Monthly Archives: February 2017

BSNL All Unions / Associations decided to work one hour extra- An appropriate decision

10 Friday Feb 2017

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The decision of the meeting of All Unions / Associations in BSNL to work one hour extra every day to improve the services of BSNL is a very good decision. This is the end of the financial year and the improvement of service and financial condition will improve the future of BSNL employees.

The need of the hour is to ensure that the decision is fully implemented. Close co-ordination between the management and the workers is necessary for the same. All efforts should be made to give wide propaganda amongst the workers for getting the decision implemented.

Homage to Com. S.K.Vyas, the Legendary Leader of CG Employees

10 Friday Feb 2017

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Two years have passed since Com.S.K.Vyas, the legendary leader of the CG Employees, have passed away. He led the CG employees movement, as Secretary General of the Confederation for about six decades and the glorious struggles of 1968, 1974 and so on. He was simple and close to each and every employee. Many achievements are to his credit.

On his second death anniversary we pay respectful homage!

Attacks on Railways and Defence by Modi Government

08 Wednesday Feb 2017

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Modi Government is moving towards privatisation of railways and defence Production, which are national assets and have high security risk.An extract from the Website post of Confederation of CG Employees and Workers is given below for information. The Central Government employees are going on strike on 16th March 2017 on demands including the above as also against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC and demanding minimum wage etc.

ATTACK ON RAILWAYS.

After the Narendra Modi Government coming to power 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed in Railways. A committee headed by Sri Bibek Deb Roy , Member , NITI Ayog (National Institute for Transformation of India Ayog) was appointed for restructuring of Railways. The committee recommended complete privatisation of Railways. AIRF in its resolution adopted in the 92nd Annual Conference held at Allahabad from 8th to 10th December 2016, stated as follows:

“NDA Government assumed power on 26th May 2014. The General Body meeting of AIRF held on 3rd and 4th July 2016 at Chennai, decided to defer the strike decision to provide time to the new Government to settle and resolve grievances. But the same Government by a notification dated 22nd August 2014, decided to induct 100% FDI in Indian Railways, Defence establishments etc. The Government appointed a high level Railway Restructuring Committee, on 22nd September 2014, headed by Sri Bibek Deb Roy, for restructuring Railways. The same committee had drawn a road map for privatisation and went ahead gradually, despite all out protest by AIRF. ”

The merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget was one of the key recommendations on Bibek Deb Roy committee, as an important step towards privatisation of Railways. Government has implemented the decision from this year onwards, on top priority basis. It is also reported in the media that Government has decided to privatise heritage and tourist Railways like Kalka – Shimla, Siliguri – Darjeeling and Nilgiri (Ootty) railways. BIBEK DEB ROY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE BEGIN ING OF THE END OF THE GOVT OWNED INDIAN RAILWAYS.

To add insult to injury, the Railway Board has issued orders curtailing the basic trade union rights of Railway employees. AIRF circular issued on 2nd February 2017 reads as follows:
“In continuation of our earlier letter of even no. dated 1st February 2017, you are advised to observe “Black Day” on 6th February 2017 wearing black badges/ribbons, right from branch to zonal levels, at all important offices of your Railway administrations, DEMANDING WITHDRAWAL OF RAILWAY BOARD’S LETTER DATED 31.01.2017, WHEREIN THE BOARD HAVE DECIDED TO DEBAR SUPERVISORS (IN ERSTWHILE GRADE PAY OF 4200) WORKING IN SAFETY CATEGORIES FROM TRADE UNION.

ATTACK ON DEFENCE SECTOR
The situation in Defence sector is also not different. All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF) in its circular dated 04.02.2017, has conveyed the following developments to its rank and file:

“The ordnance factories are under severe attack due to the policies being adopted by the BJP – led NDA Government. Instead of developing and strengthening the ordnance factories, the Govt. is disowning the same and is planning fully to proceed to weaken the ordnance factories. Licences are being given to private companies for defence manufacturing including for those products which are being manufactured in the ordnance factories.”

