Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI

Three Election Results of the Unions – A report in Working Class

03 Monday Jun 2013

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I am giving below a report published in the June 2013 issue of Working Class, Organ of CITU,  with regard to three elections in PSU/Govt.:Three election results in April – May, 2013 of CITU affiliated and associated unions in public sector and government departments are significant. Elections were held through secret ballots for recognition of the unions.

Massive Victory of CITU Union in Bhilai Steel Plant

CITU affiliated Hindustan Steel Employees Union (HSEL) in Bhilai achieved a massive victory in secret ballot of the workers, held on 12 May, and became the number one recognized union of the Bhilai Steel Plant of SAIL.

Out of total 22,000 workers of the plant, 19,584 workers cast their votes. Eight unions contested. HSEU (CITU) secured 8,692 (44.38%) votes defeating the nearest contestant Ispat Shramik Manch (ISM) who secured 5,599 votes, INTUC union got 3,773, SWU 534, AITUC union 315, AICCTU 315, BMS 232 and HMS 75, invalid 49 votes.

CITU congratulated HSEU and also conveyed gratitude to the workers of Bhilai Steel Plant for extending such massive support to CITU union.  Steel Workers’ Federation of India (SWFI) also congratulated the HSEU for such resounding victory.

BSNL Employees Union’s 5th Successive Victory

Out of total about 2.05 lakh BSNL employees, more than 1.93 lakh employees in 35 circles across the country cast their votes on 16 April. 48.68% employees voted for BSNL Employees Union and 30.28% for NFTE (BSNL). Both got recognition out of total 18 unions in the fray. It is the 5th time victory of BSNL Employees Union in a row. (Working Class, May, 2013). CITU greeted BSNL Employees Union for this massive victory.

Victory of Railway Unions

Election in Railways was held during 25 – 27 April and the result was declared on 3 May. As per rules, minimum 30% votes are required for getting recognition status in Railways.

Left supported MTP Employees Union in Kolkata Metro Railway secured 46.02% votes and became the only recognized union defeating Congress supported Metro Railway Workers Union (27.33%) and Trinamool Congress supported Metro Rail TMC Sramik Karmachari Union (23.05%).

In Eastern Railway, Left-supported Eastern Railwaymrn’s Union secured 46.44% votes and became the number one recognized union for railwaymen. Congress-supported Eastern Railwaymen’s Congress secured 36.10% votes and became 2nd recognized union. Trinamool Congress supported Eastern Railway Employees and Workers Congress got only 10.11% votes. Of this, in Jamalpur Railway Workshop in Bihar, Left-supported union got 4540 votes out of total 9214 workers and became number one recognized union in the workshop.

In South Eastern Railway, Congress supported SE Railwaymen’s Congress secured 45.32% and number one position followed by Left supported SE Railwaymen’s Union with 41.70 % votes and 2nd recognized union status. TMC supported union got only 5.21% votes.

 
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Thousands protest in Tokyo against Nuclear reactors

02 Sunday Jun 2013

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A report from AFP

Tokyo, Jun 2 Thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators rallied in the Japanese capital Tokyo today as conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe considers restarting reactors. Organisers said 7,500 people gathered at a park in the city centre, including disaster victims and celebrities such as Nobel literature laureate Kenzaburo Oe. Protesters later marched through the capital, holding anti-nuclear banners including one which read: “No Nukes! Unevolved Apes Want Nukes!” They also demonstrated outside the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Co, operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant which was crippled by meltdowns after the March 2011 tsunami. Abe, whose Liberal Democratic Party has close ties with the nation’s powerful business circles, has repeatedly said he would allow reactor restarts if their safety could be ensured. Japan turned off its 50 reactors for safety checks in the wake of the disaster but has restarted two of them, citing possible summertime power shortages. Radiation from the plant, 220 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, spread over a wide area after the worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Penalty increased for mobile tower radiation breach

01 Saturday Jun 2013

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The Communications Minister Kapil Sibal has stated that mobile companies will have to pay penalty of Rs. 10 lakh, instead of the present 5 lakhs for breach of radiation norms of mobile towers. The radiation permissible level since 1 September 2012 was lowered to 0.45 watts per square metre. The mobile companies have to abide by the same.

But the question arises. Penalties are fixed for many violations, illegal roaming, manipulating SLD calls to local calls to avoid tax/revenue sharing, providing mobile connections without verification, not providing connections in villages/rural areas as per licencing conditions etc.etc. But who pays these penalties? Either the companies go to court or pressurise the DOT/Minister to relax it and get favourable decisions. The companies are going scot-free even violating all conditions.

Instead of the name sake penalties, the licence of these companies should be immediately cancelled, which only will compel them to abide by the rules of the land. But we need not expect the present government to take any such action. All in the name of increasing investments and allowing to maximise profits of the private companies.

 

 

BSNL Revival a must for the Nation

01 Saturday Jun 2013

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BSNL is the government company providing telecom services all over India, except in the metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai where the services are provided by another government company MTNL. BSNL and MTNL are the continuation of the Department of P&T, and later Department of Telecom, which provided telegraph and telecom services since their introduction in India.

