In order to express their strong protest in delaying 4G roll out by the BSNL management, failure to implement the revival package and anti-BSNL actions of the government, BSNL workers as per the call of the AUAB and BSNLEU will observe Black Day on 1st October 2020 by wearing black badge and observing hunger strike, of course, as per covid protocol. The reasons for the Black day observation is intimated to the CMD as well as Secretary DOT by AUAB.

Shri S.P.Balasubrahmanyam (74), the veteran singer and the inspiration of lakhs of music lovers all over the world passed away today at a Chennai Hospital. He was under treatment for Covid 19 for the last more than one month.  He has songs to his credit in many languages, including all south Indian languages and was a natural singer, who captivated all those who heard him. He was awarded Padmashree and Padmabhushan awards earlier. S.P.B., as he was popularly called, holds the Guinness record for singing more than 40,000 songs.
His death is a great loss to the country. AIBDPA expresses its extreme sadness and convey heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and friends.
 

91 years are over after Babu Tarapada Mukherjee, the Pioneer of P and T trade Union movement in India left us. On this occasion while paying homage to him, a portion of his inspirational presidential speech at Lahore All India Conference of the Union is reproduced below:“Ah! Brothers, workers are not beggars; they are the salt of the earth, they are the only people who produce wealth. Wealth consists of the labour imprinted on material substance; and in the absence of workers, where is the labour to come from which is necessary to create wealth? Those who do not work are parasites sucking like vampire the life blood of society and are fattening on the wealth produced by the workers. Is it not amusing that the wealth produced by workers should be appropriated and then the producers of wealth be called beggars and a pittance doled out to them, so that they may keep the body and soul together for further production of wealth for the benefit of others“Consider, Brothers, what this world would be, were the workers to stop work. Not a grain of cereals would be produced, not a yard of yarn would be spun and woven, not a brick would be laid, not a tenement would be built. Those bloated, over-indulged, finely draped figures, airing their base manners to their own class would have no food to allay hunger, no clothes to cover the body, no home to afford shelter; and they would soon cease to exist to call workers beggars. Brothers, shake off the hypnotic spell, the somnambulism of past life, wake up and be self-conscious, apprise your value at its real worth, do not remain forgetful of the dignity of labour, realise your own strength and March on double quick to the goal, “ Heart within and God overhead”…..“Take it from me, Brothers, that petitions and memorials and supplications, will count for nothing so long as you do not organise yourselves in a manner to convince the government that you will no longer stand non-sense. ……… But there are difficulties in the way. We have scattered units spread over the breadth and length of this country; and so much stronger must be our efforts to enthuse them with the spirit of Association and secure them to the service of the common cause. The spirit of the Association is already in the air, there is a universal awakening in the Post Office, spirit of unrest has captured the entire Postal Service, everyone is eager to contribute his mite for the furtherance of the common cause. The ground is ready; only some daring spirits are wanted to sow the seed and reap abundant harvest” – Babu Tarapada Mukherjee.

26Mihir Dasgupta, Balu Melethil and 24 others10 CommentsLikeCommentShare

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• Venkatesh MuthukumarBabu Tarapada Amar Rahe. Red Salutes.
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• Balakrishnan Kvപ്രണാമം
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• Kothandan ThiruvenkadamRed.Salutes
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• Venkatesh MuthukumarBabu Tarapada Amar Rahe. Red Salutes.
  • Like
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  •  · See Translation
  •  · 5h
• Balakrishnan Kvപ്രണാമം
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  •  · 4h
• Kothandan ThiruvenkadamRed.Salutes
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ENTRAL TRADE UNIONS SUPPORT
THE PEASANTS’ UNITED PROTESTS ON 25^TH SEPTEMBER
DEMANDS BJP GOVERNMENT TO STOP DESTRUCTIVE ANTI FARMER MEASURES
CALLS FOR COUNTRYWIDE SOLIDARITY ACTIONS BY WORKERS

The joint platform of Central Trade Unions and sectoral federations declares its unstinted support to the initiative of Joint Platform of Peasants and Agricultural Workers Organisations –the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee to hold Countrywide Protest and Resistance on 25^th September 2020 through massive demonstration, Rail Roko, Rasta Roko etc against the anti-people, anti-farmer destructive legislations being pushed through by the BJP Govt at the centre which was preceded by Ordinances in an authoritarian manner. We also join them in protesting against the disastrous Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.

CTUs and sectoral federations call upon the workers and their unions of all affiliations and across the sector to join actively in the programmes of protest and resistance being organised by the peasants’ organisations in and around their respective areas.

