Category Archives: BSNL – Better Service to the Nation

The BSNL Employees under the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations are making all out efforts to ensure a better service to the customers. It has given a detailed Memorandum to the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Communications Minister, Secretary DOT, CMD BSNL etc. with proposals for improvement and strengthening the company. The issues coming in this category are connected with the same.

Child Care Leave orders issued by BSNL

08 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

BSNL C.O. has issued the orders on Child Care leave today, on the International Women’s Day. It is appropriate. Though much delayed, I am happy that it is issued. It will benefit all women having children up to the age of 18 years. The orders are available on the BSNL site.
Yesterday, I sent an SMS addressed to all the Directors of BSNL suggesting/demanding that the orders on the Child Care Leave be issued on 8th March itself which is the International Women’s Day. The reply SMS was received from CMD, Shri R.K.Upadhyay, with the brisk but positive word ‘OK.’ From Director (Finance) Shri KCGK Pillai also, I got a positive response.
Anyhow to ensure that the order is issued today, 8th March itself, I went to the corporate office along with Com. S.C.Bhattacharjee, BSNLEU Treasurer, but it was intimated that the CMD and Directors have gone to attend a meeting connected with some matters of Parliament. I met and talked with Shri R.K.Goyal. GM(Estt) as also Shri H..C.Pant, GM(legal) and Secretary to the BSNL Board. Both were helpful and hopeful for the issue of orders.
By late evening the orders have been issued. Thanks to the management for issuing the orders without waiting for the usual formalities and delay after taking the decisions in the BSNL Board.
Thus one of the agreements on the 12th June 2012 Strike agreement is implemented. Now BSNL Management should put pressure on the DOT for early approval for issue of the orders on 78.2% IDA fixation. Anyhow, the meeting of the Forum of BSNL Unions && Associations, which will be meeting on 18th March will take appropriate decision to get the orders issued.

Child Care Leave in BSNL – Issue orders on 8th March

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

After persuation and sustained agitations by the unions, BSNL Board has decided to grant Child Care Leave, as per the orders of the Central Government, in BSNL also. Already it is too late. Now the BSNL Management can issue the orders tomorrow, 8th March, International Women’s Day, itself. It will be much appreciated by the staff.

Forum of BSNL Unions/Assns meet on 18th March

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

The Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations will be meeting at 1430 hours on 18th March 2013 to specially to discuss the pending issues and also agitational programmes to be organised for settlement of the same.
The casual or rather negative attitude of the BSNL Management and also the DOT is causing much delay in settlement of the urgent issues. It is better for the management/DOT to settle the issues than face serious agitation. We hope better advise will prevail on both.

Recruitment in BSNL a must to revitalise the company

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

As I have stated earlier, young blood and enthusiasm are always necessary for the growth and energisation of any organisation, whether company, union, administration or any other organisation.
The fact that there has been no recruitment worth its name in BSNL, except in the cadres of JTO and TTA, for about 25 years (both during DOT and BSNL) has made the company with the staff having an average age of more than 45 years. It may become over 50 within another few years, if no recruitement takes place.
The young people are energetic, capable of using new technology, have high ideological values and also is much suited to the new atmosphere of competition. New recruitment can not be avoided if you want the company to survive.That is why recruitment is being done in LIC, Postal, Income Tax and all PSUs, eventhough a small %. This should be done in BSNL also.
The first step can be to recruit those waiting for Compassionate Ground Appointments. There are about 2,000 applications waiting for the last years.These applicants can be given job without any delay. Secondly, there are about 4,000 casual labours who are engaged by DOT/BSNL for the last 15 to 25 years. Many of them are highly/adequately qualified. Third will be by regularising the contrat workers. Fourth will be by new recruitement from high level management personnel for top management.
After the above process is over, recruitment could be done from outside, while continuing the present recruitment in the cadres of JTO, TTA etc.
These actions will certainly improve the working of the company and improve efficiency and its image.

