Category Archives: BSNL News

BSNLEU Meets Director (HRD)

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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Coms. VAN Namboodiri, President BSNLEU along with Com. Animesh mitra, Dy. GS, BSNLEU and Com. K.G. Jayaraj GS AIBDPA met Shr A.N.Rai, Director (HRD) today, 12th December and discussed the issues of non-payment of minimum wages to the contract workers, the unjustified transfer of Dist. Secretary of ETR, Odisha, victimisation of union leaders by GM Jamshedpur, amendment to Welfare Committee bye-law to enable retired employees to become eligible for membership in the committee, holding of the Sports Committee and Welfare Committee, anomaly in the pension of officials retired between October 2000 and July 2001, suggestions for improvement of BSNL services etc. He assured suitable action in these matters.

Govt. proposes mandate to departments and PSUs to give preference to BSNL/MTNL

11 Wednesday Dec 2013

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It seems that the Central Government may accept one of the demands raised by the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations in their Declaration demanding the Government to mandate to all departments and PSUs to get landline and mobile connections from BSNL/MTNL only. Reply given to a Parliament Question by the Minister of State for Communications Smt.Killi Kriparani hints towards this point.A press report in this connection is given below for details:

‘In a bid to enhance the revenues of BSNL and MTNL, the government has proposed that union ministries, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies give preference to the services of the state-run telecom operators.

“Proposing preferential treatment to BSNL and MTNL services in Central Government Ministries/Central Government public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies to enhance the revenues earned by BSNL and MTNL,” Minister of State for Communications and IT Killi Kruparani said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

She said the government had constituted a group of ministers (GoM) on April 17, 2013 to recommend short term, medium term and long term measures for revival and revitalisation of BSNL and MTNL.

In a separate query, Kruparani said BSNL suffered a loss of Rs. 7,884 crores in 2012-13 whereas MTNL’s losses stood at Rs. 5,321 crores in the same period.

“The principal reasons for the rising losses of BSNL and MTNL are due to sharp decline in revenue and increase in expenditure,” she said on December 6.

She said the revenues of the state-run telecom PSUs are declining due to substitution of fixed wireline to mobile wireless, stiff competition in mobile wireless sector, payment towards 3G and broadband wireless access spectrum charges.

Decrease in average revenue per user in mobile wireless sector is also hitting the telecom operators’ revenues, she added.

“The principal reason for the increase in expenditure is mainly due to large legacy workforce as a result of which employee expenses are currently at around 50 percent of revenues for BSNL and 103 percent for MTNL,” she added.

She said the GoM had made recommendations for payment of pension to the employees of MTNL on the pattern of BSNL, surrender of BWA spectrum by BSNL in six service areas and MTNL in Delhi and Mumbai for which refund will be paid to the operators.

The GoM had also recommended waiver of unpaid portion along with the interest of notional loan of Rs. 7,500 crores given to BSNL as part of the capital structure of the company at the time of its formation.

“The above recommendations of the GoM are being taken to the Cabinet for approval,” she added’ (Courtesy : NDTV)

The number of workers in BSNL

07 Saturday Dec 2013

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There was about 3.5 lakh workers in BSNL at the time of its formation. But there are only about 2.5 lakhs at present. As on September 2013, the staff strength is as follows:
Group A Officers : 6,105 Group B: 42,567 Non-Executives : 1,96,219 ( Group C: 1,60,006, Group D: 36,213) Total 2,44,891

More than 1,30,000 employees have retired during the period. About 30,000 recruited. In total the staff has been reduced by about one lakh ten thousand.

The time has come for recruitment. Some recruitment has taken place in Executives and TTA (Non-executive). But in other cadres in the non-executive, there is hardly any recruitment. In all cadres, there should be some recruitment to infuse fresh blood and young face.