The BSNL workers under the leadership of AUAB are going for sustained struggles to get the revival package declared by the Communications minister to get implemented. The main issue is the allotment of 4G Spectrum and its operation. While the VRS in the revival package has been immediately implemented, other points are delayed. 4G Spectrum not allotted. The tenders for 4G spectrum have been toppled by the government itself on flimsy grounds. It is not sure whether proceeds from the sale of assets will come to BSNL or appropriated by the government.

Hence the struggle planned by the AUAB is fully justified. Almost all the unions and associations in BSNL are in AUAB. Those unions and associations which are outside should join or co-ordinate with AUAB so that the struggle will be much more powerful.

My personal opinion is that the ITS and other top officers, except the Managing Committee / BSNL Board should co-ordinate with the struggle so that the government will have no other way but to accept the demands.

In the Telecom Department, it was only class III and Class IV employees who used to go on strike. But in BSNL, executives along with non-executives participated in strikes. This unity has to be widened with the top executives also joining the struggle to save BSNL. Their future is also connected with the existence and growth of BSNL.

BSNL Bond for Rs 8500 Crores for 10 years:

BSNL Bond with Govt Sovereign Guarantee got good response from the market. BSNL got the entire amount of Rs 8500 Crores for a comparatively good interest rate of Rs 6.79%. Some bidders quoted higher interest rate @ 6.9%. BSNL has to pay the interest half yearly. (Courtesy: SNEA Website)

The Central Government has withdrawn the train concession granted earlier to the senior citizens, w.e.f. 19th March 2020. Women aged above 58 years were getting 50% concession in train tickets and men above 60 were getting 40% concession. The government took decision to cancel the same on the plea that the government lost more than Rs. 4,000 crores due to concession during the period 2016 to 2019 as also as a restraint for the senior citizens to travel during the Covid 19 period. This is atrocious. While the government on the one side speak much about the welfare and social security of the aged during the covid period, the railways stops even the facilities given to them.

We demand the Central government to cancel the present derogatory order and restore the concession in train charges to the senior citizens.

PENSION REVISION.AIBDPA has a clear stand on Pension Revision of BSNL Retirees from the very beginning. Our demand has been that Pension Revision from 01-01-2017 with 15% fitment, delinking wage revision. Pension revision is no way connected to affordability condition or bad finance of BSNL as 100% liability of pension and pensionary benefits lies with the Central government. The AUAB also raised the same demand and got an assurance from the former Minister of Communications, Shri. Manoj Sinha that Pension Revision will be implemented delinking wage revision. But the present Minister of Communications, Shri. Ravi Shankar Prasad , presumably at the behest of certain arrogant beaurocrats , took a negative stand to the effect that pension revision will be implemented only after wage revision. At this stage some of the Pensioners organisations opined about approaching court for settlement of Pension Revision. These organisations were advocating for 7th CPC fitment for Pension Revision and that too from 01-01-2016.The Central Executive Committee meeting of AIBDPA held at Guwahati in November, 2019 discussed issue in threadbare and decided against seeking legal remedy at this stage. Instead the CEC decided a phased program of agitation culminating in a Parliament March. The CEC also authorized CHQ to explore the possibility of a joint action by contacting other Pensioners organisations. Accordingly, all the important Pensioners organisations were contacted, but only AIRBSNLEA, AIBSNLREA, and BDPA responded and had reservations on joining the agitation. Therefore we had to go it alone. Postcard campaign to Prime Minister, Meeting MPs, Hunger Dharna at all CCA offices were held successfully. All preparations were made for the final phase of Parliament March on 12-03-2020. Unfortunately we were compelled to postpone it due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the situation is not conducive for any major agitation, as India is witnessing a swift spike in Corona infection and it is a reality that we have to live with Covid-19 pandemic for some time long.Meanwhile some of the Pensioners organisations have filed petition at Principal CAT, New Delhi. But it is learnt that the prayer is different. While AIRBSNLEA, SNPWA and MTNL Pensioners organisations have put forward that Pension Revision should be on IDA with 2.51 fitment. AIBSNLPWA has filed a separate petition in the same PCAT, New Delhi praying for Pension Revision on 7th CPC fitment from 01-01-2016.CHQ is watching the developments keenly and will take a decision at appropriate time. K G Jayaraj General Secretary (From AIBDPA Website)

RED SALUTE TO THE MARTYRS OF THE GLORIOUS 1968 SEPTEMBER 19 STRIKE- OBSERVE THE 52ND ANNIVERSARY BEFITTINGLY.