As per the neo-liberalisation policy being aggressively implemented by the Central Government, private companies were allowed to provide telecom services in the 1990s. At the same time, the government started moves, one after another, which resulted first in corporatisation and then in weakening of the new PSU, BSNL.

India is a country having lakhs of villages and rural areas, where the private companies are not much interested in providing services, since most of them are loss making. BSNL, which is committed to implement the universal service obligation of the government, is providing services in these areas. Naturally BSNL is suffering huge losses. In the crucial border areas, naxal affected areas etc. it is only BSNL, which provides services facing severe risks. BSNL and MTNL keep the tariff low despite severe competition.

The existence and growth of BSNL and MTNL is a must for the growth of the country and its security. The government has to realise this and ensure that BSNL and MTNL are helped to tide over the present crisis. It has to honour its financial commitments which it has given at the time of corporatisation.

The workers have to sincerely continue their maximum efforts to improve the services. Management has to become efficient to plan its programmes and implement effectively.

All out efforts are required from all stake-holders to revitalise and strengthen BSNL and MTNL.

Massive protest by Left Front in Kolkata

31 Friday May 2013

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A massive  demonstration was held in Kolkata today, 31st May, by the Left Front protesting against curbs on the democratic rights of the people and also demanding immediate enquiry and action against the brutal murder of SFI leader Sudipta Gupta. and against the Saradha Group for cheating the people. The protesters including the leaders were arrested and later released.

Protest by Wal-Mart employees in US

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by in TU News - International

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Employees of Wal-Mart, the biggest retail corporate in the world, will organise protest demonstration on 7th June at the HQ of the company at Bentonville, Ark in USA. They are protesting against the low wage and other unsatisfactory conditions and demanding better wages, more full-time jobs and respect for the employees. The protest demonstration is being organised by Organisation United for Respect at Wal-Mart, an organisation of the employees. The date fixed for the protest is on which the meeting of the Annual Shareholders meeting is being held at Ark.

The workers from all the Wal-Mart stores in US will be moving to Ark for the protest. They call the March by name Ride for Respect.

2199 towers in Naxal affected areas for mobile coverage – BSNL to do the work

31 Friday May 2013

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The central government has cleared the long pending proposal of erecting 2199  towers in the naxal affected areas in A.P., Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, M.P.,Odisha, UP and W.Bengal in order to cover the so far not-covered areas by mobile connections. The proposal has been pending for some years. The recent drastic attack by the naxalites and killing of senior leaders of Congress in Chattisgarh have woken up the sleeping ministry which took the decision now.

The 3,046.12 crore project will be funded from USOF and no tender need be floated. BSNL will be entrusted with the work. Of course, the government very well know that no private telco will take up this dangerous task in the naxalite areas.

BSNL is dedicated to the nation and it will take up the responsibility. The Government should remember that it is only BSNL which it can depend upon any emergency and security of the nation and the people.

‘Lost Generation’, the huge unemployed youth in Spain

31 Friday May 2013

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Due to the recession and  austerity measures in Spain, the unemployment has increased multi-fold and even the highly qualified youngsters are finding it difficult to get jobs. The government jobs have been reduced drastically.

‘The unemployment rate for those between the ages of 16 and 24 has soared to 57.22 percent, and a record 27.16 percent overall, at the end of the first quarter as the country struggles through a double-dip recession sparked by the collapse of a decade-long building boom in 2008’, according to a report from Madrid, the capital of Spain. Another report says that the youth feel that they are the ‘lost generation’.

It is not only Spain, but almost all the countries in Europe are facing the serious aftermath of the recession.

DoT proposes Rs.2 crore penalty for illegal phone tapping

31 Friday May 2013

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The DoT has suggested to the government to increase the penalty for illegal phone tapping from the present Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 crore. The increased illegal activities of phone tapping has been on the increase resulting in much complaints.

DOT has proposed the higher penalty to be included in the proposed ‘Right to Privacy Bill’ which the government in preparing. This proposal is welcome. But at the same time it also should be ensured that even the government should not tap the telephones, except in case of national security etc.

MTNL posts loss of Rs.1,985.93 cr. loss for 2012-13

31 Friday May 2013

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MTNL, the telecom PSU providing services in the metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai, has posted a loss of Rs. 1,985.93 crore for the financial year 2012-13. This is more than the loss posted in 2011-12, which was Rs. 1,236.99 crore. MTNL is in loss for the last four years.

BSNL management has stated that the loss is due to the increased salary expenses of the employees. The employee expenses increased from Rs.1,236.99 last year to Rs. 1,927.33 crore this year. But this argument is faulty since it is normal for the salary increase in every year due to increments, pension contribution paid to the government etc. How can any management think that salary will not increase.

The real issue is that the revenue has not increased. It is the responsibility of the management to ensure that the business improves as also the revenue. The management has utterly failed in this and hence the loss. Further the government has been squeezing the company by imposing high charges for spectrum and increased contribution to pension by taking the maximum of the pay scale for calculation of the pension contribution to the government. Further the arrears to be collected are huge and probably a good amount will be due from the Central and State governments.

Whatever are the reasons for the loss, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the PSU is supported financially for its revival. Of course, the workers have got a major role for improving the services to the people.