Dharna by BSNL workers on 11th October 2007

As per the call of the Joint Forum, massive dharnas were organized on 11th October 2007 in all SSAs protesting against undue delay in procuring GSM lines, Non-grant of Navaratna status to BSNL, absorption of ITS / Group A Officers in BSNL and pension issues.
In Delhi, the dharna was organized in front of the Corporate Office, Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, participated by hundreds of workers. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener JF and GS BSNLEU, K.Vallinayagam, Thomas John (FNTO), M.B.Vichare (NFTE), Prahlad Rai (AIBSNLEA), A.A.Khan (SNEA), V.Subburaman (TEPU) and other leaders addressed. Thousands of workers participated in the dharna at Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna and other centres.

Protest against 20% IPO / Disinvestment in BSNL

Reacting to the proposal of 20% IPO/Disinvestment in BSNL by the government, Joint Forum immediately issued a Press Statement on 25-11-2007, opposing the same and cautioning the government that the workers will go on agitation, if any such move is acted upon.

Joint Forum meets Secretary DOT on 26th November 2007

Leaders of the Joint Forum met Shri D.S.Mathur, Secretary DOT on 26th November 2007 and discussed important issues like ITS absorption, Allotment of additional 2G Spectrum as well as 3G Spectrum, Grant of Navaratna status to BSNL, Opposition to 20% IPO /Disinvestment in BSNL and Bonus for DOT employees. Convener, JF and representatives of BSNLEU, SNEA, FNTO, AIBSNLEA, NFTE, BSNLMS, and TEPU participated.
Since the government was moving forward with the disinvestment / IPO proposal, the Joint Forum urgently met on 15th January 2008 and decided to organize agitational programmes against the same. It was decided to observe an All India Protest day on 21st January 2008 by wearing black badges and conducting demonstrations at Circle/District/Branch levels. (To be continued)