In a meeting of Senior Officers held on 5th January 2017, the Secretary, Ministry of Defence made the following comments –
“You have to reduce the cost, otherwise you will not get workload in future, you have to compete with the private sector for getting workload. Two years is the period for ordnance factories.”

Recently Sri Manohar Parikar, Defence Minister , who visited AFK Pune , in the meeting held with unions has stated that —” Factories which are manufacturing clothing and leather items are not required in the Government. These items can easily be procured from private sector.”

The proposal of corporatisation (which is a step towards privatisation) is also under consideration with Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Govt has constituted another committee to identify low technology/noncore items. It is seen from the press reports that a committee constituted by Defence Minister under the chairmanship of one retired IIM Professor has recommended for creation of a new independent organisation outside the Ministry of Defence to undertake defence procurement. It is understood that a new organisation tentatively called the “DEFENCE ACQUISITION AUTHORITY” will be fully responsible for the entire process of acquisition.

London Protests Against Trumps’ Travel Ban of 7 Muslim states

07 Tuesday Feb 2017

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London, Feb 4 : Thousands of protesters were set to march on London for the second time in a week on Saturday, to oppose US President Donald Trump’s ban on travellers from seven mainly-Muslim nations entering the US.

Demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square for a day of campaigning and speeches against the executive order suspending entry to the US for nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries for three months to combat terrorism, the Daily Express newspaper reported.

The protesters will be walking towards Downing Street. Organisations like Stand Up to Racism, Stop the War and the People’s Assembly organised the event.

An estimated 30,000 people marched on Downing Street earlier this week, and Sabby Dhalu, from Stand Up To Racism, told the Independent that he expected another “massive show of opposition” on Saturday.

The organisation has called the US President’s travel ban as “an appalling attack on human rights” and said that it is “unacceptable that Theresa May has not come out and condemned this”.

Protests against the ban have been organised in at least 12 of Britain’s cities, including Sheffield, Brighton and Birmingham, according to the report.

More than 11,000 people were expected to attend the protest. On Friday, Londoners formed a human chain around a mosque in protest against the controversial President.

A statement on the event’s Facebook page read: “Trump’s ban on Muslims must be opposed by all who are against racism and support basic human rights.

“Theresa May’s collusion with Trump must end”, according to another statement. The protest would last until 2 p.m.

Campaigners tweeted their pictures of the protest outside the US embassy with one person burning his US passport.

Martyrs of 1960, 1968, 1974 Strikes of CG Employees

07 Tuesday Feb 2017

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One comrade asked a few days back to know the names of the Martyrs in the several strikes of the CG Employees. Yes, in almost every major strikes the striking workers were not only arrested, jailed, harassed, victimised, suspended, terminated and dismissed but also some of them have been killed by firing, beating etc. They are the martyrs of the CG employees’ strikes. I am giving below the names of those which are available with me:

5 Days Strike of July 1960 Strike

1. Com.Ranjit Singh 2. Com.Sakha Ram 3. Com. Sitaram 4. Com. Kripa Shankar (All of them Railway employees who were shot dead at Dahod Western Railway)

Com. Ekambaram, Telephone Operator, Palakkad committed suicide after having been terminated from service

One Day Token Strike on 19th September 1968

1. Com. Paresh Sanyal Bongaigaon Rly.Shot dead 2. Com. Raman Acharjee Mariani Rlys 3. Com. Kishan Gopal Bikaner, Northern Railways. Shot dead 4. Com. Lakshman Shah 5. Com. Raj Bahadur 6. Com. Dev Raj 7. Gurdeep Singh 8. Com. Gama 9. Com. Arjun Singh ( 4-9 all from Pathankot, Northern Railways. Killed while picketing train )

One Comrade of Central Secretariat died falling from Indraprastha Bhawan consequent to police beating.

1974 Bonus Strike (Railways Strike)

1. Com. V.R.Malgi Central railways 2. Com. Shripal Dwivedi Kanpur, Northern Railways 3. Com. Bhawaria Abu Road, Western Railways. Com. S.Ramasamy, Seroli, Southern Railways.

We pay homage to these martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the battlefield for the cause of the workers!

