AIBDPA- Agitational programmes for Pension Revision
30 Monday Dec 2019
Posted in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners
Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI
Remembering Com.K.G.Bose on his 45th death anniversary
10 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in Uncategorized
11th December 2019 is the 45th death anniversary of Com.K.G.Bose, the revolutionary leader of the central government and P and T employees. He left us on 11th December 1974 at the comparatively young age of 54 at a London hospital, where he was getting treated for cancer, an incurable disease at that time.
Krishna Gopal Basu, born on 7th July 1921, entered the Posts and Telegraph Department in 1941 as a clerk in the Divisional Engineer, Telegraphs office at Calcutta at a salary of Rs. 45 per month. Father having passed away early, as the eldest son of the family, he has to look after the family and getting a government job was a relief. From the start he was connected with the trade union movement and became an active worker of the then Indian Telegraph Association, formed by Mr. Henry Barton, one of the pioneers of the P and T trade union movement.
In the historic 1946 Postmen strike organised by Com.V.G.Dalvi, Coms. Dada Ghosh and K.G.Bose organised the entire P and T employees in Bengal and Assam making it a complete success. KG was arrested and jailed for months in connection with the declared 1949 strike. He was later dismissed from service and was never taken back. His younger brother, Com.Moni Bose who was working in the same department was terminated in connection with the same strike and never taken back.
K.G.Bose, took an important role in formation of Union of P and T Workers (UPTW) formed in 1947, uniting most of the existing various unions in the department and later National Federation of P and T Unions (NFPTE) on 24th November 1954, with 9 all India Unions affiliated to it. He worked as Circle Secretary of Engg. III and Postal III unions in W.Bengal for a long time. He was also President of the Postal Class Union. His prominent role in the struggle for introduction of Festival Advance for employees along with Dada Ghosh and Sisir Bhattacharjee was well appreciated.He played a vital role in organising the historic strikes central government employees in 1960 and 1968.
K.G.Bose was leader of the progressive section in NFPTE, along with Comrades N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana and others. He was elected as the President of NFPTE in 1970 defeating the revisionist leadership led by Com.O.P.Gupta. He toured all over India and organised the workers for struggles. During these years I could meet him several times and his advices were carried out by me.
Continuous journey and hard work resulted in deterioration of his health. He was sent to London for better treatment and passed away there on 11th December 1974. The first building in his memory, “K.G.Bose Bhavan” was constructed in Calicut.
The memory of Com.K.G.Bose will continue to inspire many generations of CG and and P and T workers.
1,047 scientists and scholars write open letter against Citizenship Amendment Bill..
10 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in General
1,047 scientists and scholars from India and abroad, have signed an open letter, condemning the Citizenship Amendment Bill and asking for it’s withdrawal. It is written in the letter that,
“the idea of India that emerged from the independence movement, and as enshrined in our Constitution, is that of a country that aspires to treat people of all faiths equally. The use of religion as a criterion would be inconsistent with the basic structure of the Constitution.”
Signatories of the letter include Rajesh Gopakumar (International Centre for Theoretical Sciences), Sandip Trivedi (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), Sandeep Pandey (Magsaysay Award Recipient), S.S. Bhatnagar (Atish Dabholkar Awardee), etc. The letter ends with an appeal to withdraw the bill in it’s current form.
BSNL provides 14.96 lakh new mobile connections in November, 2019.
07 Saturday Dec 2019
Posted in Uncategorized
As per the letter issued by the Director (CM) BSNL, to the CGMs, BSNL has provided 14,96,016 new mobile connections in November, 2019. J&K, Maharashtra, Odisha and Assam circles have achieved more than 100% of their targets. BSNLEU heartily congratulates all these circles.
[Date : 07 – Dec – 2019]
Remembering Com.K.G.Bose, the Revolutionary leader.
06 Friday Dec 2019
Posted in Uncategorized
11th December 2019 is the 45th death anniversary of Com.K.G.Bose, the revolutionary leader of the central government and P and T employees. He left us on 11th December 1974 at the comparatively young age of 54 at a London hospital, where he was getting treated for cancer, an incurable disease at that time.
