06 Wednesday Jan 2016
Posted in Disinvestment, General
Finance Minister Arun Jaitely has stated in the meeting of the India Infrastructure Finance Company(IIFCL) that the government is proposing to hand over management of small airports to the private sector for ‘improving efficiency.’ This is nothing but privatisation of airports.
The NDA government is handing over the government properties to the private sector in a big way. And the private companies will increase all the rates in the name of modernisation. The common people are the sufferers.
06 Wednesday Jan 2016
Posted in Telecom
Department of Defence is expected to hand over the extra spectrum in 1700-2000 Mhzband to DOT within three months, after DOT set up an exclusive defence network for its communication services. This issue has been pending for many years.
The vacated spectrum can be auctioned to the telecom companies for additional spectrum for providing services.
06 Wednesday Jan 2016
Posted in PSU
The move of the Government and the Railway Ministry to form a Railway Development Authority (RDA) is the next step for privatisation of the Railways. According to reports in Business Line, the government has prepared a concept paper on the matter and has invited stake holders’ comments.
Another report says that the Government is proposing to hand over 400 Railway Stations to private for modernisation as has been done in the case of Airports earlier. This is stated by Finance Minister Arun jaitely. They will be allowed to utilise the lands of the Railways for constructing buildings etc.
It is to be remembered here that the formation of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was done in connection with the privatisation of telecom sector. Now it is the Railways!
05 Tuesday Jan 2016
Posted in BSNL News, Telecom TU Movement 1991-2015
Federations withdraw the strike
On the basis of a letter from the Chairman, Telecom Commission, NFTE, FNTO and BTEF withdrew the strike, once again betraying the interests of the telecom workers. E.III Union strongly protested. Branches all over the country sent protest telegrams. Massive Dharnas were organized at all major centres protesting at the betrayal of the Federations.
National Convention on 21st June 1994
The National Convention on 21st June 1994 called by the National Platform of Mass Organisations held at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi against the IMF prescribed economic policies of the government and the Dunkel draft was participated by thousands of workers from various parts of India. It severely criticized the neo-liberal policies being implemented by the government and decided for protest actions. It decided for one day country wide General Strike and Hartal on September 29, 1994. E.III Union delegates, including General Secretary, participated in the Convention.
Sustained Struggles against privatization
The government was moving fast on privatization. Letter of intent was given to US WEST company for pilot projects in 4 districts of T.Nadu. This was vehemently opposed by telecom workers.
V Central Pay Commission – Memorandum submitted
The Staff Side of the National Council in its meeting on 24-05-1994 appointed a Drafting Committee with S.K.Vyas, S.Madhusudan and K.Ramamurthi to draft the I Part the Memorandum to the V CPC. The separate federations/ unions will have to prepare the memorandums on their departmental issues. It was also decided to demand interim relief and merger of DA. E.III CWC had formed a committee to prepare the sectional demands. The Main Memorandum was submitted by the Staff Side. The E.III Union Memorandum was submitted on 31st August 1994 to the V CPC.
General strike on 29th September 1994
The General Strike called for by the National Platform of Mass Organisations was a big success. E.III Union also gave the call and it was a big success in the telecom also.
Red Carpet to Private Sector to telecom
Communications Minister, Sukh Ram in his Press statement outlined the method of granting licence to the private companies for operating telecom services. It mentioned how to give licences, regulatory authority , pilot project, period of licencing etc. It was a red carpet welcome for the private operators to enter the lucrative sector.
Minister also announced the companies elected for cellular services as follows:
Delhi: Bharti Cellular and Sterling Cellular
Bombay: Max Hutchinson Ltd and BPL Systems and & Project Ltd.
Calcutta: Usha martin Telecom and Indian Telecom Private Ltd.
Madras: Sky Cell Communications and Mobile Telecom Services.
A large number of companies were proposed for private participation in basic telecom services. Thus the map was drawn for the entry of the private companies both in Cellular and basic services.
New Technology Workshop at Calcutta
In continuation of the Workshop conducted at Haldia last year, another Workshop was organized at Calcutta by the Commonwealth Trade union and CITU together on 25-27 October 1994. The main topic was New Technology in various sectors. In both the workshops V.A.N.Namboodiri attended and submitted papers on the Telecom Sector.
Interim Relief, DA Merger
As per call of the Confederation demonstrations were organized in telecom also on 19th January 1995 demanding Interim Relief and DA Merger. The programme was a grand success.
Tenders called for telecom services.
