The PRC IDA Fitment was better earlier and now also for BSNL Pensioners. Why go for a different and lesser fitment than 15%?

We are surprised to see a demand in the website of one pensioners association as follows:

“We request the respected leaders of Service Unions to fight for their pay Revision and leave the issue of Pension Revision. Our task has become much for difficult now. “

The above association completely forgets that it is mainly because of the continuous struggle of the BSNL Unions associations/Forum/Joint Forum representing the BSNL employees that the wage revision in 2000 was settled which benefitted the BSNL pensioners. It was again, the struggle of both the employees as well as the pensioners that the wage and pension revision were settled in 2007 which again benefitted workers and pensioners. The glorious struggle for settlement of 78.2% IDA fixation as well as pension fixation has not been forgotten by the pensioners. It was in the meeting of the DOT with the Forum/Joint Forum that the break through came for cancellation of the 60:40 ratio and the government took the full responsibility for the pension to BSNL retirees. Now also it was after the massive demonstration of Parliament March by the employees and Pensioners which compelled the DOT and Minister to meet and discuss the issues and the present positive development came. The serious discussion with both DOT and Minister is given in the websites of the unions and it can be seen how much they were compelled to go back from their tough stand and negotiate with the employees.

In the same way the Medical Advance without voucher was restored to pensioners, only after the unions in the National Council agreed that, the same be restored to pensioners first and they have no objection to it.

It has become the habit of certain pension associations to criticise the service unions for non-settlement of issues and when the issues are settled by the struggle of the workers, claim the  credit for the same. Wonderful!

Let nobody forget that ” Today’s pensioners were yesterday’s workers and that today’s workers are tomorrow’s pensioners”

CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS DECIDES TO OBSERVE ALL INDIA PROTEST DAY ON 15TH MARCH 2018 – Press Statement

The meeting of the Central Trade Unions held on 22nd February 2018 at INTUC Office New Delhi expressed indignation and strongly condemned the Government of the day for their intensified attack on the lives and livelihood of the people and seriously compromising the national interest.

Attack on working class centering around dismantling labour laws designed to completely casualise employment conditions through various routes like amending Contract Labour Act, introducing Fixed Term Employment etc has assumed aggressive height. Further it is noted that the Government is out to erase the public sector from the industrial map of the country. Specific cases of attack on privatization of railways, opening coal mining to private and foreign companies without any restriction whatsoever, mass scale privatization as well as destruction of defence production network through widespread outsourcing, thereby dismantling the almost half of the ordinance factories are some of the examples of the gross anti-people and anti-national actions of the Govt. Accumulation of huge non-performing assets of the public sector banks arising out of pilferage of bank-funds by deliberately defaulting private corporate coupled with recent explosion of frauds with bank fund engineered by the same corporate class is also a reflection of the anti-national act of the Govt indulging and patronizing the same big-business class.

The Central Trade Unions reiterated their utter condemnation against the Union Budget 2018-19 which is basically anti-worker and anti-people in character and engineered a deception on the mass of the people through loud populist slogans without actually making any resource allocation.

The Central Trade Unions denounced the Govt of India’s surreptitious move in postponing the 47th session of Indian Labour Conference, thereby reducing tripartism to a mockery.

CTUOs noted with satisfaction the surging struggles by the working people in different sectors throughout the country, both organised and unorganized.

The workers and federations of coal and transport have been preparing for united industrywide actions to be undertaken shortly. All the Federations of Defence Production workers have jointly decided to go in for nationwide strike on 15th March 2018. Many more sectoral actions are in the offing.

The CTUOs while reiterating their resolve to intensify preparation for indefinite strike in the days to come, calls upon all their constituents and working people in general irrespective of affiliations to jointly observe

ALL INDIA PROTEST DAY ON 15TH MARCH 2018
· In solidarity with the striking Defence Production workers against anti-national privatization move
· Against the Anti-people Deceptive Union Budget 2018-19

The CTUOs will meet shortly after 15th March 2018 to decide their next course of united countrywide action.

INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC, LPF

The March to Parliament by the BSNL workers on 23rd February 2018 as per the call of the BSNL Unions and Associations was a huge success with massive participation of the workers from all parts of the country. Comrades from the length and breadth of the country came to the capital to show their anger and distress at the negative attitude of the government on the most important demands like wage revision, pension revision, pensionary benefits to the BSNL recruitees, cancellation of the formation of a separate tower company bifurcating the towers of BSNL, reduction of retirement age from 60 to 58 etc. Thousands and thousands thronged the capital to participate in the March. More than one thousand comrades from All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) also participated. They always participated in the programmes of All Unions and Associations, because they know that today’s workers are tomorrow’s pensioners and that it will be only through the valiant struggles of the workers that the issues of pensioners also will be settled.

The gathering point for start of the March was the large space in front of the Eastern Court, occupying the offices of BSNL and MTNL. From 0900 hours onward comrades started coming with the flags and banners of their unions/associations. By about 10.00 hours the square was filled and many comrades had to stand on the pavement of the road. The March was inaugurated by Com. Tapan Sen, M.P. and General Secretary of CITU, the mighty organisation of the Indian working class. In his powerful speech, he congratulated the workers, supported the demands and warned the government that BSNL workers not only knew how to improve the services, but also to go on mighty struggles, which will hamper the entire service. He stated that the entire central trade unions are supporting the united struggle of the BSNL workers. Comrades from other central trade unions, Com. Vidya Sagar Giri (AITUC) and Shri Zile Singh (INTUC) also address the gathering.

After the inauguration and the speeches, the Parliament March started with the banner of the ALL Unions and Associations in front with the General Secretaries leading. Slogans focussing the demands and protesting against the negative attitude of the government on the justified demands were raised, which echoed again and again in the streets of the capital. There were more than thousands and thousands of workers with a good number of pensioners also, whose future also depended upon the settlement of the demands. The procession marched through the streets of Delhi towards Parliament, where it was stopped in front of the Parliament Police Station by three lines of blockades and by a big police force. There was clashes between the workers who wanted to march ahead and the police who wanted to stop them. At last it was decided to hold the rally there itself with the advance vehicle converted in to a temporary stage. The entire street as also both the sides were filled up by the workers. Com. P.Abhimanyu, General secretary BSNLEU welcomed all and spoke about the demands and the need to continue the struggle, till the demands are met. Com. Chandeswar Singh, GS, NFTE, Com. K. Sebastin, GS, SNEA, Com. Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSNLEA, Com. K. Jayprakash, GS, FNTO, Com. N.D. Ram, GS, SEWA BSNL, Com. Ravi Shil Verma, GS, AIGETOA, Com. Mallikarjuna, President, BSNL MS, Com. S.D. Sharma, GS, BSNL ATM and Com. G.L. Jogi spoke. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri in his speech supported the struggle, congratulated the workers and assured that the entire pensioners and casual- contract workers will be with the BSNL workers in their fully justified struggle.

Later a meeting was held at Sanchar Bhawan between the Secretary, DOT, Smt. Aruna Sundera Rajan and the general secretaries of the unions and associations, where almost all the members of the Telecom Board were present. Detailed discussions took place and the demands were strongly put before the DOT. The meeting with the Communications Minister will be held next day, 24th February 2018.

The massive parliament March has been a wake-up call to the DOT as well as the government. The government, now can not continue its slumber on the demands of the workers. They will have to act and act decisively. It is a question of ‘Do or Die’ for the workers. As in the past, the BSNL workers workers will continue their struggles till the demands are met.

Unity for Struggle, Struggle for Unity and Unity and Struggle for Progress!

A meeting is held at the Sanchar Bhawan today the 24.02.2018, between Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications and the All Unions and Associations of BSNL. Together with the Minister, Secretary, DoT, Special Secretary, DoT, Joint Secretary (Admn.), DoT, OSD to the Hon’ble Minister, DDG (Estt.), DoT, CMD BSNL and Director (HR) BSNL were present. From the All Unions and Associations of BSNL, Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, Com. Chandeswar Singh, GS, NFTE, Com. K. Sebastin, GS, SNEA, Com. Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSNLEA, Com. K. Jayaprakash, GS, FNTO, Com. N.D. Ram, GS, SEWA BSNL, Com. Ravi Shil Verma, GS, AIGETOA, Com. Mallikarjuna, President, BSNL MS and Com. S.D. Sharma, GS, BSNL ATM, participated in the discussions. The representatives of the AUAB heartily thanked the Hon’ble Minister for taking out time to meet them. Detailed discussions took place on the memorandum submitted to the Hon’ble Minister, the details of which are as follows:-