Position of Forum proved correct – ITS Petition dismissed

16 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

The stand taken by the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations that those ITS officers who did not opt for BSNL should be repatriated as per government orders has been once again proved correct.
The Delhi High Court on 15th February 2013 dismissed the petition of the BSNL and ITS not to implement the government orders/ delay implementation with the direction to BSNL/DOT to repatriate all the non-optee officials within two weeks. This is a great achievement for the Forum and the unions/Associations who have been demanding the same and had gone on sustained agitation. The relevance of the demand increased in view of the set back to BSNL due to non-performance of the BSNL top management, mainly occupied by the ITS officers.
We welcome the judgment of the Delhi High Court. The BSNL Management/DOT has to immediately take necessary action in the matter.

The Government should urgently help BSNL, MTNL

04 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Both BSNL and MTNL are in financial difficulties. Both have posted loss for the last three years. This year also it is not going to be different. The chances are that the loss may increase.
It is a moot question to ask. If the BSNL and MTNL were not formed and the services were being provided by DOT itself, this position would not have arisen. But Government has consciously created the present situation by corporatisation. All the present problems have started with the corporatisation.
As such, now it is the responsibility of the government to take necessary steps to restore the financial viability of both these PSUs. Sufficient Funds should be urgently given, the inefficient management should be made to be accountable and the co-operation of the workforce ensured.
The workers and their organisations are ready for maximum support and co-operation, but the initiative is to be taken by the management.This is completely lacking, unfortunately.
We can not blame others and sit silent. A massive movement of the BSNL and MTNL workers is necessary to change the situation. Workers and their unions/associations have to take this great task to rejuvenate BSNL and MTNL.

Private telcos can not object to govt. support to BSNL – Union

02 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A report with the above title published in the ‘Business Line’ today, 2nd Feb. is reproduced below:

New Delhi, Feb 1:
The employees’ union of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has said that private telecom players have no reason to object to a Government proposal to give the PSU financial support. The workers’ union said the private players now argue for a level-playing field even though they have been continuously getting all benefits and undue favours from the Government.

“In the auctions for spectrum, while the private players could bid for their choice circle, BSNL and MTNL were denied the right to bid, but were compelled to pay the charges for the highest bid in all circle, resulting in almost double the amount that the private telcos paid,” said V. A.N. Namboodiri, Convenor of the joint forum of BSNL workers’ union.

Private mobile operators have raised objections to a proposal to give financial support to State-run telecom companies. The Cellular Operators Association of India and the Association of Unified Service Providers of India have written to the Government saying that it will disturb the level-playing field if financial support is given.

The Department of Telecom has sought the Cabinet’s approval for a Rs 20,000-crore bailout package for BSNL and MTNL. The Department proposes to waive the one-time spectrum charge and refund money for broadband spectrum that has been surrendered.

Change of Designations – Agreement on RM, TM Designations

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

As per the decisions of the National Council Meeting held yesterday, 30th January, a meeting of the Committee for Change of Designation of Non-executives was held today.
The Committee unanimously agreed on the new designations for the two cadres viz. RM and TM. The new designations agreed to by the official and staff side representatives are Telecom Assistant for Regular Mazdoor and Telecom Technician for Telecom Mechanic.
For the cadres of Sr.TOA and TTA, the designations demanded by the union representatives were not agreed to by the official side. Hence the discussion for change of designations for Sr.TOA, TTA and other cadres will continue.
It is after strenuous discussion for about three years, that the present agreement could be made. It was hard bargaining and at last the management had to agree for the change and new designations.
Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU, P.Abhimanyu, General Secretry, BSNLEU, P.Asokababu, Vice-President, BSNLEU and V.Subburaman, GS TEPU participated from the staff side.
Let this achievement be advanced for the designation change for Sr.TOA, TTA and all other cadres.