Annual Report of Kerala Circle Conference of BSNLEU

05 Thursday Dec 2013

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I could not attend the Circle Conference of the BSNL Employees Union, Kerala Circle held from 6th to 8th November 2013 at Kottayam, since I was hospitalised and under treatment at New Delhi. If I remember correct, this was the first time since 1961 that I could not attend the Circle Conference of NFPTE/NFTE/BSNLEU. As per the reports received, the Conference was a great success as usual. I missed the opportunity to meet hundreds of comrades with whom I worked in the organisation for decades.
Today I received a copy of the Report of the Circle Union, presented to the Conference by the Circle Secretary, which was sent to me by Com.K.Mohan, Circle Secretary.I went through the entire report.
I was inspired by the growth of the organisation and the trade union consciousness of the workers reflected in the report. The 125 page report covered in detail the international and national scenario and also narrated about the various struggles that have taken place, the issues of the workers and the organisational activities and what to do in future. I could not have expected such a report about two decades back.
I congratulated the leaders and workers of BSNLEU, who have come far away from only the financial demands and have become the leaders of the struggle to be waged against imperialism-capitalism and also against the anti-people policies of the government.They have realised that only through mighty struggles of the oppressed and the working class, any achievement could be made. They have struggled earlier and will be part of the future struggles to be waged for the upliftment of the toiling masses and the common people.
Congratulations to Kerala Comrades!

Telecom Commission proposes reduction in the number of villages for connectivity.

04 Wednesday Dec 2013

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It is reported that the Telecom Commission proposes a reduction in the number of villages to be provided with Communications services from the original target decided by the Government. The government has earlier proposed connecting 57,000 uncovered villages to the telecom services.
Now the telecom Commission wants to reduce the number of villages to 9,190 villages in the North East as the first priority. The decision seems to be based on the availability of funds as also the huge work connected with it.

CLC Meeting on MTNL issues

02 Monday Dec 2013

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The Conciliation Meeting on the issues of MTNL including the Pension issues called by the Chief Labour Commissioner will be held at 1100 hours on 3rd December 2013 at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi. On the issues, Com. VAN Namboodiri held discussions with Coms. Kaushik and Mangeram , leaders of the United Forum of MTNL Unions.

National Council Meeting further delayed ?

21 Thursday Nov 2013

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It is now understood that that tentative date fixed for the National Council meeting is again postponed. The meeting was fixed for 9th December after continued demand from the Staff Side. Now the Management has postponed the date to 23rd December 2013. It is disturbing to note that the last meeting of the National council was held on 30th January 2013, almost 10 months back.
After the VI Membership Verification in April 2013 and grant of recognition to 2 unions, on this or that reason, the National Council had not met even once during the last 10 months. No Standing Committee meeting has also not been held for long time, even before the verification.This is intolerable delay.
The BSNL Management should understand that the negotiating machinery can not be kept non-working like this.

BSNL Management arbitrarily changes the convention of nominating in Joint Committees .

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

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It was a practice all these years that when any joint committee of Official Side and Staff Side is formed, almost equal number of members from both the Official Side and Staff Side are nominated. But in the Joint Committee for recommending the PLI for BSNL employees, while 5 GMs represent the Official Side, there are only two from the Staff Side. This is deviation from the existing practice and is arbitrary. The intention seems to be to put undue pressure on the Staff Side to agree with the official side.

The Management should change its unfair line and allow staff side to nominate equal number of members to the Joint Committees, as per the existing practice.

BSNL Reorganises SSAs

15 Friday Nov 2013

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BSNL Corporate Office has issued orders reorganising SSAs on the basis of revenue and posting of SAG level officers accordingly. TDE will be in charge for SSA with revenue up to Rs. 10 crores, TDM for Rs. 10 to 30 crores, GM for Rs. 30 to Rs. 300 crores and PGM for above Rs. 300 crore revenue. 14 SSAs having PGM will now be downgraded to GM level, including the state capitals Patna, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
The Management should have planned to increase the revenue in the first stance. Even now, that is the most important work that they have to do.

Meeting with CMD BSNL

14 Thursday Nov 2013

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Today I had few minutes meeting with Shri R.K.Upadhyay, CMD BSNL on the issue of development, expansion and services by BSNL.It is hinted by the CMD that there is a positive growth, though small.
He also informed that a meeting with the Unions will be conducted shortly (now it is fixed on 30th November) to present certain decisions taken by the Heads of Circles on the revival of BSNL.
The meeting should benefit the BSNL in its growth.