Pass the ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’ – AIDWA and NFIW

06 Monday Feb 2017

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New Delhi, February 6: Manlini Bhattacharya, President and Mariam Dhawale, General Secretary (AIDWA), Aruna Roy President and Annie Raja, General Secretary (NFIW) has jointly issued the following statement:

We, the undersigned organizations who have been in the forefront of the movement to increase women’s participation in the Indian Parliament and State assemblies for over two decades express deep disappointment that the NDA Government is still prevaricating over bringing the Women’s Reservation Bill onto the agenda of Parliament. It has been a long drawn out struggle, and the built up pressure of the movement was such that the present ruling party made a promise in its election manifesto to pass the Women’s Bill if they came to power.

The people of the country, especially the women, have waited for two and a half years, hoping that the current Government will fulfil its assurance. However, repeated reminders, meetings with the Speaker and the concerned Minister, by the national women’s organizations and others have gone in vain. In spite of the ruling party having the required majority, the Government has failed to take the requisite steps for passing the Bill so far. It vaunts about empowering women, but has remained inactive on a crucial step needed to enhance women’s political participation in the highest decision making bodies. In fact, this hypocritical stance is very much in tune with the direction in which the policies of this Government are moving. Curtailment of women’s democratic rights has become the order of the day at every level, even as the loud and brash campaign claiming the advent of “acche din” continues.

We, the women’s organizations and democratic minded groups declare that we will not succumb to the tactics of prevarication and postponement being indulged in by the Central Government. We resolve to fight unitedly and mobilize like thinking sections both within and outside Parliament to force the Government to place and pass the Women’s Reservation Bill without any further delay.

Casual Contract Workers’ March to Parliament on 22nd February 2017

06 Monday Feb 2017

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BSNL Casual and Contract Workers along with BSNL employees will March to Parliament on 22nd February 2017 on the demands of Regularisation, Implementation of Minimum Wage, EPF, ESI, Gratuity, Govt. minimum pay scale for casual labour etc. About 2000 workers are expected to participate coming from all parts of the country.

This is a fight for justice to the exploited workers. All BSNL employees and executives should support the fully justified struggle.

Make March to Parliament a big success!

Telecom Subscriber Base in India crosses 112 crore.

04 Saturday Feb 2017

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Telecom subscriber base in India, crossed 1.12 billion (112 crore) in November, in November 2016.
The total number of telecom subscribers in India, has reached 1.12 billion (112 crore) in November,2016. Reliance Jio alone added over 1.62 crore connections in November, taking its total subscriber base to 5.18 crore. Idea Cellular followed Reliance Jio with net addition of 25.2 lakh new customers. Bharti Airtel added 10.8 lakh customers, Vodafone 8.90 lakh subscribers, BSNL 8.31 lakh, Telenor 4. 86 lakh,. Aircel 3.02 lakh, Reliance Communications 1.56 lakh and MTNL 3,364. (Courtesy: BSNLEU website)

Railway Workers on agitation

03 Friday Feb 2017

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Railway workers are on agitation against the government for the debudgetisation and unbundling of Indian Railways.

A largely attended National Convention on ‘Bibek Debroy Committee Report” was held at Ambedkar Bhawan, Delhi on 1st February 2017. In addition to the Railway workers union leaders, leaders from other trade unions also addressed. Dr. Raghunandan of Delhi Science Forum inaugurated the convention. Coms. M.Krishnan, Secretary General Confederation, V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLCCWF and other leaders addressed.

The convention was very educative and was in preparation for sustained struggle against the privatisation of Railways.

Government targets for Rs. 72,500 crore through disinvestment of PSUs

03 Friday Feb 2017

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Disinvestment (sale of shares) of valued Public Sector Units seems to be the most important work of the Modi government. The latest is the move of the government to disinvest PSU shares targetting about Rs. 72,500 crores, much more than the last year. NITI AYOG had recommended closure or strategic sale of about 70 PSUs.

There should be an end to the cheap sale of the ‘Family Silver’. These PSUs have served the nation in a big way and they can still help the nation for progress.