I hope that the meeting of the Anomaly Committee today may finalise its recommendations with regard to solving of the anomaly incurred at the time of conversion of CDA to IDA pay scale, in which seniors were getting less pay than their juniors. Com. P.Asokababu and myself are the members from the staff side in the committee.

The Chief Labour Commissioner has fixed a meeting at 1100 AM on 11th June with the BSNL Management and Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations for conciliation of the issues of the indefinite strike given notice by the unions/associations of the Forum. All the General Secretaries of the unions/associations are requested to attend.

There was a meeting of the Forum of BSNL UNions/Associations today, 7th June 2012, held under the Chairmanship of Com. C.Singh, President, NFTE. The meeting finalised the Circular to be sent signed by all the General Secretaries of Unions/Associations participating in the strike. The circular was signed and will be put in the websites of the unions/associations so that the circle/district secretaries can take it and circulate.

The Forum once again directed all the general Secretaries to direct their Circle / District Secretaries to form coordinating committees for organising the strike effectively.

Strike Circular signed by 18 executive and non-executive unions under the banner of Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations have been released today explaining the demands of the strike and calling upon the BSNL workers to make the strike a complete success. This is put in the website of BSNLEU and other unions. Kindly go through the same.

It is good news that 2 more unions have joined the strike decision and signed the circular. We welcome their decision.

Two more unions have called for strike increasing the number of unions participating in the strike. General Secretary, FNTO BEA, Com. P.Andiappan has intimated that they will be participating in the strike and notice already issued. General Secretary of BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation Com. Tapas Ghosh has also intimated that they will be participating in the strike.  Altogether now 19 unions have given call for strike.

Massive mobilisation is taking place in all the circles for the successful strike. The Forum will be meeting today at 1200 hours to finalize strike preparations.

All BSNL workers are requested to participate in the strike.

The massive participation in the dharna organised all over the country shows that the workers are fully prepared to participate in the Indefinite Strike being organised from 13th June 2012. The pent up feelings of the workers on the denial of their rightful demands has naturally angered them. While the workers are putting their best for the improvement of the services, their just demands are denied and even existing benefits are taken away by the management in the name of austerity. But for them, the top management officers, there is no austerity. The foreign tours, whether in the interest of the company or not continue without any control. The various allowances and benefits are taken by them stating it is their prerogative. Luxury cars are purchased and after retirement the officer is allowed to own it personally. How many crores of rupees are spent for petrol? In the high technology period why the top management is going on continuous tours, instead of discussing issues by videoconference as like other companies? Although why the allowances of top management officers are increased, when the same are not revised for the others for years together? How the women employee in executive/Non-executive is denied Child Care Leave when an ITS woman Officer working in the same office is granted the same? These are questions which the management can never answer.

The merger of 78.2% IDA with pay is not only a question of money. It is a basic issue. It is the full neutralisation and it can not be denied to the worker when the government and the DPE has already approved the same. See that full neutralisation is already granted to the non-optees, but for the optees it is still denied. The salary, allowances and even pension is adversely affected due to non grant of 78.2% of IDA merger.

The workers are angry against this injustice and have decided to join the Indefinite Strike with effect from 13th June. More and more workers will implement the strike call. The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations have upon the workers to make it a 100% success and a befitting reply to the management. The BSNL Management should immediately discuss and concede the just demands of the workers thus avoiding the strike, which may cause difficulties for the people. The full responsibility of the strike rests upon the management.

FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

Demands

• Revise Pay with 78.2%IDAMerger
• Revise Perks & Allowances
• Restore Medical Allowance
• Restore LTC/Leave Encashment
• Implement Child Care Leave
• Provide Retirement Benefits to BSNL recruited employees

Propagate! Participate!!

 BSNLEU-NFTE BSNL-SNEA(I)- AIBSNLEA-TEPU-BSNLWRU-BSNLMS-AIGETOA-BSNL OA-BSNL ATM-  BTEU BSNL – NFTBE-AIBCTES-BTU BSNL-SEWA BSNL-BSNL NTSU

Meeting of Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations

A meeting of the BSNL Unions / Associations was held at 1600 hours on 6^th June 2012 at the Corporate Office, New Delhi. Com. C.Singh, GS, NFTE,  presided.

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, reported about the success of the dharna organised today all over India as per the call of the Forum on the demands on which the workers will be going on Indefinite Strike from 13 June 2012.He also reported about the discussion with the Management earlier. All the General Secretaries / representatives present discussed about the organisational tasks to be taken for the successful strike. The meeting congratulated the workers for the excellent and massively participated dharna all over the country.

After detailed discussion, the following decisions were taken:

1. A Joint Circular signed by the General Secretaries on the strike issues will be issued. The General Secretaries will meet tomorrow, 7^th June,  at 12-00 hours at BSNLMS office for signing the same.
2. A model of wall poster on strike will be put in the unions’ websites which can be taken and printed by the Circles and circulated.
3. A Press Statement will be issued by the Convener.
4. Efforts should be made to meet the Communications Minister and Secretary, DOT in connection with the strike issues.
5. Efforts to be made to meet the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications.
6. Co-ordinating Committee of Forum should be formed at Circle and SSA levels immediately within two days. The General Secretaries should inform the Circle Secretaries to implement the decision without delay.
7. A Badge with the demands to be prepared and put in the websites.

The meeting called upon all the workers to participate in strike and make it a big success. The meeting ended at 17.30 hours after vote of thanks by chairman.

The Anomaly Committee will be meeting today in preparation for finalising the report. It is already long delayed and can not be allowed to delay further.

The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations have called upon all the unions at Circle and SSA levels to form units of the Forum in preparation for the joint programmes and propaganda for the 6th Dharna and the indefinite Strike with effect from 13th June 2012. While 16 unions along with the Convener of the Forum have signed the strike notice, we are expecting that more unions will join Forum and strike. The struggle is for the immediate economic demands, which the unions have discussed with the management several times. While the management in the name of loss to the company did not agree for the 78.2@ IDA merger and even had  curtailed certain allowances like medical, on 25th of last month, without any consideration had granted 15 allowances to the unabsorbed ITS officers. Even the financial implication was not considered.

In such a situation, there is no justification to deny the genuine demands of the executive and non-executive employees. It is for these economic demands that the present agitational programmes are organised.  The struggle which the Joint Action Committee has decided on the financial viability of the company etc. is kept pending temporarily due to this agitation imposed upon us by the management.

This is an opportunity to hit and hit strongly. The management has not no excuses to deny the rights of the workers. Meet each and every worker and prepare all for the ensuing struggle.