The Joint Committee on ‘Change of designations’ was held today, 29th May. A general consensus has been reached on the major four cadres of RM,TM,Sr.TOA and TTA. But still there are some fine-tunings to be done. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on 18th June.

The joint committee of Official and Staff  sides formed as per decision of the National Council for recommending change of designations is meeting tomorrow, 29th May. The Staff Side has already given their suggestions for the four main cadres viz. RM, TM, Sr.TOA and TTA. Almost a general consensus has been reached in the committee and we hope to finalise the same in the meeting tomorrow. But the official side has been wavering now and then and hence it was not finalised earlier. Our approach is get new designations which are suitable considering all aspects. The official side should understand the feeling of the unions and workers and avoid the unnecessary delay in finalising the issue.

The JAC was informed several times that Advance Purchase Orders have been issued for telephone instruments, cables, broadband modems, GSM lines etc. and they are on the supply pipeline. But wherever we go on tour, it is the same complaint from our comrades that nothing of these have reached the SSAs. Promises and assurances are for being kept and not for records only. The management should explain what is the delay in supplying the same. This is a crucial time for the BSNL and even a delay of one day in supply of these equipments and instruments will be very costly for the future of the company.

It seems that most of the managements at All India, Circle and SSA levels are not seriously interested in procuring the same. Whenever our field level workers and unions approach the officers demanding for the above, the casual reply is that nothing has been received. When we approach the top-level corporate management, the reply is that every thing has already been done for procurement.

Is it can be called a management which can not even procure the equipments and instruments that is vitally required for the company ? Is it a management which can not ensure implementation of its own decisions? Or is it that the BSNL management is going the disastrous route taken by the Air India management?

But the workers and their unions can not sit idle. Continuous pressure and struggles are required to make the management to work in the interest of the company. Of Course, the major struggle is to change the anti-worker policy of the government which is crippling BSNL.

The insensitive BSNL Management has made another attack on the Executive and Non-Executive employees. BSNL Employees have been demanding for payment of bonus which has been denied for the last three years, restoration of the Medical Allowance without Voucher which was taken away, LTC etc. which was imposed on the workers on the plea that funds are not available. The employees Unions even told the management that order on 78.2% IDA merger be issued and if necessary, the arrears can be paid later. The management was not prepared even to accept this.

Now all of a sudden on 25th May, last Friday, the Management has issued orders granting 15 allowances/benefits etc. to the ITS officers who are on deputation causing expenses of crores of rupees to the company. The plea is that this is as per VI CPC recommendations. Then why the 78-2% IDA merger was not implemented for other employees which is also as per orders of the government.

The Management is having two policies – one for ITS deputationists and another for the optees. There is no money to implement government orders for absorbed employees, but when it comes to ITS deputationists there is no question of money and each and every benefit is sanctioned and for them. The workers will not tolerate this injustice and discrimination.

The Unions met Director (Finance ) in the absence of the CMD BSNL, who is on tour and conveyed the strong sentiments of the workers.The Forum of BSNL Unions /Associations met immediately today and has strongly protested this  discrimination meted  out to the executives and Non-Executives.

The Forum decided to give notice for indefinite strike from 13th  June and the notice will be served on the management on 29th May (tomorrow) demanding restoration of the withdrawn facilities, grant of 78.2% IDA Merger, Bonus etc. It can not be that there is money to grant all benefits to the ITS non-optees, but there is no money for the absorbed employees and officers. Massive demonstrations will be organised on 31st May in all SSAs. On the same day, dharna will be organised at Corporate Office with  maximum participants. On 6th June dharnas will be organised at SSA/Circle levels in preparation for the indefinite strike.

The workers are serious. They can not be taken for granted when they are discriminated and insulted. There is no question of tolerating such injustice. I have no doubt that the workers will rise to the occasion and give a befitting reply to the management.

The Telecom Commission, the top body of the DOT to take decisions, met yesterday, 24th May to discuss about the recommendations of the TRAI on spectrum auction and other connected matters. It is reported that the TC suggested that instead of 5MHz of spectrum 10 MHz of spectrum for each circle can be auctioned. This is almost double of what TRAI has recommended. There has been strong pressure from the private lobbies to increase the spectrum for auction after the recommendation of the spectrum. The TC is also reported to have suggested that more spectrum could be allotted, if the defence department vacates some of its excess spectrum.