Krishna Gopal Basu, born on 7th July 1921, entered the Posts and Telegraph Department in 1941 as a clerk in the Divisional Engineer, Telegraphs office at Calcutta at a salary of Rs. 45 per month. Father having passed away early, as the eldest son of the family, he has to look after the family and getting a government job was a relief. From the start he was connected with the trade union movement and became an active worker of the then Indian Telegraph Association, formed by Mr. Henry Barton, one of the pioneers of the P and T trade union movement.
In the historic 1946 Postmen strike organised by Com.V.G.Dalvi, Coms. Dada Ghosh and K.G.Bose organised the entire P and T employees in Bengal and Assam making it a complete success. KG was arrested and jailed for months in connection with the declared 1949 strike. He was later dismissed from service and was never taken back. His younger brother, Com.Moni Bose who was working in the same department was terminated in connection with the same strike and never taken back.
K.G.Bose, took an important role in formation of Union of P and T Workers (UPTW) formed in 1947, uniting most of the existing various unions in the department and later National Federation of P and T Unions (NFPTE) on 24th November 1954, with 9 all India Unions affiliated to it. He worked as Circle Secretary of Engg. III and Postal III unions in W.Bengal for a long time. He was also President of the Postal Class Union. His prominent role in the struggle for introduction of Festival Advance for employees along with Dada Ghosh and Sisir Bhattacharjee was well appreciated.He played a vital role in organising the historic strikes central government employees in 1960 and 1968.
K.G.Bose was leader of the progressive section in NFPTE, along with Comrades N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana and others. He was elected as the President of NFPTE in 1970 defeating the revisionist leadership led by Com.O.P.Gupta. He toured all over India and organised the workers for struggles. During these years I could meet him several times and his advices were carried out by me.
Continuous journey and hard work resulted in deterioration of his health. He was sent to London for better treatment and passed away there on 11th December 1974. The first building in his memory, “K.G.Bose Bhavan” was constructed in Calicut.
The memory of Com.K.G.Bose will continue to inspire many generations of CG and P and T employees.
About VRS in BSNL
18 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, BSNLEU
Tags
About VRS itself:
1. No one needs to have any doubt about the intention of Voluntary Retirement Scheme in BSNL. It is not for the benefit of employees, but is a tool to reduce the number of workers in preparation for privatisatiion. The strikes and agitations in the privatised PSUs like VSNL, ITDC hotels, BALCO etc against retrenchment have taught a lesson, making tbe corporates to insist that the govt should reduce the workforce before privatisation.
2. VRS is a clear strategy of govt to reduce pension expenses in future. If an employee retires on superannuation, clear rules exist for Dearness Relief, Pension Revision, Family Pension etc. It is not clear for the pension on VRS. There are many grey areas. In this connection refer to the Supreme Court judgment in another case that VRS is a package by itself and revision of pension is not included.
3. Past experience of VRS in MTNL etc has shown that post VRS, services could not improve due to consequent shortage of staff and revenue decreased, resulting in loss.
4. By spending Rs.17,000 crore for VRS now, govt is expecting to reduce pension expences of the VRS retiress by lakhs of crores of rupees for the ensuing many decades.
5. If the VRS amount is for Revival of BSNL, why the govt all these years did not spend a single paise from the tax payers’ money for BSNL?
6.. Even when 60 or 65 years, employees are capable of doing their work efficiently, just like businessmen, politicians, self employed etc. While employed one gets more respect, more income, more energy and better health. Unless you are engaged in some way after retirement, situation is different.
7. Comparatively one may get more money at the time of retirement on VRS, than on superannuation. But one has to pay Incometax for the same, which will be a substantial amount.
8. Higher bank interest as eligible for senior citizens will not be eligible for VRS optees (till they are 60).
9. The govt, management, media, corporates through adverse propaganda has created a situation of insecurity in the minds of the employees. Non payment of wages for contract labour for about one year, delay in payment of salary to employees, statements of NITI Ayog and Finance Ministry about closure/ privatisation of BSNL, nonremittance to GPF, loans etc, etc has created fear about their future in BSNL, compelling them to think about option to VRS. Decision taken during mass hysteria need not always be the best.