Note on the discussion.
(1) 3rd Pay Revision.
So far, the DoT has been maintaining that BSNL employees are not eligible for 3rd Pay Revision. In
today’s meeting the Hon’ble Minister agreed that the issue of 3rd Pay Revision of BSNL employees
would be processed and would be taken for the approval of the DPE and the Cabinet. This is a great
achievement. We have broken the stalemate that prevailed in the Pay Revision issue. At the same time
we have to be vigilant, till the final approval is given by the Cabinet.
(2) Formation of Subsidiary Tower Company.
The AUAB representatives expressed their apprehension that in the name of formation of the Tower
Company, the 66,000 mobile towers of BSNL are being snatched away from BSNL. They also pointed
out that the decision of the Cabinet that, the Subsidiary Tower Company would remain under the control
of BSNL Management, has been violated, through the appointment of an IAS officer as the CMD of
Subsidiary Tower Company. They further pointed out that even BSNL Management was not taken in to
confidence in the appointment of an IAS officer as the CMD of the Subsidiary Tower Company, which
clearly shows that the Subsidiary Tower Company would not be under the control of BSNL
Management. The reply given by the Hon’ble Minister in this regard is non-committal and not
satisfactory. The AUAB has to find ways and means to ensure the rolling back of the Subsidiary Tower
Company.
(3) Pension Revision.
The representatives of AUAB strongly argued that pension revision should be done to the BSNL
pensioners. It was pointed out that the BSNL pensioners and the Central Government pensioners are
covered by the same rules. They argued that when pension revision is settled for the Central
Government pensioners, the same should not be denied to the BSNL pensioners. The Hon’ble Minister
assured that needful action would be taken to settle this issue, and directed the Secretary to take
necessary action.
(4) Calculation of Pension Contribution.
It was strongly argued that pension contribution in respect of BSNL employees cannot be calculated on
the basis of maximum of the pay scale, when the same is calculated on the basis of actual basic pay, in
the case of Central Government employees on deputation. It was pointed out that as per the DoP&T
order issued in 2006, pension contribution of the Central Government employees is being deducted on
the basis of actual pay only w.e.f. 01.01.2017. The Hon’ble Minister directed the Secretary, DoT, that
this issue should be settled as per Government orders.
(5) Allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL.
The AUAB representatives pointed out that it will be extremely difficult for BSNL to compete with the
private operators, without providing 4G service. They strongly argued that the proposal of the BSNL
Management, for the allotment of 4G spectrum by the Government, should be accepted. The Hon’ble
Minister replied in the positive and assured that needful action would be taken and spectrum will be
allotted to BSNL.
(6) Reduction of retirement age from 60 to 58.
The AUAB representatives strongly argued that the retirement age of the BSNL employees should not
be reduced from 60 to 58, as a measure for the revival of BSNL. The Hon’ble Minister told that the
government is not having any proposal to reduce the retirement age from 60 to 58.
(7) Left out issues of the 2nd PRC.
The AUAB representatives pointed out that this issue is lingering on very long time and needs to be
settled. The Hon’ble Minister stated that this issue would be looked into by the Secretary, DoT.
At the end of the meeting, the Hon’ble Minister stated that the representatives of AUAB could meet him again,
as well as the Secretary, DoT, in continuation of today’s meeting. The representatives of AUAB heartily
thanked the Minister for his positive response to most of the issues.
After the meeting with the Hon’ble Minister, a meeting of the AUAB was held in the FNTO’s office. All the
General Secretaries expressed their satisfaction with regards to the progress in the issues. They also expressed
the view that all these have happened only because of the united struggles and massive mobilisations by the
entire Non-Executives and Executives, for which they deserve appreciation.
(Courtesy: BSNLEU Website)

Nirav Modi, who looted Punjab National Bank and other PSU banks thousands of crores of rupees and left the country now says that he will not pay the dues to the workers, because the authorities have raided his companies! This is the real face of the corporates. Nirav Modi has looted and kept his loots in foreign banks and real estate there and says no money to pay wages for the workers who toiled for his companies. The vulgar face of crony capitalism!

The Central cabinet has decided to denationalise coal mining. Coal mining was the monopoly of PSU Coal India Limited, although private companies were allowed to mine for their own limited use.

According to the present decision the monopoly of CIL is taken away and private companies can mine for commercial use.

One more decision against the public sector and in favour of corporates.

Privatisation programmes go on aggressively. The loss is to the nation and the common people.