The National Council meets

30 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

The 28th meeting of the National Council was held today, 30th January to discuss about the various important issuesraised by the recognised union. Shri A.N.Rai, Director (HR) and chairman of the National council presided.
The house paid homage to the veteran union leader Com. O.P.Gupta, who passed away on 6th of this month, by standing silent for two minutes. After the initial speeches by the Chairman, Director(Finance), Leade staff side and Secretary Staff Side, the Leader Staff side declared they are walking out protesting against the non-action by the management against the GM Ghaziabad in the murder case of Com. Sukhenderpal Singh. All the staff side members then walked out.
The management was completely taken back.The Secretary of the Council, GM(SR) Sri Neeraj Verma and other officers pleaded with the staff side to come back and participate in the discussions. After some time thestaff side members returned to the meeting and the same was started.
The meeting continued up to 1900 hours and the complete items were discussed. But it is unfortunate that much advance could not be made on many issues. Brief not on the discussions will be put in the BSNLEU website.

National Council on 30th January 2013

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

The National Council meeting will be held tomorrow on 30th Janaury 2013, after more than 6 months. The items have been given already on which the discussion will mainly be held.
The present meeting is the 28th meeting of the National Council after it has been formed in 2002, after the First Membership Verification.
If we go through the constitution and proceedings of the National Council so far, we can see that the same is treated as an unwanted but unavoidable practice by the BSNL Management. This mindset is there from the start. Let us examine whether this assessment is true or not.
1) In the government services, there is the system of National Council for the Central Government employees as a whole. On the official side there are Secretaries of the Departments and on the Staff Side, the nominated General Secretaries/ office-bearers of various organisations. The topmost officer of the Central Government, the Cabinet Secretary will chair the meetings. In the Departmental Councils, the head of the Department, the Secretary will chair. Accordingly, in the National Council for BSNL, the CMD BSNL should chair the NC meeting. But unfortunately, only Director HR/HRD, is the Chairman. Despite demanding several times, the BSNL management has not agreed to the proposal and still Dir(HR) is presiding. For taking quick decisions, chairing by the CMD will be the ideal position.
In fact, the head of the circle, CGM and that of the SSA, GM are presiding the council meetings at their respective levels.
2) Periodicity of the meetings
The National Council is to be held every three months. But it is not beiong held like that. Only two meetings have been held in 2012, instead of four meetings. This indicates the intention of the management toavoid meetings and delay the same. It is the responsibility of the management to ensure that the meetings are held regularly and in time.
3. Discussion and Decisions:
The meetings are being held to discuss and settle issues of the workers, which couold not be settled till then. The items are given sufficiently early so that the management can prepare their position and ready for taking suitable decisions.But what is happening is completely different. The management is outrightly denying most of the demands on one plea or another. It is very rare that concrete decisions are taken in the council. The maximum that is stated is that the official side will examine the demand. The Councils are being held for taking decisions and the examination should be over before the meeting. If the view points of the management is given along with the agenda at the start of the meeting it will be possible for the unions also to discuss the same and find out some solutions.
4. National Council is not a one way process. The Management have to bring their agenda which they want to discuss with the staff side on development, expansion, improvement of the services etc. But during the last so many years, the official sie has not brought any agenda from its side. On the other hand it is issuing orders on many issues connected with the service condition and connected staff matters without discussing with the unions or in the Nationl Council. Such one sided actions are being taken due to the bureacratic thinking that the unions have no role in all these issues.
5. Even after certain decisions are taken in the meeting, it is not being pursued by the official side. The minutes are issued, but then no action is taken on the matters till the next meeting. Once a decision is taken it has to be implemented by the management.
6. There are certain issues on which the management has to take up the matter with the DOT before taking any decision. A large number of cases come under this category. The official side assures to take up the cases with the DOT, but is is not being pursued, or after writing a letter no further reminder or action is taken. Earlier a Committee was formed with DOT, BSNL and the recognised union which discussed and settled many things. But that system has been given up lately. This is to be restored for dealing with such cases.
7. Sufficient time is not allotted for the National Council. Though the meeting will be scheduled at 1100 hours, it is held at 1130 or so. And by lunch time it is managed to finish. One full day is required for the Council to effectively discuss.

More than two lakh workers, several cadres, and mny kinds of issues are being discussed with the recognised union in these council meetings. It is for the management to ensure that the meetings are effective, positive decisions are taken and that there is cordial relationship between the unions and the management.