10. Employees should ponder about all these as also calculate what they will get in comparison with what they will get on superannuation and later etc etc. The conditions of VRS have to be thoroughly studied.
No body should be victims of the pitfalls of VRS. One decade back when VRS package was offered in BSNL for one lakh workers ie. 50% of employees, not even 1% took it.
And they are very happy about their decision inview of higher pension, pension revision etc.
This note is not comprehensive, but only a few general points about the present VRS.
63Balu Melethil, Smitha Soman and 61 others
One more BSNL contract worker commits suicide – No wage for 10 months – BSNL, Centre responsible.
07 Thursday Nov 2019
Again very very sad news.
C
Com. Ramakrishnan, a BSNL contract labour in Kerala, put an end to his life by committing suicide in the Telephone Exchange,Nilambur, where he was working. Wages were not paid to him for the last 10 months as in the case of other contract workers. He is a differently abled worker and was somehow managing his family with the low wage being paid. Now even that wage is not paid for 10 months. His wife has no job and they are having two children. The mental agony being unable to look after the family might have made him to commit suicide.
This is the 7th suicide by BSNL contract workers in the country after the BSNL stopped paying wages on the plea of no funds. Even after these suicides, neither the government, nor the BSNL has taken any steps to pay the wages. Further, more and more contract workers are being retrenched. The Chief Labour Commissioner has directed the CMD BSNL to pay the wages but BSNL has not implemented so far. It was reported that the DOT has asked BSNL to pay the delayed salaries of the ITS officers immediately. The govt is worried about only the ITS and not others.
The government, which write off lakhs of crores rupees of NPAs of the corporates, reduce the income tax % of the corporates has no money to pay the wages of the poor contract workers who have worked for years together to give better service to the people. The govt can allot funds to retrench employees through VRS, but no funds to pay wages! It shows that the govt is not at all worried about the condition of the poor contract workers.
We strongly protest and demand the govt and the BSNL Management to urgently pay the wages with arrears to all the contract workers. Suitable compensation should be given to the family of the deceased.
The contract workers in Kerala and elsewhere are on strike and on various forms of struggles for the last many months. The govt and BSNL management is looking the other way. This is nothing but inhuman.
We express our deep sorrow in the tragedy. We convey our condolences to the bereaved family, friends and comrades.
AUAB decides to defer tomorrow’s hunger strike, after meeting with the CMD BSNL
17 Thursday Oct 2019
Posted in AUAB, BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
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A meeting between the AUAB and the CMD BSNL was held at 03:00 pm today. The Director (HR) and Director (CM) were also present. The CMD BSNL assured that salary payment would be made by 23.10.2019. Further, he also informed that the Cabinet is likely to take a decision on BSNL’s revival package within a week. He appealed to the AUAB to defer the hunger strike scheduled to be held on 18.10.2019. After this meeting, the representatives of the AUAB, present in the meeting, decided to defer the hunger strike for the time being. It is also decided to hold the next meeting of the AUAB on 30.10.2019, for reviewing the situation and for taking appropriate decision regarding future course of action. (AUAB website)
AIBDPA completes fruitful 10 years on 21st October 2019 – Celebrate the Foundation Day !
16 Wednesday Oct 2019
Posted in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, AUAB, BSNL, BSNLEU
All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) completes fruitful activities of 10 years on 21st October 2019.
Formation.
AIBDPA was formed on 21st October 2009 in an All India Convention of BSNL – DOT Pensioners held at Garhwal Auditorium in New Delhi. It was with the active co-ordination and assistance of BSNL Employees Union (BSNLEU), the recognised union of BSNL employees. Comrades A.K.Bhattacharjee, P.V.Chandrasekharan and J.N.Mishra, veteran leaders of the telecom movement, presided. Com. V.A.N.Nambodiri, General Secretary of BSNL Employees Union, who took initiative for holding the Convention welcomed all. Com. M.K.Pandhe, CITU President, inaugurated the Convention. In his address, he congratulated the BSNL DOT pensioners for holding the convention for forming an all India association for the BSNL DOT Pensioners. Com. S.K.Vyas, the undisputed leader of the the CG Employees and Secretary General of National Co-Ordination Committee of Pensioners Association (NCCPA), greeted the convention and expressed his happiness for forming the association. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri presented the draft back ground report on the formation of the association.
