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”