calcutta Telephones, Comrade, Tapas Kumar Ghosh, Secretary General, BSNLCCWF and Circle Secretary, BSNL Casual Mazdoor Union. West Bengal Circle, Arup Sarkar, Circle Secretary, Calcutta Telephones Thika Mazdoor Union, Omprakash Singh , Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Telecom Factory, Shekhar Bhattacharya, BSNLEU, Telecom Factory and others unions were present in the meeting. Comrade Animesh Mitra explained ins and outs of the condition of the Casual and Contract labourers who have been working last 15 to 30 years in BSNL (the then DoT). He mentioned despite of the agreement between Department of Telecommunication, Government of India and Service Unions at the formation of BSNL, all casual labourers will be regularized. But, after formation of BSNL, 15 years have been elapsed by BSNL on the different pleas on different times. He also mentioned that Casual and Contract workers have been performing the same and similar jobs of regular staffs but wages are not being paid on the basis of the minimum pay scale of the BSNL. He also mentioned that casual and contract labourers are entitled to get the social security measures EPF, ESI,  gratuity, House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance, increment etc. but BSNL are not paying the same till date.  As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court interim Judgement in 2009 in Eastern Telecom Region (ETR),  casual labourers have been conferred  to the Temporary Status Mazdoor (TSMs) which was framed and introduced by Department of Telecommunication, GoI  in 1989. Same and similar Casual labourers are also entitled to get the TSM status as per recommendation of the Chief General Manager Telecom (Circle Head)  but BSNL has not given the same on plea of the Hon’ble Supreme Court judgement in 2006. He also mentioned the reinstatement of the retrenched workers who had been working under Telecom Factory since the birth day of Telecom Factory. Then Tapas Kumar Ghosh, Omprakash Singh, Arup Sarkar highlighted also the burning problems of the contract and casual and contract workers.