The hundreds of delegates attending the Convention from almost all the circles approved the formation of the AIBDPA with thunderous applause. The Constitution was adopted. The office-bearers with Comrades V.A.N.Namboodiri (Advisor), P.V.Chandrasekharan (Patron), A.K.Bhattacharjee (President), K.G.Jayaraj (General Secretary) and M.L.Tiwari (Treasurer) were unanimously elected.
BSNLEU gave a donation of Rs. 50,000 for the initial expenses, which was much appreciated by the house. Thus the AIBDPA was born.
During the last ten years of its existence, AIBDPA has grown as the biggest organisation of the BSNL DOT Pensioners as also one of the biggest affiliate of the NCCPA. Advisor of AIBDPA V.A.N.Namboodiri is the Patron and K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA, the Asst. Secretary General of NCCPA. KGJ is also the Executive Committee Member of the Trade Union International (Pensioners and Retirees) which is affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU).
Since its inception, AIBDPA has been continuously taking up the issues of the BSNL DOT pensioners with the authorities, including CMD BSNL, Secretary DOT etc. On important issues, it met the Communications Minister also and discussed which paved way for settlement. The issues of the BSNL DOT Pensioners were raised in the Parliament through MPs. In settling the Pension Revision due from 2007, 78.2 IDA fixation, removal of 60:40 ratio issue, restoration of Medical Allowance, increasing of medical allowance etc. AIBDPA was always in the forefront.
AIBDPA along with NCCPA were the first to be invited for discussion by the VII Pay Commission, before which the major issues of BSNL DOT pensioners were presented by V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor.
AIBDPA organised several agitational programmes, March to Parliament, Dharna etc. for settlement of various issues. All these were well participated. It supported and participated in the programmes organised by BSNLEU and AUAB on the issues of revival of BSNL and on other demands. AIBDPA office-bearers are actively participating in the Pension Adalat and other forums for settlement of grievances.
AIBDPA CHQ publishes one quarterly journal ‘Telepensioner’ for the benefit’of its members, which is widely circulated.
AIBDPA is a democratic and progressive organisation of DOT BSNL Pensioners. It will continue to serve the BSNL DOT pensioners and organise struggles to achieve them.
The tenth anniversary of BSNL is approaching when the BSNL is in severe crisis. The pro-corporate and privatisation policy as well as the anti-PSU policy have made the healthy and profitable BSNL to loss making and weak. Contract workers have not received wages for the last 10 months. Pension Revision for BSNL pensioners as per III PRC wef 01-01-2017 has not been granted so far. Salaries are delayed for executives and employees. 4G Spectrum is not allotted to BSNL. Govt is openly supporting Reliance Jio and other private companies. The All Unions and Associations of BSNL have given call for struggle on the issues. AIBDPA fully support the struggles.
AIBDPA has given call to observe and celebrate the 10th anniversary of AIBDPA in a befitting way. Organise conventions, GB Meetings, demonstrations etc. and explain the past achievements and the struggles for the present demands. Take this opportunity to enroll more members.
Warm greetings to all on the 10th anniversary of AIBDPA!
14 Monday Oct 2019
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
With profound grief, we report the sudden and sad demise of Com. Prasanta Kr Nandi, Circle Treasurer, West Bengal due to a massive heart attack at early morning on 14-10-2019. Eversince his entry into the P&T Department, Com.P K Nandi became active in union activities and has held several positions and was fortunate to get the appreciation from Com.K G Bose.
He was the Circle Treasurer of BSNLEU and after retirement took up the responsibility of Circle Treasurer, AIBDPA, West Bengal and continued till he breathed his last. It is a great loss to our oraganisation, particularly for West Bengal Circle.
CHQ pays rich tribute to Com.P K Nandi and conveys heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and comrades.(Courtesy: AIBDPA website)