The government was moving fast on privatization. Tenders were called for providing cellular and basic telecom services from private operators. Letter of Intent was given to US WEST company for pilot projects in four districts of T.Nadu. This was strongly opposed by the workers. As per the call of the federations/unions, telecom workers organized demonstration on 17-01-1995. (To be continued)
05 Tuesday Jan 2016
Tags
The Central Trade Unions, including BMS, INTUC, HMS, AITUC, CITU have demanded to the central government that the minimum wage for the contract workers should be Rs. 18,000, as calculated and recommended by the VII Central Pay Commission. They submitted a 14 Point Memorandum to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on 4th January 2016, when the latter met them for pre-budget consultations.
The CTUs demanded to the Finance Minister that the ‘Hire and Fire’policy should be abandoned and there should be job-security for the workers. They strongly opposed the policy of arbitrarily amending the labour acts without consulting the CTUs. They pointed out that no labour amendment law should be moved with out consultation with and consent of the unions.
Further they demanded that the ‘ease of doing business’ should not be connected with the labour laws.
The meeting was participated by Tapan Sen(CITU), Vrijesh Upadhyay (BMS), Ashok Singh (INTUC), D.L.Sachdeva(AITUC), Harbhajan Sidhu (HMS) and leaders of other Central Trade Unions.
04 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in Obituary, Tributes
Today morning I went to Ajoy Bhawan, office of CPI and paid floral tributes and respectful homage to veteran Communist leader Comrade A.B.Bardhan. His body was kept there for the public to see and pay homage. Met Comrades Gurudas Das Gupta, General Secretary AITUC, D.Raja, M.P., Amarjeet Kaur, DP Sachdev, G.L.Dhar and other leaders of CPI/AITUC and conveyed condolences!
His body will be cremated at Nigambodh crematorium at 03.00 PM.
04 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in General
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The times have changed!
I usually take a small engagement diary with me to check in now and then about the programmes I have to attend or the work I have to do. One of my comrades asked me why you can’t use the mobile for the purpose. I told him that I tried, but still I felt that the old method is convenient to me.
It is not about the engagement diary alone. The world and system has changed drastically after the mobile with unlimited applications have arrived. I used to get many complimentary diaries at the start of the year. Now barely I get one or two. It seems the calendars are also on the down road. Greeting Cards for Birth Day, Marriage Anniversary, New year, Festivals ….all are on speedy decline.
Times have indeed changed. The Mobile with its unlimited applications have changed everything. The next generation may not know that people used to send telegram, phonogram, Greeting Cards, write in big diaries, kept big family albums of photoes and so on.
It is very much necessary that Museums should keep all these for the future generations to see that how the earlier generations lived and worked.
04 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in Telecom
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The TRAI has firmly told the telecom companies to pay compensation for call drops to the customers from 1st January 2016. The compensation for one call drop will be Rs. 1/- and the maximum for a day is Rs.3/- for one customer.
Telecom companies are avoiding payment stating that there is case pending in the court, on which decision is expected on 6th January.
The direction of the TRAI has resulted in less call drops.
03 Sunday Jan 2016
Posted in Left News, Obituary, Tributes
Tags
New Delhi, January 3: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its deep grief at the passing away of Comrade A. B. Bardhan, veteran leader of the Communist and working class movement of India.
Bardhan became a Communist as a young student while participating in the anti-imperialist student movement. As a trade union activist and as a leader of All India Trade Union Congress, he made a significant contribution to organizing the working class.
Comrade Bardhan, as the General Secretary of the CPI, helped to build Left unity. He played a key role in strengthening relations with CPI(M). Comrade Bardhan’s life and work was that of a dedicated Communist leader. In his death, the CPI and the Left movement have lost an invaluable leader.
The Polit Bureau pays its respectful homage to his memory. The Polit Bureau conveys its heartfelt condolence to his daughter, son and other members of his family.
03 Sunday Jan 2016
Posted in General
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“Ganashakti” the Bengali Daily, organ of the CPI(M), is entering its 50th Year of publication today, 3rd January 2016. It was first published as an evening paper on 3rd January 1967 and later converted in to a morning daily.
Ganashakti had to face several challenges from the congress rulers, during the Emergency as also under the Trinamool government. But it continued its publication for the cause of the common people, the downtrodden and the working class.
On this 50th year of its publication, I convey my Hearty Greetings and Best Wishes to “Ganashakti” and hope that it will continue its fight for the toiling masses!
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