The present decision will not only give more spectrum to private players, but the government will also get more money. Our demand for free spectrum for BSNL was not at all an agenda for the Telecom Commission.

The Telecom Commission did not take any decision on the base price of the 2 G spectrum. The TRAI has recommended Rs.3,622 as the base price, while the DOT suggested Rs.4,245. The private companies have been warning that they will have to increase the call charges many times if the recommendation of the TRAI is accepted. They met the Ministers of Finance, Telecom and others in power. It may be due to the pressure from the private companies that the TC did not take any decision in the matter.

Another issue was the subsidy to the BSNL for providing loss making connections in the villages and rural areas. The BSNL has calculated that the loss would be around Rs. 9,306 crore per annum. But the TRAI recommended only Rs. 1500 crore for this year and Rs. 1,250 crores next year. And surprisingly, the USOF rejected the recommendations and had asked the DOT that enough subsidy has been given earlier and there is no necessity for further subsidy. The JAC had demanded both the management and the DOT for increased subsidy. No decision was taken by the Telecom Commission on this issue also. I have spoken to the CMD BSNL to further pressurize the DOT for further subsidy and he has asked to meet the DOT Secretary in this respect. The JAC is trying to meet the Secretary DOT on this urgent issue.

It is surprising and alarming that the USO Fund Organisation is opposing the recommendation of  the TRAI for subsidising  the BSNL for its loss making landline operations. It is well-known that BSNL is operating its landline connections with huge loss since it has to maintain the connections accordance with the policy of the government to provide universal service in the villages and remote localities. In fact, as per the answer given by the Communications Minister in the Parliament, BSNL has sought for Rs. 9306 crores per annum support from USOF towards the Rural Direct Exchange Lines on expiry of the present Rs. 2000 crore paid till 2011. TRAI has only recommended Rs. 1500 crores for 2011-12 and Rs. 1250 crores for 2012-13. Now the USOF is even opposing this meagre amount.

We have to express our strong protest against this injustice. DOT is going to take decision on the matter of subsidy to BSNL probably today. We have demanded the DOT that the opinion of the  USOF  should be dismissed and adequate subsidy to be given to BSNL to run its operations. We have also  demanded the BSNL management to put pressure on its demand for subsidy. We have also sought a meeting with the DOT in the matter.

The meeting of all the BSNL Unions/Associations held today, 23rd May 2012, in New Delhi has decided to organise agitational programmes including strike for achievement of the demands raised in the 15 December strike  like ITS absorption, No VRS, Financial viability of BSNL, restoration of withdrawn allowances, 78.2% IDA fixation etc.  In the meeting held today, almost all the executive and nonexecutive unions in BSNL participated. This is a most welcome development.

The detailed circular will be issued shortly. Be prepared for a very serious struggle.

At last the NE-12 pay scale has been approved by the BSNL Board. In fact, it would have been approved very much earlier, but the bureaucratic system of functioning makes every decision delayed much more than necessary. Once an agreement is made with the Union on the NEPP, the management would have taken immediate measures to get it implemented. At least, it seems that there are more than 6 to 7 seven stages for any decision to be taken. Then most of the issues are sent to the DOT on various pleas. Naturally there is avoidable delay.

In a PSU like BSNL, this delay has to be curtailed and some method to be adopted for the same. Once a decision or agreement is made, there should be implementation without any delay.

We expect the management to issue immediate orders with effect from February when the same was approved by the DOT. With this a long demand of the employees is going to be fulfilled.

It has been decided to call for an all unions meeting at New Delhi at 1500 hours on 23rd May to discuss about the serious issues facing the BSNL and its workers. NFTE and FNTO have agreed to attend the meeting. We expect that all unions/associations will attend the meeting and take important decisions.

The Central Executive Committee of the AIBDPA met at Ernakulam on 18th May has given call for agitational programmes to get settled the important issues of the Pensioners. Details will be posted.